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Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com

Published - Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Obituaries for Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008

By Tribune staff

Levi Scott Flaig

SPARTA, Wis. — Levi Scott Flaig, infant son of Marriah Flaig and Scott Snow, died Thursday, July 31, 2008, at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Lanham-Miller Funeral Home, with burial in Mount Hope Cemetery, both in Sparta. Friends may call from

9 a.m. to services Saturday at the funeral home. Online condolences may be offered at www.lanham-miller.com.

Janice Hagen

Janice Hagen of La Crosse passed away peacefully on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2008, surrounded by her loved ones.

She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, sister and friend. Janice loved having family gatherings and dinner parties with friends. She had a passion for reading and enjoyed bowling. She was known for being a big fan of the NFL and Badgers, knowing more about the cute quarterbacks and coaches than most. She was a regular volunteer throughout the city. Janice was an active member of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church for over 30 years.

In one moment, cancer changes everything, but her never-quit, strong faith attitude carried her through her battles. This is the legacy that she leaves behind to all that knew and loved her.

Janice was born in Aberdeen, S.D., to Enoch and Clara (Wohl) Grorud and lived in Portland, Ore., and Albert Lea, Minn. She moved to

La Crosse in 1966. While living in La Crosse, Jan worked for Hawkins Ash & Baptie, Gateway Transportation and retired from Trane Co. after 27 years.

Jan is survived by five children, Tim Hagen of La Crescent, Minn., Debra (Brian) Buchanan of Ozark, Ala., Victoria Potaracke of

La Crosse, Julie (Jay) Mangino of Maricopa, Ariz., and John (Roxanne) Bull of Hayward, Wis.; 16 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. She is further survived by her brother, Hollis (Joan) Grorud of Albert Lea, Minn., two nieces; two great-nephews; and four great-nieces.

Throughout her life, she was always a source of encouragement and support to all who knew her. “Mom was a great teacher. A teacher of things that really matter in life. The things that really make a difference. Strong faith, self confidence, courage and perseverance: all these things we learned from you.”

A Christian funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in La Crosse. Pastor Robert Wassermann will officiate. Friends may call today from 5 to 7 p.m. at Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home of La Crosse and at the church Thursday from 10 a.m. until services.

Mark F. Leer

HIXTON, Wis. — Mark F. Leer of rural Hixton died Monday, Aug. 4, 2008, at his home. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at New Hope Community Lutheran Church in rural Hixton. Burial will be in Pigeon Creek Center Cemetery. Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Jensen-Modjeski Funeral Home in Hixton and 10 a.m. to services Saturday at the church.

Dorothy A. Mercier

Dorothy A. Mercier, 79, of La Crosse died Monday, Aug. 4, 2008, at Lakeview Health Center in West Salem, Wis. Services will be announced by Woodruff-Jandt Funeral Home of La Crosse.

James E. Morley

LA CRESCENT, Minn. — James E. Morley, 87, a longtime resident of La Crescent passed away Monday, Aug. 4, 2008, at Golden Living Center.

Jim, as he was known to all, was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., on April 16, 1921. He was the second of seven children born to Frank and Matilda (Tallion) Morley. He graduated from DePaul University as a registered nurse/anesthetist. He served his country during World War II as a medic. He was a proud member of the U.S. Coast Guard and saw action in both the Atlantic and Pacific theatres.

He met and married his wife, Evelyn Burnett, at the VA Hospital in Minneapolis in 1953. Jim practiced his medical services at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Wabasha, Minn.,

for 12 years before moving to La Crescent in 1972. He then worked for Gundersen Lutheran Hospital until his retirement in 1985. Jim and Evelyn were both active volunteers in the public and Catholic schools. They ran eye and hearing screenings, inoculation programs and drug awareness. An active member of Church of the Crucifixion in La Crescent, Jim also served as the school nurse for six years after his retirement.

Jim is survived by his sister, Bea Ranta; three sisters-in-law, Dorothy Morley and Barb Morley, both of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., and Millie Burnett of

St. Cloud, Minn.; his four sons Jamie Morley, Chris (Nancy) Morley, Mark (Jane) Morley and Mike (Brenda) Morley; seven grandchildren, Alison, Lauren, Christine, Drew, Lindsey, Mara and Caitlin; a great-granddaughter, Kiara; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 11, at Church of the Crucifixion in La Crescent. The Rev. Gregory Havel will officiate. Burial with military honors will be in Crucifixion Cemetery. Friends may call at the church on Monday from 10 a.m. until time of services.

Memorials may be directed to the Golden Living Center in La Crescent.

SchumachernKish Funeral Home of La Crescent is assisting the family.

Lorrin D. Oliver

WESTBY, Wis. — Lorrin D. Oliver, 81, of rural Westby died late Monday evening, Aug. 4, 2008, at his residence following a long illness.

He was born in Purdy Valley on Feb. 17, 1927, to Herman and Alma (Bobst) Oliver. He helped on the farm until entering the U.S. Army on June 29, 1945, as a tank crewman. On Jan. 19, 1946, he was transferred to Germany, where he served as a Guard Patrolman until his honorable discharge Jan. 11, 1946. Upon returning home, he worked for Peter Nelson & Sons Construction. This is where he met Lois Volden. They were married Sept. 11, 1948, in La Crosse. Lorrin worked for Norplex Manufacturing and then at Allis Chalmers for 21 years. The couple then moved to Janesville, Wis., and Lorrin worked at GM for 14 years until retiring and moving to Westby in 1983. He enjoyed fishing, camping and hunting. You could always find him in his garage working on small engines or just tinkering with things. He was definitely a jack-of-all-trades.

Lorrin is survived by a daughter, Lori (Brian) Whitney of Westby; three sons, Rodney (Kathy) Oliver and Jeffrey (Coleen) Oliver, both of Onalaska, Wis., and Steven (Debra) Oliver of La Crescent, Minn.; 11 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; four brothers, Ivan Oliver of Leon, Wis., Paul Oliver of Beloit, Wis., Richard Oliver of De Soto, Wis., and Arnold (Eileen) Oliver of Stoddard, Wis.; sister, Beth Hayter of Beloit, Wis.; special friend, Judy Phinney, of Viroqua, Wis.; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Lois Ruth (Volden) Oliver, on Sept. 11, 1994; three brothers, Merlin, Clifford and Orris; and and a sister, Erma.

Funeral services will be at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8, at Thorson-Reetz Funeral Home in Viroqua, Wis. Officiating at the service will be Pastor Lindell Quam, with burial to follow in Mormon Coulee Memorial Park Cemetery, rural La Crosse. Military honors will be accorded by the United States Army Honors Team and La Crescent (Minn.) American Legion Post 595. The family will greet relatives and friends on Friday from noon until time of services at 2:30 p.m. at Thorson-Reetz Funeral Home in Viroqua.

Online condolences may be offered at www.thorson-reetz.net.

Ronald C. Schumacher

BEAVER DAM, Wis. — Ronald C. Schumacher, 52, of Beaver Dam went to his heavenly home after a long battle with ALS on Monday, Aug. 4, 2008, at University Hospital in Madison surrounded by his family.

The visitation for Ron will be at Murray Funeral Home in Beaver Dam on Friday, Aug. 8, from 4 to 7 p.m. and at St. Katharine Drexel Parish, 127 W. Maple Ave., Beaver Dam, on Saturday, Aug. 9, from 9:30 a.m. until time of Mass. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Katharine Drexel Parish,

127 W. Maple Ave., Beaver Dam, on Saturday, Aug. 9, at 11 a.m. Father John Schreiter will officate. Burial will follow the Mass at St. Peter’s Cemetery in the town of Beaver Dam, where military graveside services will be conducted.

Ronald Carl Schumacher was born Jan. 21, 1956, in Richland Center, Wis., to Ronald and Kathleen (Herlitz) Schumacher. He was a 1974 graduate of the Richland Center High School. He served in the U.S. Army from 1975 to 1977, working for NATO for 15 months while stationed in Germany. Ronald was united in marriage to Jean Guenther on Sept. 21, 1985, at St. Columbkille Catholic Church in Astico, Wis. The marriage was blessed with two children. He is a past member of the Tomah, Mauston, Sparta and West Salem, Wis., Lions Club, and past member of the Sparta American Legion Post. Ron was a 1981 graduate of the University of Arizona and was sales finance manager for Waupaca Housing in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. Ron has been battling ALS since 1999. He was a member of St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Beaver Dam.

Ron is survived by his wife, Jean Schumacher of Beaver Dam; his two children, Gabrielle and Jordyn, both at home; his father, Ronald L. Schumacher of Richland Center, Wis.; his sister, Debra Phillips of Iowa; his mother-in-law, Hedwig Guenther of Reeseville, Wis.; many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Ron was preceded in death by his mother; his brother, William Schumacher; his father-in-law, Lawrence Guenther; two brothers-in-law, Larry Lenz and Myron Nehring, his “co-conspirator in crime”; his sister-in-law, Rosie Nehring; and his great-uncle Charlie.

Murray Funeral Home in Beaver Dam is caring for the family. Online condolences may be offered at www.MurrayFH.com.

Joan Mary Sobotta

ONALASKA/ARCADIA, Wis. — Joan Mary Sobotta, 74, of Onalaska and formerly of Arcadia died peacefully in her home on Monday, Aug. 4, 2008.

She was born in Winona, Minn., on Sept. 1, 1933, to Matthew and Mildred (Smith) Feltes. She attended St. Aloysius School and graduated from Arcadia High. Joan married Dominic T. Sobotta on her birthday in 1951. He died on April 4, 1978.

They lived in Winona for 10 years and she worked for JCPenney Co. They operated the family tavern, Matt’s Place, in Arcadia for 27 years. After Dominic’s death, Joan moved to Onalaska and worked at The Prairie Gift House, and then opened a day care for many years. She was in charge of the Prayer Chain at St. Patrick’s, and her home was always open to friends — the coffee was always on. Joan was an avid angel collector.

Joan is survived by the loves of her life, son, Terrence (Candace) Sobotta of Iowa City, Iowa; daughters, Jill Sobotta (Charles Roterud) of Sun Prairie, Wis., Holly Sobotta of Onalaska and Heidi (Robert) Lewer of Kenosha, Wis.; grandchildren, Zach and Andy Sobotta and Matthew, Ryan, AnnMarie and Mary Louise Lewer; honorary granddaughter, Erin Knadle; great-grandchildren, Imara and Dominic Sobotta; and many, many friends.

Joan was preceded in death by her husband, parents and brother, Donald Feltes.

A Funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 1031 Main St., Onalaska. The Rev. Patrick Umberger will officiate, with interment at Calvary Cemetery in Arcadia. Visitation will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. on Thursday before Mass at the church. Blaschke & Schneider Funeral Home is assisting the family.