News Center newsletter

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

The monthly meeting of the Board of Directors of the Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) was held at Kee High School in Lansing Monday, January 20. The meeting was called to order by Heather Schulte, Board President.

After the agenda was adopted, the board asked for audience comments but there were none. The board next approved the authorizations for the January consent items, minutes of the December meetings, bills for January, Secretary’s Financial Report for December, and the Student Activity and Food Service December Reports.

Waukon Middle School students in grades six, seven and eight had the opportunity to Skype with author Marsha Skrypuch from Brantford, Ontario in Canada the second week of January. The author visit was made possible through the McElroy Excellence in Education Grant. Allamakee Community School District teacher librarian Lisa Snitker wrote and submitted a proposal to the McElroy Foundation to purchase multiple copies of three of Skrypuch’s novels to create a cross-curricular WWII unit, where students would learn the history and stories surrounding that era. Skrypuch’s novel Making Bombs for Hitler is the State of Iowa Teen Award Winner 2019. The book is extremely popular with young adult readers and the factor that sparked the idea for Snitker to write the grant.

The Iowa Football Coaches Association (IFCA) has announced its Regional Coach of the Year award winners for the 2019 Iowa High School football season. Waukon head football coach Chad Beermann was honored as the Class 2A Region 1 Coach of the Year, joining a pair of other area coaches, Dan Anderson of MFL/MarMac (Class A Region 1) and Mark Scott of Turkey Valley (8-Player Region 1) in receiving this year’s honor. In his seventh season at the helm of the Waukon football program, Coach Beermann guided the Indians to a 12-1 season record and a Class 2A State Runner-Up finish during its 2019 campaign, a season that included a second consecutive undefeated Class 2A District 4 championship for the Indians and the program’s first undefeated regular season since the 1950s - the first ever for the program in the Iowa high school football play-off era that began in the 1970s.
 

The Waukon girls basketball team faced a busy past week of competition due to some postponements from earlier in the season, but then had a winter weather postponement lighten up that week just a bit. The bucket Tribe opened the week Tuesday, January 21 with a 45-42 comeback win in a make-up game at New Hampton from Friday, January 17 before also making up a November 22 home date with Kee Thursday, January 23 and pulling away in the second half to a 54-31 win. The Indians were supposed to also host Oelwein Friday, January 24 but had that game postponed by winter weather to a date yet to be determined.

The Kee girls basketball team split its past week of competition, putting one of two games this past week on each side of the win-loss column. The Lady Hawks opened the week with a 51-18 victory at home over a Clayton Ridge team with just two wins on the season Tuesday, January 21 before making up an early-season rescheduled contest at Class 3A Waukon Thursday, January 23 and coming out on the short end of a 54-31 final result.

The Waukon wrestling team battled through a busy weekend of competition this past week with back-to-back days on the mat being its only competition for the week. Those consecutive days of competition included wrapping up the mat Tribe’s Northeast Iowa Conference dual meet season without a win after a 72-9 defeat at Charles City Friday, January 24 before the Indians took part in the Riceville Tournament Saturday, January 25, winning two of their five duals wrestled in that duals tournament event.

Connie Kay Duffield, 62, of Postville died Wednesday, January 22, 2020 at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, WI. Funeral Service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, January 29 at Community Presbyterian Church in Postville with Rev. Kate Rupert as the officiant. Burial will follow at Postville Cemetery, Postville.

Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, January 28 at Schutte-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Postville. There will also be a one hour visitation before services at the church Wednesday.

Connie was born July 4, 1957 to LaVerne and Delores (Hesse) Wedo in Postville. She graduated from Postville High School in 1976.

Most of Connie’s life she was a homemaker, but she also worked at the Turkey Plant in Postville. She loved being with her grandchildren and enjoyed camping and fishing.

Dolores Marie Walleser, 87, died Thursday, January 23, 2020 at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, WI. Mass of Christian Burial was held Monday, January 27 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lansing with Rev. John Moser as the Celebrant. Burial followed at Gethsemane Cemetery in Lansing.

Dolores was born January 3, 1933 to Frank and Monica (Hogan) Wagner in the Wexford area of Allamakee County. She graduated from Immaculate Conception School in 1951 and married Edwin Walleser in 1953.

Educated in life experience and guided by unquestionable faith, they grew their farm family and their Gruber Ridge farm enterprise. Ed was the risk-taker and Dolores was the risk-manager.  They were powerful partners and created a dynamic family network that has connected many families and generations.

Hastings, NE resident Jerome O. “Jerry” Snitker, 81, passed away Sunday, January 19, 2020 at Mary Lanning Healthcare, Hastings, NE. Celebration of Life was held Saturday, January 25 at Grace United Methodist Church in Hastings, NE with Pastor Tamara Holtz officiating. Private family burial was held prior to a service at Parkview. Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home & Cremation Center of Hastings, NE assisted the family with arrangements.

Memorials may be given to Grace United Methodist Church. Private condolences may be sent to the family at www.lbvfh.com.

Kathy J. Hawes, age 74, of Prairie du Chien, WI passed away Monday, January 20, 2020 at her home surrounded by her family. A Memorial Service will be held Monday, January 27 at 1 p.m. at the Garrity Funeral Home Chapel in Prairie du Chien, WI with Deacon Mark Grunwald officiating.  A private family interment will be in the National Cemetery in Eastman, WI. Friends may call at the Garrity Funeral Home Monday from 11 a.m. until the time of the Service.

Kathy was born November 17, 1945 in Prairie du Chien, WI, the daughter of Donald and Wilma (Yonke) Kramer. She married Daniel Hawes November 16, 1968 at Immaculate Conception Church in Wexford. Kathy was hardworking, loved craft fairs, gardening, interior decorating, and most of all, spending time with her grandchildren.  She retired from Prairie Industries two years ago.