Obituaries

Jeffry “Jeff” Kelly, 68, of Waterville died Friday, August 4, 2023 in rural Lansing as the result of a UTV accident. Funeral services will be held Saturday, August 19 at 11 a.m. at St. Pius Cherry Mound Catholic Church in rural Harpers Ferry with Fr. Joseph Sevcik officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may greet the family from 3-7 p.m. Friday, August 18 at Martin - Grau Funeral Home in Waukon where there will be a 2:30 p.m. scripture service.

Jeffry Francis Carl Kelly was born February 21, 1955 in Waukon, the son of Cletus and Mildred (Busness) Kelly. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Pius Cherry Mound Catholic Church in rural Harpers Ferry, attended Waterville School, and graduated from Waukon High School in 1973.

Donald P. Larsen, 88, of Waukon passed away Friday, July 21, 2023 at Northgate Manor in Waukon. Per Don’s wishes, a small family graveside service at Old West Paint Creek Cemetery and a celebration of life are planned at a later date. Martin - Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements.

Donald Palmer Larsen was born April 25, 1935 to Herbert Palmer and Clara (Olson) Larsen. He was born at the home farm on Sherman Ridge, Jefferson Township, rural Waukon. His birth certificate was never signed, which caused interesting issues later in life when filing for social security. Don was baptized and confirmed at Old West Paint Creek Lutheran Church in rural Waukon. He attended Jefferson #1 School and then graduated from Waukon High School in 1953.

Evelyn B. Staggemeyer, 88, of Eitzen, MN passed away July 31, 2023 at Gundersen Health System, La Crosse, WI. A funeral service was held Monday, August 7 at Saint Luke’s Church in Eitzen, MN with Pastor Michael McCann officiating. Burial followed in the Saint Luke’s North Cemetery. Memorials are preferred.

Evelyn was born October 30, 1934 in Allamakee County to Truman and Leona (Bulman) Wenig. She attended Bear Creek School in Quandahl for four years, then Waukon Grade School and Waukon High School where she graduated in 1953. After graduating from high school she worked for two years at Mansfield Industries in Spring Grove, MN.

In 1955 Evelyn married Milton Staggemeyer. The remainder of her life she worked beside her husband, Milton, at the grocery store until she retired. Evelyn enjoyed going to garage sales with her friends, going out for coffee and playing cards. She was also a great animal lover, cats being her favorite.

Larry J. Gavin, 61, of Waukon died Sunday, July 30, 2023 at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, WI. Memorial services will be held Thursday, August 10 at 11 a.m. at Martin - Grau Funeral Home in Waukon with Fr. John Moser officiating. Friends may greet the family from 9:30 a.m. until time of services at the funeral home Thursday.

Lawrence “Larry” Joseph Gavin was born January 25, 1962 in Waukon, the son of Joseph and Mary Ann (Schulte Tierney) Gavin. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Patrick Catholic Church and graduated from Waukon High School in 1980. August 8, 1986, he married Chris Harris at St. Patrick Catholic Church. Larry was a meat cutter for several years and also managed Paddy McQ’s Bar and Country County Clothing Store, both in Waukon.

Larry was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, fishing, hunting and collecting Civil War era items.

Lester E. Mahlstedt, Jr., age 68, of Ionia died Saturday, July 29, 2023 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, MN. A funeral service for family and close friends was held Monday, August 7 at Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton with Rev. Scott Smith presiding.

Lester Ernest Mahlstedt was born May 12, 1955 in Waverly. He was the son of Lester Mahlstedt, Sr. and Marian Mellmann and spent his formative years in Fredericksburg, where he attended school and graduated from Fredericksburg High School in 1973.

Mary E. Iseli, 84, of rural Waukon died Wednesday, August 2, 2023 at her home surrounded by her family. Funeral services were held Saturday, August 5 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lansing with Pastor Diane Koschmeder officiating the service. Burial was at Lansing Ridge Cemetery, rural Waukon.

Mary Elizabeth (Gaulthier) Iseli was born September 13, 1938 in Wisconsin, the daughter of Arthur Gabriel and Jennie Marie (Jeffers) Gaulthier. Her father was a commercial fisherman and her mother worked at the Lansing button factory. Mary grew up in Lansing, was baptized and confirmed at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, and attended the Old Stone School, Kee High, Lansing.

Evelyn Beardmore, 102, of Ellsworth, KS, formerly of Waukon, died Thursday, June 8, 2023 in Ellsworth, KS. She heard Leonard playing “Fascination” and knew it was time to join him in the dance.

A Service of Witness to the Resurrection will be held Thursday, August 10 at 11 a.m. at Mt. Hope Presbyterian Church. Inurnment will be at the church cemetery, both in rural New Albin. Friends may greet the family from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, August 9 at Martin - Grau Funeral Home in Waukon. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Mt. Hope Cemetery Fund.

Mary Evelyn was born to Harry and Sarah (Evans) Leas December 22, 1920 in Waterville. She and her three siblings, Dale, Neil and Lucile, were raised on a 160-acre farm, where the family raised chickens and hogs and grew oats and hay. Evelyn walked two miles each way to a country schoolhouse, graduated from Waterville High School in 1939, and moved to Waukon shortly after graduation.

Sue O. Bieber, 80, of Waukon died Friday, July 28, 2023 at her home. Funeral services were held Tuesday, August 1 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon with Pastor Bryan Robertson officiating. Burial followed at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon handled arrangements.

Sue Olivia Bieber was born March 1, 1943 in Hampton at the Lutheran Hospital of Franklin County. She was the daughter of Richard Carlyle Stewart and Mary Jane (Petersen) Stewart, and a big sister to Sally Jo Shelley. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hampton.

Sue was a 1961 graduate of Hampton High School and went on to attend the Iowa State Teacher’s College in Cedar Falls, where she completed a teaching degree in 1965. She would return later to the University of Northern Iowa to complete her Masters of Education degree.

Diane Kay Grotegut Brown, age 76, of Albuquerque, NM, formerly of Waukon, died August 25, 2021. A Celebration of Life is scheduled to take place this Saturday, July 29 at Salem United Church of Christ (UCC) in rural Waukon at 2 p.m. Refreshments will be served and all are invited to share memories.
 

Charles E. Weipert, 74, of Waterville died Friday, July 21, 2023 at his home in rural Waterville. A celebration of life and graveside services will be held at a later date in Waterville Lutheran Cemetery. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements.

Charles Edward Weipert was born May 16, 1949 in Waukon, the son of Robert Francis and Mary Louise (Johnson) Weipert. He was baptized and confirmed at Waterville Lutheran Church in Waterville and graduated from Waukon High School in 1967. Chuck served in the U.S. Navy from 1967-1971, and was in the Naval Reserve from 1981-2002, with the NMCB 25 unit out of La Crosse, WI.

In 1971, he married Monica Troendle; they divorced in 1980. In 1981, he married Barbara Schlitter. Chuck worked for the Allamakee Secondary Road Department in Waterville.