Obituaries

Robert Henry Thimmesch, 92, of Marion passed away June 13, 2025. A Memorial Service will be held at 12 p.m. Thursday, June 26 at the New Albin Community Center. Inurnment will follow at St. Peter’s Cemetery. Friends may call from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Thursday, June 26 at the New Albin Community Center. Iowa Cremation is assisting the family.

A full obituary will appear in the June 25 edition of The Standard. You can subscribe to The Standard's print edition or e-edition by clicking here.

Edward P. Blake, 77, of Waukon passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his loved ones, Wednesday, June 11, 2025. A funeral mass was held Monday, June 16 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Dorchester with Fr. Jerry Blake officiating. Burial with military honors followed at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Dorchester.

Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon handled arrangements. Please consider a donation to the “Tyler Blake Scholarship Fund”, a cause that is near and dear to the Blake family’s heart.

Edward Patrick Blake was born May 3, 1948, in Decorah to Patrick and Margaret (Hammell) Blake. He was raised in the scenic hills of Dorchester, along Bear Creek, where he grew up with his 12 siblings. Ed attended a rural country school through the eighth grade before graduating from St. Patrick’s High School in Waukon.

Richard Anthony Corrigan, age 88, a proud U.S. Army Veteran, retired Cedar Rapids Firefighter and devoted family man, passed away peacefully June 11, 2025. Mass of Christian Burial was held Tuesday, June 17, at St. Patrick’s Church in Cedar Rapids, and Richard was laid to rest at St. Joseph’s Cemetery.

Born September 23, 1936, in Harpers Ferry, Richard was the 10th of 11 sons born to James and Rose (McCormick) Corrigan. Raised on the family farm filled with faith, resilience, and strong family ties, Richard lived by the values instilled in him from an early age.

After graduating from Waterville High School in 1954, Richard enlisted in the United States Army, serving honorably until 1956. He and all but one of his ten brothers proudly served their country in the U.S. Army, a testament to the Corrigan family’s deep patriotism and commitment to service.

Karen Jean Milton, age 89, of Lansing passed away Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at Thornton Manor Nursing Center in Lansing with family by her side.

A visitation for Karen will be held Thursday, June 19, beginning at 9 a.m. and followed by a memorial service at 11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 204 West Main Street, Waukon. Graveside service at Lansing Ridge Cemetery will take place following a church luncheon.

Karen was born January 22, 1936, in Woodstock, WI, to Emmet Lee and Ruth Augusta (Fairbrother) Barnhart. She graduated high school and went on to further her education at Madison Business College in Madison, WI for two years. July 28, 1956, Karen married Dennis Edward Milton in Portage, WI.

She was employed as a secretary to various companies, WI Inheritance Department and Wisconsin Journal, both in Madison, WI, and Lansing Methodist Church in Lansing. She was even a bartender at Knight Club in Lansing.

DuWayne “Dewey” C. Snitker, 87, of Waukon died Sunday, June 8, 2025, surrounded by family at Thornton Manor in Lansing. Funeral services will be held Friday, June 13 at 11 a.m. at Salem United Church of Christ in rural Waukon with Pastor Karla Johnson officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Friends may greet the family from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, June 12 at Martin - Grau Funeral Home in Waukon. In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred.

DuWayne Carleton Snitker was born April 29, 1938, in rural Waukon. He was the eighth of 10 children born to Leonard and Wilhemina “Minnie” (Flage) Snitker. He was baptized and confirmed at Salem United Church of Christ. DuWayne was a lifetime member of Salem United Church of Christ serving on many church committees. He was a survivor of polio at the tender age of 1-1/2. He and his mother lived in the basement to prevent the rest of the family from contracting the disease.

James Fred Becker, 62, of Waukon died Friday, June 6, 2025, at WinnMed Hospital in Decorah after a five-year battle with cancer. Funeral services will be held Saturday, June 14 at 11 a.m. at Salem United Church of Christ, rural Waukon, with a visitation beginning at 10 a.m. at the church.

Jim was born September 7, 1962, to Karl and Jean (Murphy) Becker in Waukon. He attended schools at North Fayette in West Union. He was married August 23, 1986, to Rochelle Price. They later divorced. To this union, three children were born.

Jim was a talented builder in concrete, carpentry and other facets of construction. He worked for Ace Construction in Grimes, traveling to New York City for structural steel, SCI in Ossian in construction, Agriprocessors in Postville in maintenance, as well as being a self-employed carpenter. Jim enjoyed showing his kids on the weekends what he was working on.

Mary Ellen Christoffer, age 90, of Lansing, died Sunday evening, June 8, 2025 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. As per her wishes, cremation will be fulfilled. A Celebration of Life Service was held Saturday, June 14 at Christ Community Church in New Albin. The service was officiated by Pastor Ethan Larson.

The daughter of Carl and Agnes (Sheriff) Ellefson, Mary was born September 11, 1934 in Iowa City.

Mary was united in marriage with Herbert Bailey in 1951 and had seven children. They later divorced.  Mary was united in marriage with Laverne (Chris) Christoffer May 18, 1974 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua.

Mary grew up and attended Lansing Elementary School in Lansing. She was a lifetime member and past president of the Lansing VFW Auxiliary.

Carol Jane (Klocke) Weiland, 84, of Cedar Rapids passed away peacefully Thursday, February 27, 2025, at the Hiawatha Care Center.  A celebration of life will be held at The Uptown Grill in Waukon Saturday, June 28 from 2-4 p.m.

The family would encourage you to bring favorite photos of Carol to share at the celebration! Donations can be made to your favorite charity in Carol’s name.

Born November 26, 1940, in Waukon, Carol was one of six children born to Clarence and Alvina (Nagel) Klocke. After graduating from Waukon High School, she moved to Marion where she worked for Rockwell Collins and later J-Tec. She met and married her first husband, Richard Kummer, in 1965.

They became the proud parents of Steven Kummer and Kristine Kummer.

Ellen May “Pierce” Orr Ronnfeldt of Waterville died Thursday, May 22, 2025 at the Northgate Nursing Home in Waukon. Services will be held at a later date.

Ellen was born September 13, 1937 in Cedar Rapids to Charles Robert Pierce and Edna “Butters” Pierce.

Ellen is survived by two sons, Chuck (Janet) Orr of Shellsburg and Rick Orr of Waukon. She also had nine grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her son, Jack Orr; her parents; her brothers, Robert, Charles, James and Floyd; and her sisters, Alice, Rose Marie and Mary Ann, all of Cedar Rapids.

Thomas “Tom” H. Bechtel, age 90, of Caledonia, MN passed away June 3, 2025. A Celebration of Life will be held from 4-6 p.m. Friday, June 13 at the New Albin Town Hall, located behind the bank. Burial with military honors will take place at a later date in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, New Albin.

Tom was born January 14, 1935, in Lansing, the son of Theodore and Harriet (Peterson) Bechtel. Tom graduated from high school in 1950. He served in the United States Army in Korea in 1955, until he was honorably discharged in 1957. He married Mary Whalen June 17, 1961, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, New Albin.