Obituaries

Evelyn Elizabeth Wiemerslage, 95, of Dorchester passed away Sunday, May 31, 2015 at the Good Samaritan Society in Waukon. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, June 3 at St. Luke’s United Church of Christ, Eitzen, MN. Pastor Michael McCann will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery. A visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until the time of service Wednesday, June 3 at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.
Evelyn was born February 15, 1920 in Allamakee County to Alfred and Caroline (Leuhr) Thompson. She graduated from Waukon High School and Normal Training in 1938. After graduating, she taught in one-room country schools, including Washington, Union, Dorchester, Harmony and English Bench Schools. When the Allamakee School District consolidated, Evelyn taught third grade at Dorchester Elementary School until retiring in 1965.

Calvin “Chuck” Wright, 91, of Dorchester died Friday, May 29, 2015 at his home. Memorial services will be held Saturday, June 6 at 11 a.m. at Waterloo Ridge Lutheran Church  in rural Dorchester, with Rev. Allen Hermeier officiating. Burial of ashes will be at Waterloo Ridge Cemetery at a later date.
Friends may greet the family from 10 a.m. until time of service and again following the service at the church Saturday, June 6. Martin Funeral Home of Waukon is assisting the family with arrangements.
Calvin Eugene “Chuck” Wright was born August 20, 1923 in Ossian, the son of George Albert and Lettie Christine (Strand) Wright. He was baptized and confirmed at First Lutheran Church in Decorah. When he was young, Chuck’s family rented several area farms, so they moved often and he attended several area rural elementary schools and Waukon and Spring Grove, MN High Schools.

Jason William Ferguson, 87, of Monona died Saturday, May 23, 2015 at the Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services were held Friday, May 29 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Monona, with the Rev. Erika Kielstrup officiating. Burial followed in St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery, Monona with Military Honors.
Jason was born August 31, 1927 to William and Anna (Timmerman) Ferguson in Allamakee County. He attended Walnut Grove Country School, north of Monona, through the eighth grade. December 19, 1945, he joined the United States Navy during World War II and served as an Electrician’s Mate Third Class until October 24, 1947. He was honorably discharged at the U.S. Naval Repair Station in San Diego, CA.

Dorothy Halverson, 87, of McGregor passed away suddenly Tuesday, May 26, 2015. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, June 3 at 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in McGregor, with visitation from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, June 2 at Thornburg-Grau Funeral Home in McGregor, as well as one hour before the service at the church. Interment will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery, McGregor.
Dorothy Rosemary Pfiffner was born September 10, 1927, the daughter of Edmond and Clara (Miller) Pfiffner of Lansing. Dorothy married Roger Halverson of Waukon and the couple moved to McGregor, where they raised their three daughters. Dorothy was a housewife and businesswoman, operating Dorothy’s Beauty Salon out of her home in downtown McGregor for many years. She was an active member of St. Mary’s Church, and enjoyed crocheting, dancing to big band music and spending time with her family.

Eugene W. Thias, 82, of Harpers Ferry died Tuesday, May 26, 2015 at his home. Funeral services were held Sunday, May 31 at Rossville Presbyterian Church in Rossville, with Pastor Tom Buresh officiating. Burial was at Maple Hill "Bigfoot" Cemetery, rural Rossville.
Eugene Wesley Thias was born August 1, 1932 on the Rossville farm of his parents, Wesley A. and Gretta (Palmer) Thias. He was baptized and confirmed at the Rossville Presbyterian Church and graduated from Waterville High School in 1951.
September 19, 1953 he married Janet LaVonne Svebakken at the Old West Paint Creek Lutheran Church in rural Waukon. Gene was a farmer all his life and he and Janet raised their family on a farm in the “Bigfoot” area of rural Rossville. They milked dairy cows, raised hogs and grew various grains in their diversified operation. Not one to stay idle long, Gene would sometimes operate heavy machinery for a construction crew during the summer months.

His Heavenly Father has called him home. His earthly work is done.
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Father Maurice Orlando Gallagher, 94, died Monday, May 25, 2015 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Funeral services were held Saturday, May 30 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Hanover. Burial was at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Hanover.
Honorary casketbearers were all of Father Maurice’s nieces and nephews. Casketbearers were Maury Gallagher, Greg Whalen, Leonard Bulman, Floyd Mount, Tom Tierney, Joe Gallagher, Jr., David Mulholland, Don Gallagher, Jr., Shawn Gallagher and Rob Sweet.
A memorial Mass will be celebrated in the near future at Sacred Heart Church in Avondale, CO. Arrangements are pending.

Dr. Frank “Doc” Norden, 100, died May 23, 2015 at the Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. A graveside committal service will be held Tuesday, June 2 at 11 a.m. at Oakland Cemetery in Waukon, with lunch following at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon. The family requests memorials be directed to Veterans Memorial Hospital, Good Samaritan Center or charity of choice. Martin Funeral Home of Waukon is assisting with arrangements.
Frank was born October 2, 1914 in Stutsman County, ND, the only son of Frank and Alma Graves Norden. He was christened Francis Wilson. Frank was educated in country school and in Woodworth and Jamestown, ND schools. He attended Wahpeton (ND) School of Science and Jamestown (ND) College. Frank graduated in 1939 from Northern Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago, IL.

A Celebration of Life for Harpers Ferry native Ron Valley, age 70, of Montgomery, IL will be held Saturday, May 30 at the Ethel Robinson Meehan Community Center in Harpers Ferry from 1-4 p.m. Ron passed away Sunday, February 1, 2015 at his home after a battle with cancer. He was born August 7, 1944 in Harpers Ferry.
 

Mildred M. Brooks, 98, of Waukon died Friday, May 22, 2015 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Memorial services will be held at a later date. Martin Funeral Home in Waukon is assisting the family with arrangements.
 

James Alan Opheim, born April 10, 1935 and beloved son of Selmer Opheim and Sylvia Lonning, died peacefully in his sleep May 19, 2015. Services were held at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN.
He leaves behind his wife, Mitsue; his brother, Ron Opheim; his daughters, Suzie Carr and Cindi Bija Opheim; and his grandchildren, Devon and Michaela Bahary and Kaiona Watanabe. May he rest in peace.