News Center newsletter

The Kee baseball team capped off one of its most successful seasons in the past decade by taking the program back to every high school baseball team’s ultimate destination this past week, as the diamond Hawks played their way to the Class 1A State Tournament for the first time since the 2011 season.

The Waukon High School and Middle School football coaching staffs are planning to host the 2021 Waukon Indian Middle School Football Camp August 22-24. The camp, run by the Waukon football coaching staffs with help from current and former high school players, is a non-contact camp aimed at teaching the fundamentals of offensive and defensive play for the Waukon football program.

Participants should plan to attend camp in shorts and a t-shirt, and should bring football cleats. Camp will take place at the middle school practice football field west of the Waukon High School parking lot.

The middle school camp for students entering seventh and eighth grades this fall will be held Sunday-Tuesday, August 22-24. The camp will be held from 5-7 p.m. both Sunday and Monday evenings, and then from 3:35-5:35 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.

Gwen Carole Wilson Eilers of Luana died Friday, July 23, 2021 at Northgate Care Center in Waukon. Visitation will be held Sunday, August 8 from 3-5 p.m. at Leonard-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Monona. A private burial will be held Monday, August 9.

Gwen was born May 3, 1942 in Palmer, AK to Carl and Edithbelle (Heller) Wilson. From Palmer, the family moved to Fairbanks, AK. In 1954, Gwen’s parents moved her and her two brothers, Rocky and Terry, to Chena Hot Springs, AK, traveling through wilderness and over mountains. She and her brothers were homeschooled by Edithbelle for a time. Gwen went to high school in Fairbanks and graduated from there. She attended college, beginning in Fairbanks and finishing at the Oklahoma College for Women, where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Music, specializing in the piano.

Verna Eleva (Sorum) Watts, age 95, formerly of Waukon, passed away peacefully July 25, 2021. A celebration of life will be held Saturday, August 7 at Abounding Joy Lutheran Church, 6000 County Road 120, St. Cloud, MN. Visitation will be at 10 a.m. and the Service will be at 11 a.m.

Verna was born to Ilot and Esther Sorum March 7, 1926 at their farm home near Lanesboro, MN. She graduated from Lanesboro High School in 1944 and attended a one-year program at Winona Business College. She worked as a secretary for the Fillmore County Agricultural Extension Service in Preston, MN. While working there, she met her future husband, Wendell Watts, a local dairy farmer. They were married June 6, 1948.

LaVerne June Koester of West Union went home to Heaven to be with God July 15, 2021 after a courageous battle with cancer. A memorial service was held July 23 at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Eldorado with Pastor Ginny Olson officiating. Burial was at the rural St. Peter Church Cemetery.

LaVerne was born July 8, 1934 in Waukon to August and Martha Snitker. She was the youngest of eight children. LaVerne lived on the farm with her parents and siblings. She graduated from high school and went to work in Cedar Rapids as a secretary for three years.

She met her husband, Donald, at Matter’s Ballroom in Decorah and they were married August 19, 1956. LaVerne dedicated her life to being on the farm with Donald and their four children: Connie, Larry, Cheryl and Brad. When the children were grown, she also worked at Gundersen Palmer Hospital in the dietary department, where she made many friends and enjoyed the people she worked with very much.

Betty Schwamman, 91, of Waukon died Saturday, July 24, 2021 at her home in Waukon. A celebration of life will be held Saturday, October 16 from 1-4 p.m. at the Farm Bureau Building in Waukon. Martin - Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements. Condolences and cards may be sent to Shawny Jones at 9 West Railroad Lane, Waterville, IA 52170.

Darlene Betty Schwamman was born October 16, 1929 in Detroit Lakes, MN, the daughter of Harry and Abigail (Miller) Westerholm. She grew up and attended school in the Waukon area. The oldest of four, she had three brothers: Norin “Swede”, Harlan “Red” and Kleo “Wes”. Betty worked at Handy’s Cafe, The Soda Grill, Kennebec’s Clothing Store, Quality Discount Store and Pamida. She also worked at Quillin’s, handing out samples, and did some home care for the elderly. In addition to working hard all of her adult life, Betty raised four daughters as well.

Margaret E. Herman, 89, of Waukon died of natural causes Saturday, July 31, 2021 at Good Samaritan Society in Waukon. Funeral services will be held Saturday, August 7 at 11 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon with Pastor Bryan Robertson officiating. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon.

Friends may greet the family from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services Saturday at church. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements. The family requests that in lieu of plants and flowers, you consider making a memorial donation to the Good Samaritan Society, Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon, or the church of your preference.

Roswell Davis, 82, of Meriden, CT died Saturday evening, July 3, 2021 at the family’s summer home in Alna, ME. Private services will be held at the convenience of his family. Interment will be in the Sheepscot Cemetery, Newcastle, ME.

Roswell was born January 16, 1939 in Meriden, CT, a son of the late Albert and Millicent (Wing) Davis. He was a graduate of Proctor Academy in Andover, NH and served honorably in the U.S. Navy.  He was a 50-year member of the Masonic Lodge in Meriden, CT, where he was the owner of Production Equipment Co.  Roswell was an avid collector of trucks and cars, including toy trucks and cars.

He is preceded in death by his parents and his father-in-law, Ted Bodley. He is survived by his wife, Rebecca (Bodley) Davis; a son, Roswell Theodore Davis, Jr. and his wife, Lisa; a daughter, Stephanie Ann Jordan; four grandchildren, Jessica O’Donovan, Mikayla Jordan, Sara Jordan and Chloe Davis; and his mother-in-law, Betty Bodley.

Bernard L. Murphy, age 96, of Gays Mills, WI passed away Saturday, July 31, 2021 at Vernon Memorial Hospital in Viroqua, WI. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, August 7 at St. Philip Catholic Church in Rolling Ground, WI. Visitation will be held Friday, August 6 from 4-7 p.m. at Vosseteig Funeral Home in Gays Mills. Additional visitation will be held at the church Saturday from 10 a.m. until the time of the Mass. Burial will be in the church cemetery with full military honors. The family requests that those who are not vaccinated please wear a face mask.

Bernard was born at home near Rolling Ground, WI to John Murphy and Elizabeth Tully and lived in the area his entire life, with the exception of two years in the Army during which he was stationed in Germany.  Upon discharge from the service, he married his wife of 69 years, Virginia Schmid of Loretto, WI.

Walter H. Teslow, age 98, of Decorah passed away Saturday, July 31, 2021 at Wellington Place in Decorah. Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, August 5 at Glenwood Lutheran Church in rural Decorah, with Rev. Stacey Nalean - Carlson officiating. Burial will be in East Glenwood Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday, one hour before the service, at Glenwood Lutheran Church.

Walter Hilman Teslow was born to Albert and Hilda (Lovstuen) Teslow September 14, 1922. He was baptized and confirmed at Glenwood Lutheran Church. Walter rode his horse, Babe, to the Bell School, a one-room school he attended in Union Prairie Township. Walter married Lorraine E. Stortz January 24, 1945 at Glenwood Lutheran Parsonage, and, with Lorraine at his side, farmed the family farm in Allamakee County where they raised their three children. They actively farmed from 1945 to 2007. Tragically, he had to endure the loss of his son, Michael, at the tender age of 10.