Obituaries

Kenneth “Fishe” R. Fish, Sr., 72, of Harpers Ferry died peacefully Monday, August 24, 2015 at his home from cancer, surrounded by his family and friends. Memorial services were held Thursday, August 27 at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon with Deacon Pat Malanaphy, Chaplin with Crossing Rivers Health, officiating. Burial with military graveside rites conducted by the American Legion Post 305 took place at Smithfield Cemetery, rural Monona.
Kenneth Raymond Fish, Sr. was born October 5, 1942 in Moline, IL, the son of Raymond L. and Norma (Ziel) Fish. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1961, where he did his basic training at Camp Peldton, CA and mechanical training for helicopters in Memphis, TN. Ken was stationed in Santa Anna, CA before serving in Vietnam for 13 months with the 365th Squadron as a crew chief. He returned to the United States, where Ken was stationed in Cherry Point, NC.

Elizabeth Kepler Oelberg, 85, of Virginia Beach, VA, formerly of Hyattsville, MD, died Tuesday, August 25, 2015. Services were held at the Lynnhaven United Methodist Church in Virginia Beach, VA Saturday, August 29.
Born in Waukon, 'Lib' was the daughter of John and Lucille Eaton Kepler. She was preceded in death by her husband, George Robert Oelberg, who was born and raised in rural Luana. She was also preceded in death by her brother, John Kepler.
After graduating from Waukon High School, she attended Waukon Junior College briefly before being recruited to work for the FBI in Washington, DC. She and George married in 1951 in Washington, DC. Lib went to work for the Washington Hospital Center in 1966. Starting as a hospital nursing school house-mother, she rose to the position of director of the hospital visitor's residence until her retirement in 1996. Lib is remembered as being generous of spirit, warm and welcoming to all she met.

Virginia L. Thomson, 86, of Waukon died Saturday, August 29, 2015 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Memorial services will be held Saturday, November 14 at 11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Waukon, with Pastor Grant VanderVelden officiating. Private family burial will be held at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to PEO Women's Scholarship Fund via PEO Chapter EK c/o Caroll Schreiber, Treasurer, 1942 French Creek Road, Lansing, IA 52151.
Martin Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements for the family. Online condolences may be left at www.martinfunerals.com.
 

John Francis ‘Chick’ Smerud, 90, of New Albin passed away peacefully in his sleep at Thorton Manor in Lansing August 29, 2015. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church in New Albin Wednesday, September 9, with visitation from 9:30 a.m. until services begin at 11 a.m. The Rev. Fr. John Moser will officiate. Inurnment will be in the St. Joseph Cemetery.
John was born to Oscar and Clara (Wilde) Smerud and raised on a farm outside of New Albin. He was one of 11 children that included Sara, Edmund, Rosemary, Evangeline, Margaretta, Rita, George, Donald, Alfred and Clara-Louise. John attended country school and New Albin High School. It was at a friend’s gathering that he met a young woman named Rita Lyons. They married November 29, 1947.

Robert “Bud” Maust of New Albin died August 15, 2015 at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, WI. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, September 5 at St. Peter’s Church, New Albin with Rev. William Reese officiating. Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. Friday, September 4 at the New Albin Community Center as well as one hour before services. Burial will be at Oakhill Cemetery, Lansing, with military rites by the Lansing VFW Post 5981.
 

Yvonne Sexton, age 96, of rural Ridgeway died Saturday, August 22, 2015 at the New Hampton Nursing and Rehab Center in New Hampton. Mass of Christian Burial was held Saturday, August 29 at St. Bridget’s Catholic Church, Bluffton, with Rev. Mark Osterhaus officiating. Interment was in St. Bridget’s Catholic Cemetery, Bluffton.
Yvonne Marie (McMorrow) Sexton was born April 25, 1919, the daughter of William and Bridget (Rea) McMorrow, in rural Waukon. She attended country schools in rural Allamakee County and graduated from Waukon High School in 1937. Yvonne married Francis Sexton October 27, 1947 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, West Ridge in rural Waukon.  To this union seven children were born.
Yvonne was a member of St. Bridget's Catholic Church in rural Bluffton. She enjoyed baking, gardening, raising chickens, and especially spending time with her family.

Mabel Stahl, 69, of Lansing died Monday, August 10, 2015 at Gundersen Hospital in La Crosse, WI. There will be a celebration of life at a later date.
Mabel Stahl was born in Waukon October 27, 1945. She was the daughter of Charles and Geraldine Rouster. She attended school in Lansing and was a graduate of Kee High School.
She married Allen Stahl and lived and raised her family in Lansing. She worked as a secretary, florist/clerk, and she was City Librarian at Meehan Memorial Public Library in Lansing. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary.  She enjoyed spending her time with family, quilting, crocheting, crafts, canning, horseback riding and card club.

Virginia M. “Ginny” Halverson, 88, of Waukon passed away Thursday, August 27, 2015 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Celebration of Life Services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, September 2 at the Bethlehem Presbyterian Church, rural Postville, with Rev. Tom Buresh as the officiant. Visitation will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, September 2 at the Bethlehem Presbyterian Church, rural Postville. Inurnment will be held in Oakland Cemetery, Waukon.
Virginia Maxine, the daughter of Alfred and Nellie (Livingood)  Winter, was born September 9, 1926 on a farm in Ludlow Township, rural Postville. She attended country school and Waukon High School for one year before graduating from Postville High School in 1944. Virginia was united in marriage with Lynn Halverson June 2, 1944 at Zion Reform Church in Waukon. To this union 14 children, seven daughters and seven sons, were born.

Carlton F. Jones, 101, of Waukon died Wednesday, August 26, 2015 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services were held Saturday, August 29 at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Waukon, with Pastor Kim Gates officiating. Burial was at Sixteen Cemetery, rural Monona.
Carlton Floyd Jones was born August 10, 1914 in Ion, the son of Andrew and Floy (Clawson) Jones. He attended Ion country school in rural Harpers Ferry. November 13, 1934 he married Helen Leona Hamm in Waukon. Carlton owned and operated a sawmill and did some logging in the Waterville area for many years. He also drove semi and worked as a mechanic in Chatfield, MN. For many years Carlton farmed in rural Monona and worked for Carnation Genetics breeding cows. He also served as a councilman and as mayor for Waterville for many years.

Steven Carlyle Reeg, 58, of Waukon, formerly of Monona, died at his home surrounded by his loving wife and children after a courageous battle with cancer Thursday, August 20, 2015. There will be a private family burial at a later date.
Steven Carlyle Reeg was born December 2, 1956 in Bellevue to Carlyle and Betty (Siegele) Reeg. He was baptized at St. John Lutheran Church in St. Donatus and confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Monona. Steven graduated from MFL High School in Monona in 1975. He was united in marriage to Jolene Berg November 10, 1979 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon.
Steven was a dairy, hog and agricultural farmer. In 1999, he began working for Design Homes along with continuing to crop farm. He moved to the town of Monona in 2009 and continued to work at Design Homes until spring of this year.