Marcia A. Connell
CLEAR LAKE, Iowa — Marcia A. Connell, 81, of Clear Lake died peacefully in her home surrounded by loved ones on Thursday, June 12, 2008.
A memorial service was held June 18, 2008, followed by private inurnment services, both in Clear Lake.
Memorials may be given to the First Congregational Church in Clear Lake, Opportunity Village, the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and the Clear Lake Community School Foundation.
Marcia Jean Ashland was born Nov. 28, 1926, to L.E. (Earl) and Esther Woodford Ashland. As a teen, she worked summers in her father’s Basket Grocery stores. She enjoyed sailing on the lake and the outdoors. She enjoyed fishing, pheasant hunting and trapshooting with her father. She graduated from Clear Lake High School, attended Lindenwood College in St. Charles, Mo., and graduated with a business degree from the University of Iowa. Marcia worked as a buyer for Marshall Fields in Chicago after graduating from college.
Marcia and James F. Connell were married Sept. 3, 1949, and lived in Iowa City before moving to Clear Lake where Jim managed what is now Woodford Lumber and Home Company. Their first daughter, Sarah, was born while Jim was serving in the Army during the Korean Conflict. She was active in the Girl Scouts with her daughters and headed up the Red Cross swimming program at City Beach. Marcia had a dry sense of humor, was a hard worker and staunchly independent until breaking a hip a few years ago.
Marcia enjoyed taking family trips in the summer, going on fishing trips to Canada with Jim and good friends, golfing, hunting for morel mushrooms and having picnics with family and friends. She was an avid reader and enjoyed her “bookies” group of friends who meet weekly. She loved attending her grandsons’ school and sports activities.
Marcia was an owner, served as president, was currently chairman of the board and was active on the boards of directors of both the Clear Lake Independent Telephone Company and Woodford Lumber and Home for over 60 years until just months before her death. At a time when many might focus on their retirement, she continued to reinvest in the companies.
She enjoyed wishing employees happy birthday and keeping up with their children's’ activities. She also believed strongly in giving back to the community. She established scholarships at Clear Lake High School and NIACC. Marcia and her family are grateful they could protect one of the last stretches of lakeshore wilderness on Clear Lake. The family gave up the property rights in 1992 to develop what is now Woodford Ashland Lone Tree Point Nature Area via a conservation easement with the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The family still owns the property, but allows public access for low-impact use.
Marcia served on the Opportunity Village Board of Directors, board of trustees at First Congregational Church, and was an active member there. She was a member of PEO Chapter EA, Delta Gamma sorority and other organizations.
She is survived by her daughter, Sarah Ohlrogge (Dennis) of Onalaska, Wis.; daughter, Jan Lovell (Tom) of Clear Lake; two grandsons, Christopher Lovell and Erik Ohlrogge and son-in-law Kevin Magee of Madison, Wis. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Jim; and daughter, Susan Connell-Magee of Madison.
The family was assisted by Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. Fourth St., Clear Lake, Iowa 641-357-2193. www.colonialchapels.com.
Betty Jane Clark
VIROQUA, Wis. — Betty Jane Clark, 73, a resident at Lakeview Health Care Center, West Salem, Wis., and formerly of Viroqua died early Friday morning, July 25, 2008, at Lakeview Care Center.
She was born on June 8, 1935, on Pleasant Ridge, rural Viroqua, to Corwin and Beatrice (Smith) Haynes. She graduated from Readstown (Wis.) High School with the class of 1953. On Aug. 14, 1954, she married LeMoine “Bud” Clark at the Church of Christ in Viroqua. Betty worked in the Vernon County treasurer’s office and was a deputy register of deeds for Vernon County for 14 years. She enjoyed gardening and was a very active member of the Church of Christ in Viroqua and Sheldon, Wis.
Betty is survived by her son, Shannon (Tammy Larson) Clark, Soldiers Grove, Wis.; grandson, Trevor Clark; granddaughter, Brittany Clark; sister, Vera Nelson of Viroqua; brother, Orville (Barb) Haynes of Soldiers Grove; and several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; stepfather, Russell Guist; husband, LeMoine “Bud” Clark in 1997; and several aunts and uncles.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 28, at Viroqua Church of Christ. Officiating at the service will be Minister Nathan Prong with burial to follow in the Viola (Wis.) Cemetery. The family will greet relatives and friends on Sunday, July 27, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Thorson-Reetz Funeral Home, Viroqua. A prayer service will be held at 4:30 p.m. led by Minister Nathan Prong. The visitation will continue on Monday, July 28, at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of services at 11 a.m.
On-line condolences may be made at www.thorson-reetz.net.
Ruth M. Senn
Ruth M. Senn, 77, of La Crosse died Friday, July 25, 2008, in Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, La Crosse. A funeral Mass will be in Holy Trinity Catholic Church, La Crosse. Blaschke & Schneider Funeral Homes are assisting the family. A complete obituary will follow.
Bruce I. Bettis
SPARTA, Wis. — Bruce I. Bettis, 72, of Sparta died Thursday, July 24, 2008, at his home. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Lanham-Miller Funeral Home, Sparta. Burial will be in Melrose (Wis.) Cemetery. Friends may call from 11 a.m. until the time of services Monday at the funeral home. Online condolences may be offered at www.lanham-miller.com.
Mary Jane Kramer
WINONA, Minn. — Mary Jane Kramer, 70, of Winona died on Thursday, July 24, 2008, at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, La Crosse, after long illnesses.
Mary Jane was born on March 26, 1938, in Winona to Leonard and Ceilia (Kulas) Kulas. On April 24, 1960, she married John Kramer at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church.
She graduated from Winona Senior High School in 1957 and worked for Woolworths while going to school. Mary Jane sold Bee Line clothing during the 1980s and also worked for the Bell System for over 30 years, retiring from there in 1988.
Mary Jane was a member of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church and the Telephone Pioneers.
She loved going to the casinos in Las Vegas, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Mary Jane always talked about going to Dodge on the Green Bay Passenger Train, and for 10 years, she would go with her husband, John, to the Dakota Hills Hunting Lodge and the Mule Deer Hunting Lodge on the Q Ranch in Casper, Wyo.
Mary Jane is survived by her husband, John of Winona, and her brother, Leonard Kulas of Winona.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at noon on Sunday, July 26, at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church with preliminary services at 11:30 a.m. at Watkowski-Mulyck Funeral Home. The Rev. Thomas J. Hargesheimer and Monsignor Roy E. Literski will concelebrate. Burial will be in Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis.
Friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Watkowski-Mulyck Funeral Home, where a prayer service will be held at 5:15 p.m. There will be no visitation at the church on Sunday.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that memorials be directed to the following charities, which were favorite and important organizations to John and Mary Jane: St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, P.O. Box 50, Memphis, TN 38105, or to St. Joseph’s Indian School, Chamberlain, SD 57325-0100.
On-line condolences or memories may be left for Mary Jane’s family at www.watkowski-mulyck.com.
Entrusted to our care — Watkowski-Mulyck Funeral Home.
Frances M. Russell
SPARTA, Wis. — Frances M. Russell, 86, of Sparta died Thursday, July 24, 2008, at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare, Sparta.
She was born on Jan. 10, 1922, in Humbird Township, Clark County, Wis., to Earl and Margarete (Lubinski) Pierce. She grew up in the Humbird area.
She lived in Black River Falls, Wis., and moved to Sparta in the 1950s. She helped establish the first day care center in Sparta and retired from finance and accounting at Fort McCoy in 1988. She then worked part-time with Lutheran Social Services helping disabled adults for seven years.
She is survived by her children, Francis (Ellie) Coleman of St. Louis, Mo., Sue (Dale) Nauman of Sparta, Sandra Morgan of Verona, Wis., and Holly (Dave Bevis) Russell of Alexandria, Va; eight grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; a sister, Lorraine (Allen) Stanley of Marshfield, Wis.; and cousins, nieces and nephews.
Frances was preceded in death by her husbands, Myron Coleman and Hallan Russell; a daughter, Constance; and two brothers, Howard and Ted Pierce.
Funeral services will be on Monday, July 28, at United Methodist Church, Sparta, at 10 a.m. with the Rev. David Carlson officiating. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Sparta.
Friends may call at Lanham-Miller Funeral Home, Sparta, on Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m. and on Monday at the United Methodist Church from 9 a.m. until the time of services. Online condolences may be offered at www.lanham-miller.com.
Lanham-Miller Funeral Home, Sparta, is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.
Lola Mohr
WAUMANDEE, Wis. — Lola Mohr, 65, of Waumandee died Thursday, July 24, 2008, at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Christ Lutheran Church in Arcadia, Wis. Burial will be in Glencoe Lutheran Cemetery, Arcadia. Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday at Wozney-Killian Funeral Home, Arcadia, and also from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday at the church. On-line condolences may be sent to wozneykillianfh@aol.com.
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