Obituaries

Verdine J. Berns, 79, of Waukon died Thursday, March 10, 2016 at his home in rural Waukon surrounded by his loving family. Funeral services were held Monday, March 14 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, with Rev. Msgr. Cletus Hawes, Fr. Donald Hawes, Rev. Msgr. Ed Lechtenberg, Fr. Gary Mayer and Deacon Mike Ward officiating. Burial with military graveside rites was at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Patrick Catholic School or Veterans Memorial Hospital, both in Waukon.

Eleanor C. Ryan, 94, of Waukon died Wednesday, March 9, 2016 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services were held Tuesday, March 15 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, with Rev. Msgr. Cletus Hawes, Fr. Donald Hawes, Rev. Msgr. Ed Lechtenberg and Deacon Mike Ward officiating. Burial was at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon.
Eleanor Clemence Ryan was born April 29, 1921 on her grandparents’ Jefferson Township farm near Rossville. She was the daughter of John Charles and Miranda Helen (Link) Larkin. Eleanor was baptized and confirmed at St. Pius Catholic Church, Cherry Mound. She attended the Jefferson #7 country school and in 1941 graduated from St. Patrick High School in Waukon.

Margaret “Lois” Robinson, age 90, passed away peacefully March 9, 2016 at Thornton Manor in Lansing. Mass of Christian Burial was held Monday, March 14 at St. Ann-St. Joseph Catholic Church in Harpers Ferry, with the Rev. John Moser as celebrant. Burial followed in St. Joseph Paint Rock Cemetery, rural Harpers Ferry.
Lois was born December 1, 1925 to Thomas and Crystal (Reed) O’Brien on a farm near Paint Rock, rural Harpers Ferry in the same house that her father was born. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Joseph Catholic Church at Paint Rock.
She attended rural schools through her elementary grades and then for two years attended Waukon High School. She transferred to the Harpers Ferry High School, where she graduated in 1944. She was a member of the Harpers Ferry High School basketball team.

Robert N. Ferring, 88, of rural Lansing died peacefully surrounded by his loving family Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at Thornton Manor in Lansing. Mass of Christian Burial was held Saturday, March 12 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Lansing, with Rev. John Moser and Msgr. Ed Lechtenberg as the Concelebrants. Burial followed at Gethsemane Cemetery, Lansing with Military Rites.
Bob was born on the family farm near Churchtown July 26, 1927 to Nick and Gertrude (Doehler) Ferring. He attended school at Center Township #1 through the eighth grade. He farmed with his father and brother, Paul, until July 10, 1951 when Bob was drafted into the Army, serving primarily in Japan and a short time in Korea. He returned home June 9, 1953, rejoining his father and brother on the farm. The farming operation expanded where he owned his own farm.

Ruby O. Kloke, 84, of Waukon died Friday, March 4, 2016 at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, WI. Funeral services were held Tuesday, March 8 at Bethlehem Presbyterian Church in rural Postville, with Rev. Gary Catterson officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery.
Ruby Oretta Roldson Kloke was born November 7, 1931 in Waukon, the daughter of Oscar Bernard and Ruth Christine (Christianson) Roldson. She was baptized and confirmed at the Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church in rural Waterville and graduated from Waterville High School in 1949. Following schooling she worked as a nanny for several years.

Katherine “Kathy” C. Johnson, 55, of Waukon passed away February 24, 2016 at Good Samaritan Society in West Union. Friends may call from 4-6 p.m. Friday, March 4 at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon. Kathy’s wishes were to have her ashes spread near a memorial of her late mother-in-law, Virginia Johnson from Ferryville, WI, arranged by the family.

Doris L. Blietz, 92, of Lansing died Friday, February 19, 2016 at Thornton Manor in Lansing. Burial was at God's Acres Cemetery in Clermont Tuesday, February 23. Martin Funeral Home in Waukon handled arrangements.
Doris L. Blietz was born July 20, 1923 in Cedar Rapids, the daughter of John I. and Millie S. (Yauslin) Smith. She grew up and lived in the Cedar Rapids area and in 1942 graduated from McKinley High School. For 37 years, Doris worked as a tailor/seamstress for Killian’s and Armstrong’s department stores in Cedar Rapids.
February 13, 1970, she married Vernon L. Blietz in Miami, FL, and in 1977, the couple moved to the Waukon area until 1982. They then moved to Arizona and then Arkansas before moving to Lansing in 1987. Doris enjoyed sewing, going to high school reunions and visiting with classmates, trout fishing and politics.

Lynn “Spike” Marie Lange, 49, of Waverly, formerly of Lansing, passed away February 19, 2016 at the Cedar Valley Hospice Home in Waterloo. Memorial services will be held Friday, February 26 at 11 a.m. at Nazareth Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls with Pastor Denny Hanson. Burial of cremains will be held in Washington Chapel Cemetery, rural Cedar Falls. The family will greet friends and family Thursday, February 25 from 5-7 p.m. at the Kaiser-Corson Funeral Homes in Waverly.
Lynn was born February 28, 1966 in Waterloo, the daughter of Donald Dean and Gloria Ann (Lindner) Dayton. She graduated from Janesville High School. She enjoyed playing cribbage, spending time with family and friends and spending time on the Mississippi River.

Dorothy Wiemerslage, age 91, of Decorah died Tuesday, February 9, 2016 at Barthel Eastern Star Home in Decorah. Funeral service was held Saturday, February 13 at Congregational United Church of Christ, Decorah, with Rev. Laura Arnold officiating. Interment was at Wheatland Cemetery, New Albin.
Dorothy Marie (Kerndt) Wiemerslage was born October 1, 1924, the daughter of Herman and Clara (Marti) Kerndt, on the family farm near Churchtown, rural Allamakee County. Dorothy was baptized October 23, 1924 at the Zion Reformed Church, Waukon and was confirmed in 1935 at the Congregational Church, Churchtown.

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.