Obituaries

Robert (Bob) Raymond Jr., 78, of De Soto, WI, died peacefully at home with his wife, Julie, and his son, Gus, at his side Friday, April 10, 2026. A Celebration of Life will be held alongside the Mississippi River at a later date.
The Roth Family Cremation Center and Funeral Services is serving the family. A full obituary will be posted soon at www.rothfamilycremation.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Cancer Society or to pbswisconsin.org.

Daniel J. Becker, 64, of New Albin died Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at home surrounded by family. A celebration of life was held Sunday, April 12 at the New Albin Community Center.

Daniel James Becker was born October 17, 1961, in Waukon, the son of Joe and Kathleen (Mauss) Becker. He graduated from Kee High School in 1980, and served in the National Guard for seven years. May 24, 1996, Dan married the love of his life, Keri Shuda, and he continued to show his deep love and devotion to her every day of his life.

Dan worked as an operator for Mathy Construction for 25 years, where his strong work ethic and dedication were evident to all who knew him.

Frederick Staggemeier, 86, of La Crosse, WI, formerly of New Albin, died April 6, 2026, at Mulder Health Care Facility in West Salem, WI. Memorial services will be private.

He was born October 11, 1939, in Caledonia, MN, to Elmer and Erma (Pottratz) Staggemeier. Graduating in 1957 from New Albin High School, his early employment included working and making cheese at the New Albin Cheese Factory.

After leaving this establishment, he attended Coleman Technical Institute for mechanical drafting and, later, Western Wisconsin Technical Institute, entering into the tool and die field. Frederick worked with various businesses in the La Crosse, Viroqua, and Richland Center areas in Wisconsin until retiring in 2005.

Harvey I. Estebo, 90, of Waukon passed away Sunday, April 5, 2026 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon from natural causes after a lengthy illness. Funeral Services were held Monday, April 13 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lansing followed by graveside service at Lansing Ridge Cemetery.

Harvey Ingham Estebo was born and raised near Rake February 29, 1936. He was the youngest of 11 children of John and Hilda (Erdahl) Estebo. He was named after Harvey Ingham, editor of the Des Moines Register and Tribune and from whom his parents bought the farm near Rake.

Harvey was baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Rake. He went to rural country school before attending public school in Rake and graduated from high school in 1954.

After graduation, Harvey attended Luther College in Decorah until the fall of 1956 when he went to San Diego, CA to live with a brother. While living in San Diego, he worked as a timekeeper for the Rohr Air Craft Corporation.

Francis (Frank) M. O’Malley, 72, of Waukon passed away from natural causes March 22, 2026, at his home. Services will be held at a later date.

Frank was born August 13, 1953, in Waukon to Patrick and Mary (Marsden) O’Malley. He graduated from Waukon High School in 1971. Following high school he attended Western Wisconsin Technical Institute in La Crosse, WI.

In his career Frank was employed in the meat business, the building trades and as a member of the gaming staff at casinos in Biloxi, MS. In 2015 he returned to live in Waukon.

Frank enjoyed playing cards, pool and softball, hunting and fishing. He was a fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes.

He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Jean Ann O’Malley.

Mildred Aileen (Powell) Myhre, long-time resident of Spring Grove, MN, was the first-born child of Ethel (Enyart) and Louis Powell.  She entered this world on the blustery day of March 25, 1929, and departed on the blustery day of March 16, 2026.

Funeral and burial services were at Waterloo Ridge Lutheran Church March 21. Memorials can be directed to the Waterloo Ridge Church Cemetery Perpetual Fund or to the family c/o Laurie Knoke; 2 Cari Court, DeKalb, IL 60115.

Mildred graduated as the valedictorian of Waukon High School in 1947. She taught at a country school where her younger brothers Roger and Lyle were among her students. Her brother Robert was not of school age yet.

Stanley W. Straate, 76, of Waukon passed away peacefully Sunday, March 29, 2026, at Good Samaritan Society in Waukon, after a courageous fight with cancer. Memorial services will be held Wednesday, April 1 at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. Philip Agyei officiating. Burial will be held later at Ebenezer Cemetery, rural Waukon, with close family.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, March 31 from 4-7 p.m. at Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon, with a 3:30 p.m. scripture service. Memorials may be directed to Veterans Memorial Hospital, 40 1st Street SE, Waukon, IA 52172 or www.veteransmemorialhospital.com/about/foundation/.

Donald J. McKee, 65, of Lansing died peacefully in his childhood home surrounded by family and his little dog, Sassie, Sunday, March 22, 2026, following a long illness of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Memorial services were held Monday, March 30 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lansing with Fr. Joseph Sevcik officiating.

Donald John McKee was born August 11, 1960, in Waukon, the son of Richard and Evelyn (Knopf) McKee of Lansing. Donnie was a welder for Kol-Gol for ten years and fenced for area farmers for many years. He also worked at Strong’s gravel pit. Donnie was a lumberjack and woodsman and could identify most trees in the area.

He enjoyed watching westerns and woodcutting and machinery shows, playing battleship on TV, and playing euchre with friends. Every year on Easter Sunday, he would drive his tractor up Mount Ida hill for a hayride for his nieces and nephews, and he kept a campfire going for family get-togethers.

Thomas Francis Kistler, 77, of Chandler, AZ passed away Thursday, March 5, 2026. Services were held Tuesday, March 17 at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Phoenix, AZ. Interment is at St. Francis Cemetery in Phoenix.

Thomas was born October 7, 1948 in Yuma, AZ to Charles and Dorothy (Sadler) Kistler. In 1953 the Kistler family moved to Waukon, where his parents remained until their retirement. Thomas graduated from St. Patrick’s Catholic High School in Waukon in 1966. After graduation he attended Loras College in Dubuque and spent his life working in the chemistry field.

Irvin K. Fosaaen Jr., 76, of Waukon died Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, March 31 at 11 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon with Pastor Mark Oehlert officiating. Burial will be in Stavanger Cemetery in Ossian, and fellowship at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. Friends may greet the family from 4-7 p.m. Monday, March 30 at Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Veterans Memorial Hospital, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Stavanger Lutheran Church, or the Waukon Swim Club.

Irvin Kermit Fosaaen Jr. was born in Decorah, the eldest son of Irvin Kermit Fosaaen Sr. and Marion (Mundt) Fosaaen, and grew up in Ossian. He was baptized and confirmed at Stavanger Lutheran Church, a place that remained meaningful to him throughout his life, and was a longtime member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon.