Obituaries

Phyllis M. Welch, 84, of Waukon died Monday, January 9, 2017 at her home in Waukon. Funeral services were held Thursday, January 12 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. Mark Osterhaus officiating. Burial was at St. Mary's Lycurgus Cemetery, rural Waukon.

Phyllis Martha Welch was born October 6, 1932 in Waukon, the daughter of Charles and Florence (Roffman) Ewing. She graduated from Waukon High School. October 31, 1953, she married Ambrose Welch at St. Mary's Lycurgus Catholic Church in rural Waukon. Phyllis was a preschool teacher for many years at St. Patrick Nursery School in Waukon and was a waitress at the Waukon Inn for several years.

She was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church and the Allamakee Antique Auto Club. Phyllis enjoyed playing cards, working in her garden, canning, dancing and going to the Boat. She also enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.

John William Duffy, 64, of Moundsview, MN died December 20, 2016 at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, MN. A service with immediate family was held December 30 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Dorchester.

John is survived by his partner, Sheila Jenkins; his mother, Lois Duffy; his siblings: Kathy (Lloyd) McIntire, James Duffy, Karen Donaldson, Betty (Dave) Tostenson, Judy (Robert) Nelson, Jane Duffy, Linda Duffy and Sharon (Scott) Wiseland; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, John “Jack” Duffy; and his siblings: Diane Brazel, Frank Duffy and Carol Duffy.
 

Bernadette “Sissie” Rose Unterberger, 93, of The Meadows-Shell Rock, formerly of Waterville, died Sunday, January 15, 2017 at the Bartels Lutheran Retirement Community in Waverly. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, January 21 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Waverly, with Fr. Bernie Grady and Fr. Lou Jaeger officiating.
Visitation will be held from 9 a.m. until service time at the church Saturday. Burial of cremated remains will take place October 19, 2017 at St. Mary Cemetery in New Hampton.
Memorials may be directed to the family and on-line condolences may be left at www.kaisercorson.com. Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home in Waverly is in charge of arrangements.

Sylvia B. Marti, 97, of Waukon died Tuesday, January 10, 2017 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services were held Saturday, January 14 at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon with Pastor Samantha Houser officiating. Burial was at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon.

Sylvia Belle Marti was born July 13, 1919 in a cabin in Allamakee County, rural Rossville; she was the daughter of Jesse and Mary (Huff) Fish. She attended country school through the eighth grade.

December 24, 1935, Sylvia married Victor U. Marti at the Hotel Winneshiek in Decorah. The couple moved to Atkins and Sylvia worked as a waitress at the Cedar Rapids Grey Hound bus depot. In the 1960s, Sylvia and Victor purchased a farm near Rossville; as a parting gift, her coworkers gave her a little pig to take to the new farm. Victor remained in Cedar Rapids to live and work while Sylvia and their children moved to and ran the farm.

Peter Joseph Rethwisch, 83, of Lansing died Sunday, January 8, 2017 at Central Iowa Healthcare, Marshalltown. Mass of Christian Burial was held Monday, January 16 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lansing with Msgr. Ed Lechtenberg as the Celebrant. Burial will be held at a later date.

Peter Joseph was born November 2, 1933 to Philip and Fern Elizabeth (Trayer) Rethwisch in Waukon. He graduated from Immaculate Conception High School in 1951.

Peter was united in marriage with Patricia Wagner June 14, 1952 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lansing. He owned and operated Rethwisch Lumber in Lansing until his retirement in August of 2016. Peter enjoyed bowling, shooting pool, playing cards, cooking and traveling. He was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, the ICC Choir, Knights of Columbus, Jaycees, Lions Club and was a Scout Master for the Boy Scouts.

Richard Arthur Delphey, 72, of Lansing died Wednesday evening, January 4, 2017 surrounded by his family at Silverado Memory Care Community in Naperville, IL. Memorial services will be held Saturday, January 14 at 11 a.m. at St. Ann’s - St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Harpers Ferry, with Fr. John Moser officiating. Friends may call from 9 a.m. until the time of services Saturday at the church.

Richard will be laid to rest at St. Joseph’s Paint Rock Cemetery, Harpers Ferry. Martin Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon.

Luella Mae Folkerts Patterson, 95, of Elgin passed away at the Good Samaritan Home in West Union January 5, 2017 following a year of failing health. Funeral Services were held Tuesday, January 10 at First Baptist Church in West Union, with Pastor Rip Baillargeon and Pastor Lee Boleyn the Officiants. Burial followed at West Union Cemetery, West Union.

Luella Mae was born December 18, 1921 to Rex and Minnie (Christian) Folkerts in Steamboat Rock. Luella attended and graduated from Steamboat Rock High School in 1939. She was 16 years old when she gave her heart to the Lord. She has been an avid follower of the Lord and loved to attend Bible Studies, listen to Evangelists on television and study the Bible on her own.

In 1948 she was united in marriage to Woodrow Wilson Patterson in Steamboat Rock. They farmed for 40-plus years in the Elgin area.

Shirley Ann Hermsen, 79, of La Porte, IN passed away Monday, January 2, 2017. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Saturday, January 7 at St. Peter Catholic Church, La Porte, IN, with Reverend Ian Williams officiating. Burial will be at a later date in Waukon.

Shirley was born April 19, 1937 in Waukon to William J. and Cornelia (Ryan) Hancock. November 29, 1958, in Waukon, she married Jude E. Hermsen, who survives.

Shirley was employed by the La Porte YMCA for 37 years, much of that time as Executive Director or Associate Executive Director and in semi-retirement as Development Director and Director of the Horizon Endowment. She developed the first Child Care Resource and Referral Service in La Porte County and was a past chairperson of the La Porte County Educare Committee and a member of several state and local YMCA and Child Care committees.

Marjorie J. Haar, 84, of Oelwein, known to many as “Ma Haar,” died Friday afternoon, January 6, 2017 at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo. Funeral Service was held Tuesday, January 10 at the Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home in Oelwein with Chaplain Michal Schemmel officiating. Interment was at Woodlawn Cemetery, Oelwein.

Marjorie Jean Irons was born June 10, 1932 in New Albin, the daughter of Ernest Charles and Ruth (Thompson) Irons. She graduated from Lansing High School in the Class of 1951.
Marjorie married Virgil Martin Haar February 27, 1954 in Waukon, and they were later divorced. Marjorie moved her family to Oelwein in 1963. She was a waitress and cook at Luigi’s, a cook at the White Spot, and a waitress and cook at Sunnyside Lanes and at the Friendly Tap. She was a member of the VFW Auxiliary, American Legion Auxiliary, Women’s Relief Corps and Golden Circle. Marjorie enjoyed playing bingo, embroidery and playing cards.

Stanley “Stan” Larson, 68, of Lansing died Friday, January 6, 2017 at his home in Lansing. Funeral Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday, January 13 at Thornburg-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Lansing. There will be a visitation from 1:30-2 p.m. at the funeral home Friday before the services.

Rev. Steve Oden will be the Officiant. Thornburg-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Lansing is helping the family with the arrangements.