News Center newsletter

John (Jack) Patrick Morgan, 102, passed away unexpectedly February 2, 2024. Services were held February 10 at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home in Missoula, MT. Condolences and memorials may be sent to Sunset Memorial Funeral Home at 7405 Mullan Road, Missoula, MT 59808.

John was born May 23, 1921 to Francis B. And Anna (Bakewell) Morgan in New Albin. He was the second youngest of eight children that included his brothers, Lawrence, Jim, Earl and Daniel, and his sisters, Kathleen, Peggy and Marietta.

John attended the Morgan country school, also known as Sandbank school. He spent his youth working on the family farm. John traveled out west to work in Oregon at age 16. He then went to California to work in an aircraft manufacturing facility.

During WWII he enlisted in the Coast Guard doing shore patrol at Long Island. He then moved to LST 23 in the Pacific Ocean where he was a pharmacist mate.

Gary H. Schulte, 76, of Dorchester died Wednesday, February 28, 2024, at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. A celebration of life was held Saturday, March 2 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. Private family funeral services along with burial were held at St. Mary’s Hanover Catholic Church in rural Waukon with Fr. John Moser officiating.

Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon handled arrangements. Memorials may be directed to Veterans Memorial Hospital or St. Patrick’s School, both in Waukon, or to a charity of choice.

Gary Henry Schulte was born September 10, 1947, in Waukon, the son of Henry “Hank” and Gertrude (Burke) Schulte. He attended French Creek #6 country school through eighth grade and graduated from St. Patrick’s High School in Waukon in 1965. October 21, 1967, Gary married Janis Link; they became parents to two children: Victoria “Vicki” and Eric.

James Lewis “Jim” Slitor, 83, of Decorah passed away February 22, 2024 at Wellington Place with his loving wife, Sherry, by his side.

Jim was born January 19, 1941 in Waukon, the son of Truman G. and Gwen (Kelly) Slitor. Jim graduated from Waukon High School in 1959 and earned his BA degree at UNI in 1963. He taught junior high and high school math and science in Waterloo for two years before moving to Florida. Jim was employed for five years at IBM in Boca Raton, FL as a computer programmer.

After obtaining a MA from Florida Atlantic University (FAU), he became a statistics instructor in FAU’s college of social science where he taught for over 30 years while pursuing his PhD at Florida International University. Additionally, he taught International Relations through the Lifelong Learning Center at FAU.

Lynne M. Kruse, 60, of Seattle, WA, formerly of Eitzen, MN, died Saturday, February 24, 2024, at Swedish Hospital, Cherry Hill Campus in Seattle, WA. A celebration of life will be held Saturday, March 16 from 1-4 p.m. at the Eitzen Community Center. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements.

Lynne Marie Kruse was born December 8, 1963, in Waukon, the daughter of Delton and Margaret “Maggie” (Herman) Kruse. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Luke’s Church in Eitzen, MN, graduated from Caledonia High School in 1982, and received a master’s degree in public health from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA.

She loved to travel and after college Lynne joined the Peace Corps. She taught cultural English in Japan for several years and worked in refugee camps in Thailand. Lynne moved to Seattle, WA, where she worked at the Polyclinic for several years as a medical assistant.

In Loving Memory of Connie Kay Hobson
June 2, 1955 - February 25, 2024

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Connie Kay Hobson, age 68, of Waterloo. Connie passed away February 25, 2024, surrounded by her loving family at the Cedar Valley Hospice Home. A gathering of family and friends was held Sunday, March 3 at Locke at Tower Park in Waterloo. Memorials may be directed to Connie’s family for later designation.

Arrangements were entrusted to Locke at Tower Park in Waterloo. For those wishing to share memories and condolences, please visit LockeFuneralServices.com.

Born June 2, 1955, to Ronald and Darlene (Flage) Winkie in Waukon, Connie’s life was a testament to love, kindness, and unwavering devotion to her loved ones.

Our Angel on Earth is now an Angel in Heaven. Jane Marie Smerud-Beseler passed away suddenly, unexpectedly at St. Francis/Mayo Health System Saturday, February 24, 2024, at age 68. Memorial services were held Thursday, February 29 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in New Albin with Fr. Joseph Sevcik officiating. Burial was at St. Joseph Cemetery, New Albin. Thornburg-Grau Funeral Home in Lansing handled arrangements.

Jane was born July 1, 1955, at St. Francis Hospital in La Crosse, WI, the youngest daughter of Alfred J. and Lorna (Darling) Smerud of New Albin. She attended school in New Albin until the family moved to La Crosse, WI in 1966, when she attended and graduated from Aquinas High School with the Class of 1973.

The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) closed the Black Hawk Bridge (Highway 82) at Lansing Sunday afternoon, February 25 due to safety concerns after discovering suspected movement of the bridge following the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Department notifying DOT officials that something “didn’t look right” (the bend in the guard rail structure on the right side of the photo below providing the most visible evidence of the concerns on the east approach to the bridge from the Wisconsin side). Allamakee County Sheriff Clark Mellick said the Allamakee County Dispatch Center received a call early Sunday afternoon from a Lansing resident, who had been contacted by another individual and then took their own look at the bridge before calling the Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Mellick said a Deputy traveled to the bridge and then requested that DOT officials be contacted after witnessing what the photo below shows.

“The true angler is more a lover of nature than a fish getter.”
   ~ Will Dilg, “father” of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge

“You put together some sky and some cliff,
slash the bluffs with a glacial rift
Winds rise from that rocky shear
and witness the same peregrinations each year.
Going Driftless.
There’s magnetic force in this Paleozoic Plateau
Tugs at my spirit, it resonates in my soul.
Another ridge to climb - another valley to explore
A lifetime of looking – still I wanna find more.
I keep Going Driftless.”
    ~ Last verse of “Going Driftless,” lyrics by Jon Stravers Sr. and Jon Stravers Jr. The song appears on two Big Blue Sky recordings, “Bird Dance” and “River Dreams.”

by Julie Berg-Raymond

Interview conducted by Julie Berg-Raymond

A pair of appearances in Allamakee County District Court for Brandon Kasemeier, the 39-year-old man from Waukon charged in the January 21 death of his estranged wife, Jami Kasemeier, did not take place as scheduled this past week. Action taken in regard to both appearances, however, has resulted in further court proceedings being scheduled in the case.

As Allamakee County Attorney Anthony Gericke had previously forecasted, the preliminary hearing scheduled for Friday, February 23 for Kasemeier did not take place after Gericke and State of Iowa Assistant Attorney General Keisha Cretsinger filed Trial Information in regard to the charge of Murder in the First Degree being brought against Kasemeier. Gericke had previously explained that the Trial Information and minutes of testimony lay out the charges, a brief explanation of fact as to why the charges were filed and a list of witnesses expected to testify at trial.