Obituaries

Cyril Knopf, 97, of Lansing died Friday, February 12, 2016 at Thornton Manor, Lansing. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, February 19 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lansing. Interment will be held in Gethsemane Cemetery, Lansing following the mass.
Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, February 18 at Thornburg-Grau Funeral Home in Lansing and one hour before services at the church Friday. A Scripture Service will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home, with a Rosary service after.
Cyril Fredrick, the son of Louis and Anna (Wendler) Knopf, was born July 16, 1918 on a farm at Faegre Prairie Road, near Churchtown. Cyril attended school at the Faegre Prairie Country School and Lansing School.  He farmed near Dry Ridge, rural Lansing his entire life and retired at the age of 93.

Helen I. Ehrie, age 98, of Decorah died Tuesday, February 9, 2016 at Wellington Place in Decorah. Funeral Services were held Saturday, February 13 at Glenwood Lutheran Church in rural Decorah, with Rev. Stacey Nalean-Carlson officiating. Burial was in Pontoppidan Cemetery in rural Decorah.
Helen Iola (Geving) Ehrie was born August 4, 1917 at the family home in Fillmore County, MN, the daughter of Herbert and Anna (Jacobson) Geving. She was baptized September 17, 1917 at Fremont Lutheran Church in Minnesota and was confirmed September 6, 1931 at Old West Paint Creek Lutheran Church in rural Waukon. She attended country school in rural Allamakee County and then Beauty School in Minneapolis, MN.
Helen was united in marriage to Orin Jasper Ehrie March 11, 1943 at Glenwood Lutheran Parsonage in rural Decorah. To this union four children were born: Herbert, Donna, James and Jolene.

Daniel Hallissey Galvin, 94, of Hanover, MA died January 28, 2016 at the South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, MA. A Funeral Mass was held Wednesday, February 3 at the St. Mary of the Sacred Heart Church in Hanover, MA. Burial with Military Honors followed at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, MA.
In lieu of flowers contributions can be made in Daniel's name to: William Moore Stack Foundation, c/o Dr. Eileen Natuzzi, 509 Hermes Ave., Encinitas, CA 92024.
Daniel was born, raised and educated in Melrose, MA, the son of the late Catherine (O’Brien) and Daniel Hallissey Galvin, Sr. He was a 1938 graduate of Melrose High School.

Beth Ann Otting, age 51, formerly of Albuquerque, New Mexico and Waukon, died Friday, January 29, 2016 in Fishtown, Liberia, Africa. A memorial mass and dinner will be held in her honor Saturday, April 2 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Waukon.  The rosary will be said at 9:30 a.m., the family will be present at the church from 10-11 a.m., and mass will take place at 11 a.m., with the dinner and her funeral video to follow in the church basement.
Beth was born February 14, 1964 in Dubuque, the daughter of Daniel and Helen (Kramer) Otting. She was baptized at the Church of the Resurrection in Dubuque and later confirmed at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Waukon.

Charles “Chuck” Evans Trotter, 73, of Harpers Ferry passed away peacefully with his wife by his side and his family in his heart February 2, 2016 in Prairie du Chien, WI. Graveside services will be conducted at a later date.
Chuck was born January 30, 1943 to Clyde and Nina (Brynildson) Trotter in Chicago, IL. At an early age, the Trotter family moved from Chicago, IL to Maynard to work the family farm. After graduating from West Central High School in 1961, he joined the United States Navy, where he served on the USS Littlerock until he was honorably discharged in August 1965.

LaVon I. Kaeser, 92, of Waukon died Thursday, February 4, 2016 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services were held Saturday, February 6 at First Presbyterian Church in Waukon, with Pastor Grant VanderVelden officiating. Burial was at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon.
LaVon I. Kaeser was born September 17, 1923 in Luana, the daughter of Hall and Florence (Lindroth) Swenson. She was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Luana, and graduated from Luana High School.

Connie M. Sanderson, 68, passed away January 27, 2016 in Lansing. There will be no visitation or funeral services. Memorials in her name may be made to the organization of the mourners’ choice.
Connie was born September 30, 1947 in Madison, WI.  She graduated in 1969 from Luther College in Decorah and married Harlan Sanderson June 21 that same year.  She taught French and English (including literature, composition and creative writing classes) for 27 years at South Winneshiek High School in Calmar before retiring with her husband in the countryside by the Mississippi River near Lynxville, WI.
Connie was a gentle soul who loved nature - wildflowers, gardens, birds, butterflies and animals of all kinds. She was a poet whose work appeared in numerous literary magazines, and in 1996 she received the Jade Ring Award for Poetry from the Wisconsin Regional Writers’ Association.

Jesse Allan Paul Huntley, 35, of Dunkerton died at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Tuesday, January 26, 2016 from complications of cystic fibrosis. Services were held Saturday, January 30 at St. John's Lutheran Church ‑ Bennington Township with burial at a later date.
Jesse was born December 3, 1980 in Iowa City, the son of Larry Allan Baker and Joni A. Huntley. He was a 1999 graduate of Waterloo West High School.
Jesse married Jessica Marie Pierce May 18, 2002 at St. John's Lutheran Church, Bennington Township. He had worked at Pizza Hut and Ricoh at CUNA Mutual.
Jesse was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church - Bennington Township, Greater Cedar Valley Bowling Association Board of Directors, USBC, Special Persons Bowling League, Elks League, Classic League, and Transplant Iowa Games League Team.

Ruth Ellen Burke, 67, of Lansing died Friday, January 22, 2016 at Thornton Manor in Lansing. Celebration of Life Services will be held at a later date.
Ruth Ellen was born March 2, 1948 to Joseph and Ruth (Theobald) Burke in rural New Albin. She attended elementary school in New Albin. Ruth helped in the kitchen at the New Albin School and cleaned the family room and helped in the kitchen at Makee Manor.

Alvin M. Hanson, 82, of Waukon died Thursday, January 28, 2016 at Northgate Care Center in Waukon. Funeral services were held Monday, February 1 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Waukon with Rev. Lynn Groe officiating. Burial with military honors was at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon.
Alvin Martin Hanson was born April 25, 1933 in Waukon, the son of Carl J. and Josephine Hanson. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon, and attended Hanson rural country school. Alvin served in the United States Army from 1953 until 1955, spending time in Germany.
September 8, 1962, he married Lyla Runice in La Crescent, MN. He was a mechanic for John Deere and Sweeney's DX, both in Waukon. Alvin also hauled rock for Bresnahan Construction and managed the Village Motel.
He was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church and the VFW. Alvin enjoyed spending time with his family, watching old war movies and westerns, and working on cars.