Obituaries

Dorothy A. Gress, 79, of Waukon died Friday, October 7, 2016 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Funeral services were held Tuesday, October 11 at First Presbyterian Church in Waukon, with Pastor Grant VanderVelden officiating. Burial was at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon.

Dorothy Ann Gress was born May 29, 1937 in rural Waukon, the daughter of Oscar and Selma (Wilke) Johnson. She attended rural country schools in Allamakee County. March 6, 1971, she married Gary Gress at First Presbyterian Church in Waukon. Dorothy did daycare for several years and worked at Northern Engraving for 41 years before retiring in 2009.

James M. Walsh, 83, of Waukon died Wednesday, October 5, 2016 at the Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services were held Monday, October 10 at First Baptist Church in Waukon, with Pastor Duane Smith officiating. Burial was at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon.

James Michael Walsh was born January 24, 1933 in rural Harpers Ferry, the son of Stephen and Marjorie (Molitor) Walsh. He attended Figgie country school in Linton Township, rural Monona. From 1952-1955 he served in the National Guard Company D 133rd Infantry as a sergeant grade E-5.

July 15, 1950, he married Beverly Joan Schlitter at St. John's Lutheran parsonage in Monona. Jim did carpentry work for Bob Stilwell, farmed from 1957-1968 in the Ion area and worked at Waukon Implement before he went to work for Allamakee County as the maintenance superintendent until he retired in 1998.

Richard Duane Fossum, age 77, of Dubuque passed away September 23, 2016 at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics in Iowa City. Gathering of family and friends will be held from 4-7 p.m. Friday, October 7 at Westkey Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory in Dubuque, where a memorial service will be held at 7 p.m.

Richard was born February 20, 1939 in Waukon, the son of Harold and Amy (Olson) Fossum. He graduated from Waukon High School, and he married Carol Ann Wachter June 27, 1959.
Richard worked for Dubuque Packing Company, Farmland and FDL. He was a member of the Bellevue Horseman's Club and enjoyed farming and horses.

David Gregory Reisner, age 63, of White Bear Lake, MN, formerly of Waukon, died September 18, 2016. A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial was held Thursday, September 22 at Church of St. Pius X, White Bear Lake, MN. Interment will be at a later date in the Waukon area.

David worked for 31 years with the U.S. Post Office. He was a devoted Christian who loved to hunt, fish, travel and golf.

David was preceded in death by his father, Robert E. Reisner. He is survived by his wife, Deanna Marie (Patwell); his mother, Margaret A. Reisner; a sister, Susan L. (Steve) Armbrecht; a brother, Michael R. (Lisa) Reisner; two nieces, Claira and Johnna; a nephew, Elijah; and a great-niece, Isla Langsley.
 

With her children by her side, Reverend Laura Odegard, age 88, of Waukon went to her eternal rest Thursday, September 22, 2016. Funeral services were held Monday, September 26 at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Waukon with Pastor Kim Gates officiating. Burial was at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon.

Reverend Laura Lee (Whittenberg) Odegard was born April 11, 1928. She was a proud third generation California native raised in Oakland by her grandparents. Laura was independent of thought and deed and a gifted writer. She graduated from Castlemont High School in Oakland, CA with the dream of pursuing a career in journalism.

As a faithful Christian, she attended Trinity Baptist Church in Oakland, CA. There she met Lawrence Raymond Odegard, her future husband. They were united in marriage April 25, 1947 in that very same church where Larry later accepted the position of pastor. The couple would go on to raise six children.

Sandra K. “Sandy” Baughman, age 73, of Harpers Ferry passed away Monday, September 19, 2016 at the Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center following a four-year battle with multiple myeloma. A Celebration of Sandy’s Life was held on what would have been her 74th birthday, Friday, September 23, at the Garrity Funeral Home in Prairie du Chien, WI. A private family inurnment will be held at a later date.

Sandra was born September 23, 1942 in Glendale, CA, the daughter of Henry and Juanita (Williams) Burchfield. She married Conrad Baughman September 2, 1972. Sandy worked at the Metro Theater, Specht’s IGA, J & L Office Equipment and for many years at the Peoples State Bank in Prairie du Chien, WI. She enjoyed bowling and loved to dance.

Kenneth J. Fahey, 86, of Waukon died Saturday, September 24, 2016 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, September 28 at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. Mark Osterhaus officiating. Burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon.

Friends may call from 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, September 27 at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon, where there will be at 3:45 p.m. scripture service. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to St. Patrick School or St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon.

Peter P. Walenceus, 86, of Hazleton died Saturday afternoon, September 17, 2016 at Arlington Place Assisted Living in Oelwein. Funeral Service was held Tuesday, September 20 at the Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home, Oelwein with Deacon Jim Patera officiating. Interment was at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, rural Oelwein with a Graveside Military Service conducted by the Oelwein American Legion Ross Reid Post #9.

Peter Paul Walenceus was born February 27, 1930 in Oelwein, the son of Peter Paul and Sally (Berdasius) Walenceus. He graduated from Oelwein Community High School and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Peter was united in marriage to Carol Ann Fuhrman February 7, 1965 in Oelwein. The family made their home in Oelwein and two children were born to this union, Bill and Lynne.

John A. Kloster, age 64, of Marengo died Friday, September 9, 2016 at St. Luke’s Hospital, Cedar Rapids. Funeral Services were held Wednesday, September 14 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Walford, with Rev. Travis Borkosky officiating. Burial was in the Marengo Cemetery, Marengo.

John Arthur Kloster was born July 9, 1952 in Forest City, the son of Arthur and Thelma Fjelstad Kloster. He graduated from Lake Mills High School in 1970 and attended Upper Iowa College in Fayette, graduating from Indiana College of Mortuary Science in 1974. He served his apprenticeship with Giles-Elliott Funeral Home in Fort Madison and Burlington.

Orville Edne Tangen, 99, of Chatfield, MN died Sunday, September 18, 2016 at the Mayo Clinic Hospital St. Mary’s Campus. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, September 22 at Root Prairie Lutheran Church, Fountain, MN, with Rev. Grace Gravelle officiating. Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, September 21 at Riley Funeral Home in Chatfield, MN and one hour before the funeral service at the church. A committal service with full military honors will follow the service at Root Prairie Lutheran Cemetery.

Orville was born October 9, 1916 on a farm in Chatfield Township to Theodore and Alma (Asleson) Tangen. He enlisted in the Army in 1941 with the Fifth Armored Division stationed in New York and later shipped overseas to Europe (March 1943). First he was a cook for over 800 in his battalion. He later drove a tank across Europe until coming home in October of 1945.  He served in the Battle of the Bulge.