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Norman E. Thorsen, 93, of Waterville died Friday, April 6, 2018 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Funeral services were held Tuesday, April 10 at Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church in rural Waterville with Pastor Bill Odermann officiating. Burial was at Waterville Lutheran Cemetery.

Norman Emil Thorsen was born September 24, 1924 in rural Waterville, the son of Emil and Agnes (Larson) Thorsen. He was baptized at Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church and attended Waterville Elementary School. Norman and his family moved to Denver, CO, where he was confirmed at Our Saviors Lutheran Church and he attended Lake Junior High. The family also lived in Sioux City, Chicago, IL and St. Paul, MN.

In 1938, the family moved back to Waterville. Norman graduated from Waterville High School in 1942. He attended NICC in Calmar, where he received a degree in bookkeeping and carpentry.

DuWayne (Dewey) Jacob Feickert, age 70, passed away at home April 2, 2018 in Prairie du Chien, WI. A Celebration of DuWayne’s life is being planned and will be announced at a later date.

Dewey was born August 29, 1947 in the Decorah Hospital, the fifth of nine children born to Theodore and Irene (Meyer) Feickert. He grew up on a farm east of Nordness in Winneshiek County and attended the Red Oak one-room schoolhouse and then South Winneshiek Schools after Red Oak closed. He was baptized and confirmed at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church.

At the start of his high school years, the family moved to a farm just north of Frankville, at which point he transferred to Postville High School, from which he graduated in 1965. While in high school, Dewey excelled at wrestling, lettering all four years and enjoying a particularly strong senior year until he was derailed by an elbow injury during the sectional tournament.

Glorianne L. Wicks, age 89, of Decorah died Friday evening, April 6, 2018 at Aase Haugen Senior Services in Decorah. Funeral Services were held Friday, April 13 at Decorah Lutheran Church with Pastor Brenda Crossfield and Pastor Dave Sorenson officiating. Burial was in Springwater Cemetery in rural Decorah.

Glorianne Lucille Wicks was born August 10, 1928 to Glen and Lillie (Erickson) Pierce in Decorah. Lillie passed away when Glorianne was 13 months old and Glorianne was adopted by Theodore and Ellen (Erickson) Narveson. Glorianne attended rural school Canoe #8 for her elementary education. She graduated from Decorah High School with the Class of 1947. She entered Kahler School of Nursing in Rochester, MN graduating in September 1950. She married Marion Keith Wicks, the son of Claude and Olive (Olson) Wicks, November 10, 1950 at Decorah Lutheran Church. They were blessed with five children: Janet, Darrel, Loren, Richard and Scott.

Roger “Gunner” John Nolting, 68, of Bradenton, FL was peacefully called to his heavenly home after a brief battle with cancer Wednesday, April 4, 2018, surrounded by his loving wife, Brenda, and two beautiful daughters, Stephanie Lynn and Beth Ann Nolting; his brother, Charles and his wife, Suzanne; his lifetime friends, Ray and Linda Svendson; and Pastor Vokt.

Funeral services were held Sunday, April 8 at Cunnick-Collins Mortuary in Davenport. Inurnment will take place at the Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island, IL at a later date.

Roger was born May 31, 1949 in Waukon, the son of Martin and Ruth (Hansmeier) Nolting. He graduated from Waukon High School and enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served during the Vietnam Era as a Gunner’s Mate. He was awarded the National Defense Medal and was honorably discharged in Key West, FL, where he met Brenda Sisonick. They were married May 11, 1970 in Phillipsburg, NJ and later moved back to Iowa.

Thomas P. Howe, 34, of Arvada, CO, formerly of Waukon, died Thursday, March 29, 2018 at his home. Funeral services were held Saturday, April 7 at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon. Private family burial will be held later.

Thomas Patrick Howe was born January 19, 1984 in Waukon. He was the son of Wayne and Janice (Beisker) Howe. Tom was baptized and confirmed at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, attended St. Patrick Elementary School and graduated from Waukon High School in 2002, where he participated in football and wrestling.

After attending the University of Iowa, he worked for several construction companies in the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City area. While there, he was the head wresting coach at Regina High School in Iowa City. Tom later moved to Colorado Springs and then Arvada, CO, where he has owned and operated “Ask Howe Construction.” He did projects of his own as well as subcontracting.

Burnell E. M. Sorum, 80, of Waukon died Tuesday, April 3, 2018 at his home in rural Waukon, surrounded by his loved ones. Funeral services were held Saturday, April 7 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon with Pastor Bill Odermann officiating. Burial was at East Paint Creek Synod Cemetery in rural Waterville.

Burnell Ernest Meinor Sorum was born September 30, 1937 in Waukon, the son of Moris A. and Lulla J. (Gilbertson) Sorum. He was baptized and confirmed at West Paint Synod Lutheran Church in rural Waukon. Burnell attended Bakkum Country School in rural Waukon through eighth grade and graduated from Waukon High School in 1957.

February 1, 1959, he married Anita Olson at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Lansing. They farmed together in Center Township in rural Waukon. Burnell also worked for Rogness Logging, Midland Feed Store, Tri-County Disposal and Allamakee Solid Waste and Recycling before retiring in 2016.

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that when northeast Iowa escaped the heavy snow experienced by many other areas of the state, with up to a foot or more of snow while we had nothing. I admit to the feeling that the Germans have a word for, schadenfreude, that is, enjoying the misfortune of others. So many times in a normal winter, it is the other way around, and we get the snow while they do not.

But then, this morning I heard the forecasts for the Easter weekend, which included the possibility of more snow somewhere around here, perhaps an April fool trick on us?

Easter is a moveable feast, and weather can range from a snow storm to a summer day, no matter whether Easter is early or late.

Speaking of Easter, I saw a story about a book for children written by the vice-president’s wife and their daughter, about their pet rabbit.

Nobody could object to a book for kids, right?

Wrong.

Do you think after Jesus’ resurrection it got the attention of at least the 500 that were eyewitnesses? He is still getting our attention 2000 years later!   The resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is by far the greatest event of all human history.

When you face the fire, it’s tremendously helpful to follow the footsteps of someone who has made it through. Upcoming speaker at New Life Christian Church, May 5, 7 p.m., Pastor Meka Dany will give testimony of God’s divine intervention in the darkest of circumstances. His story has encouraged and inspired countless people to face their own trials with confidence in God. Jesus assured us that we would all have troubles in this world but that we could rest in His victory.

To the Editor:

Republicans passed a new tax bill in December. It was to bring money to the working class.

An example close to home is Walmart’s bonus plan. Interesting to note: you had to be with the company for at least 20 years to receive the full $1,000 bonus. The average length of Walmart employment is 3.3 years. That bonus was only $250. This does not cover what those workers are going to have to pay to cover the cuts in federal spending made up in an increase in state and local taxes and the increase to their health insurance premiums.

This was a one-time bonus for workers. Yet, the Walmart corporation will be reaping between $1 and $2 billion every year in tax savings from this new tax bill. There is no condition or rule in the bill that ensures that the corporations must secure additional gains for their workers with those tax savings such as wages keeping up with inflation, coverage for health care insurance, and more.

To the Editor:

From Mitzrayim we fled that night
‘midst wails and cries of panic and fright.
Through the lamb’s blood on the door we went
our God was with us as we were sent

into the desert with silver and gold
from neighbors in Egypt, we were so bold
to demand our wages for 400 years
of backbreaking labor and scores of tears.

The lamb that lived in our homes for four days
was taken and slaughtered to show us God’s ways.
This Passover lamb was our awe-filled salvation
with his blood on the doorposts to make us a nation.

The flies and the frogs were warm-ups, you see,
from this night of the death angel you cannot flee.
The Egyptians knew not of the lamb’s sacrifice
that began our journey to paradise.