Obituaries

Chester Stanley Thune, 93, of Waukon died Saturday, June 22, 2024, at WinnMed in Decorah. Funeral services were held Saturday, June 29 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon with Pastor Bryan Robertson officiating. Burial with military honors was at Big Canoe Cemetery, rural Decorah. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon handled arrangements.

Chester Stanley Thune was born July 19, 1930, in Spring Grove, MN, the son of Alvin and Julia (Amundson) Thune. He was baptized and confirmed at Big Canoe Lutheran Church in rural Decorah. He attended country school in Highlandville and graduated from Decorah High School in 1948.

Chester enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1951, and proudly served aboard the USS Mindoro through 1954. October 1, 1952, he married Lorna Nelson at Big Canoe Lutheran Church. They shared 68 years together and were blessed with five daughters.

Betty A. Bell, 92, of Monona, formerly of Waukon, passed into the presence of her Lord and Savior Sunday, June 9, 2024, in her home at Garden View Place in Monona. Funeral services will be held Saturday, June 29 at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Waukon with Pastor Duane Smith officiating.

Burial will be held at Fort Custer National Cemetery in Battle Creek, MI, at a later date.

Friends may greet the family one hour before the services Saturday at the church. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements.

Betty Ann Greene Bell was born February 5, 1932, to Rufus Thomas and Mary Celia (Lewis) Greene in Elizabethton, TN. She graduated from Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC, in 1953 with a bachelor’s degree in education. She married the love of her life, Bobby Dan Bell, of Meridian, ID, Memorial Day, May 30, 1953.

Charles N. Langland, 70, of Decorah died Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at Accura Healthcare in Cresco. Graveside services will be held at Iowa River Cemetery in rural Dorchester Saturday, September 14 at 11:30 a.m. Martin-Grau Funeral Home is Waukon is handling arrangements.

Charlie (Chuck to his family) N. Langland was born in Spring Grove, MN October 28, 1953, the second son of Charles and A. Lois (Nesheim) Langland. He graduated from Waukon High School in 1971. In 1975, he enlisted in the Navy, serving as a gunner’s mate on the USS Dubuque amphibious transport dock home ported in San Diego, CA, and traveled to many countries in the Pacific.

After leaving the Navy, he moved to Decorah, where he lived the rest of his life. Charlie worked as an engineering technician in the Winneshiek County Surveyor’s office for many years before retiring in 2019.

Chester Schlake, 85, of Waukon died Saturday, April 13, 2024, at Northgate Care Center in Waukon. Memorial services will be held on Chester’s 86th birthday, Sunday, June 23, at 1 p.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 starting at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the church fellowship hall. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements.
 

Mary Kay Colsch, 73, of New Albin died Sunday, June 9, 2024, at Mayo Clinic Methodist Hospital in Rochester, MN. Funeral services were held Monday, June 17 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in New Albin with Fr. Joseph Sevcik officiating. Burial was at St. Joseph Cemetery, New Albin. Thornburg-Grau Funeral Home in Lansing handled arrangements.

Mary Kathleen Colsch was born in Waukon February 21, 1951, the daughter of Joseph and Kathleen (Mauss) Becker. She was baptized and confirmed at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lansing and graduated from St. George High School in 1969, later earning her associate degree in business from NICC. Throughout her life, Mary Kay worked as an executive administrator’s assistant to the CEO of Mayo Clinic in La Crosse, WI.

Darrell James Fahey, age 58, of Waukon passed away Sunday, June 9, 2024, surrounded by friends and family at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, WI. A burial of ashes will be held at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Waukon at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 22 with Fr. John Moser officiating.

Friends and family are asked to gather and share memories of Darrell at Green Valley Getaway in Waukon Saturday, June 22 from 3-7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to family at 803 2nd Avenue SW, Waukon, IA 52172.

Darrell was born November 1, 1965, in Waukon to Paul and Jean (Stahl) Fahey. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon.

Maress Jo “Jo” Lenz, 77, of Lansing passed away peacefully in her home Sunday, June 9, 2024. A celebration of life was held Saturday, June 15 at TJ Hunter’s Banquet Hall in Lansing.

Maress Jo “Jo” Lenz was born October 26, 1946 in Waterloo, the second daughter of Paul and Aletha (Kroeger) Moore. When Jo was young, her family moved from Evansdale to northeast Iowa to take up farming in Churchtown. On the farm Jo learned the value of hard work, a lesson she appreciated and carried with her throughout her entire life.

Jo attended Eastern Allamakee Community Schools, and graduated from Kee High School in 1964. While she was still in high school, Jo met the man who would become the love of her life, her bus driver, Roger Lenz. Jo and Roger were married May 26, 1964, and they just celebrated their 60th anniversary with a trip out west.

Dean Krambeer: husband, dad, bumpa, teacher, coach and friend. Dean died Wednesday morning, May 29, 2024 in his home at the age of 77. Dean’s celebration of life was held at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Pine Island, MN Saturday, June 8.

Dean was born December 26, 1946 in Postville to Burnell and Carol (Gilson) Krambeer Reeder. Dean graduated from Waukon High School (1965) and Luther College, Decorah (1969). August 24, 1968 he married his high school sweetheart, Linda (Anderson) Krambeer. They were married at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon.

Dora Jean E. Snitker, 94, of Waukon went to her heavenly home Thursday, June 6, 2024, at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. She will be greatly missed by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held Tuesday, June 11 at Salem United Church of Christ in rural Waukon with Pastor Sue Klimstra officiating and burial at the church cemetery.

Dora Jean Ethyl Snitker was born April 5, 1930, in Postville, the daughter of Ross and Ora (Honn) Thornton. After graduating from Postville High School, she worked at the Postville poultry plant and at the Waukon Soda Grill. In 1948, Jean married Dale Albert Kiesau at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, and they had a son, Steven. For many years, Jean worked on their dairy farm, milking cows and helping with field work. She and Dale later divorced.

Jeff L. O’Hare, 60, of Waukon died Thursday, June 6, 2024, at his home. Funeral services were held Tuesday, June 11 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. John Moser officiating. Burial was at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon handled arrangements.

Jeffrey Lee O’Hare was born in Waukon June 30, 1963, the son of Raphael “Ray” and Karen (Spiegler) O’Hare. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon and graduated from Waukon High School in 1983. Throughout his life, Jeff worked for his parents at Mahoney’s Tavern and Ray’s Bar and Grill, as well as at Cynda’s Westside Cafe and Jet’s Cafe.

Jeff was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church. He was an avid sports fan of the Waukon Indians, Iowa Hawkeyes, Chicago Cubs, and Minnesota Vikings. Jeff loved spending time with his family, especially his nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews. He also enjoyed riding his moped around town.