All Obituaries

     Elroy M. Olson, 89, of Sparta, died Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at Tomah VA Medical Center. He was born on February 10, 1929 in Timber Coulee, Coon Valley, WI to Emil and Myrtle (Hagen) Olson. He grew up on Fish Creek Ridge. He worked on the family farm before being drafted into the Korean War. He moved back to the Sparta area after his service.      Elroy married Janet Schroeder on November 15, 1952 at St. John’s Ev Lutheran Church in...

Helen M. Helgesen, 97, of Sparta died Monday, May 14, 2018  at the Morrow Memorial Home, Sparta. She was born June 20, 1920 in Upper Big Creek, Monroe County, Wisconsin to Maurice and Helma (Olson) Johnson. She attended upper Big Creek School and graduated from Sparta High School in 1937. Her older sister Mabel told her she could not start school until she could recite the alphabet backwards and she never forgot it. On March 29, 1939 Helen married Floyd A. Helgesen in...

     Maryrose Shonka, 77, of Holmen, passed away Friday, May 18, 2018 at Bluffview Memory Care Center, Holmen. She was born to Francis and Louise (Cuchna) Shonka on June 14, 1940 in Riverside, IL.      Maryrose received a Bachelor’s Degree at the College of St. Francis in Joliet, IL. She married and lived in Canada until 1979 when she and her sons moved to Evanston, IL. Maryrose moved to La Crosse, WI in 2007 to be near her son and...

     Doris M. Harris, 73, of Sparta, died Thursday, May 10, 2018 at Gundersen Health System, La Crosse. She was born on June 28, 1944 in Sparta, WI to Gilbert (Gib) and Genevieve (Jenny) (Coleman) Fauska. Doris grew up in Wilton and Tomah and graduated from Tomah High School.      Doris married Ray G. Harris on June 7, 1961. After their marriage Doris moved to Colorado, Springs where Ray was stationed at Ft. Carson. This is where they had their...

     Cozette J. Stelter, 91, of Sparta, died Wednesday, May 9, 2018 at Lakeview Health Center, West Salem, surrounded by her family. She was born on April 5, 1927 in Dell, Town of Clinton, Vernon County, WI to Alva and Ella (Appleman) Miller. She attended Westby Schools and worked on the family farm.      Cozette married Donald D. Stelter on March 25, 1947 in Waukon, IA. They farmed in the Town of Clinton and lived...

     Donna Rae Heuer, 59, of Cataract, passed away Thursday, May 10, 2018 at her home surrounded by her loved ones. She was born June 8, 1958 in Sparta. Donna married Timothy Heuer on June 25, 1983 at St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church in Sparta.      Donna worked for the Federal Government and retired in September 2013from the VA Medical Center in Tomah, WI after 36 years of service. She was a dedicated and loyal employee and was very proud of...

Susan A. Sanwald, 62, of Viroqua, died Wednesday, May 9, 2018 at Gundersen Health System, La Crosse. She was born January 17, 1956 to the late John and Dolly Fitzsimions in Viroqua. Susan grew up in Viroqua and graduated from Viroqua High School. She married Harold Bailey on August 5, 1980. They later divorced. Susan worked as a seamstress for ORC Industries in Sparta. She enjoyed camping, fishing, and anything in the outdoors. Susan is survived by her two sons, Patrick...

Joshua J. Michel, 19, of Sparta, passed away unexpectedly, May 6, 2018 as a result of an automobile accident. He was born March 25, 1999 to Charles and Beverly (Melancon) Michel in Marrero, Louisiana. Josh graduated from Sparta High School with the class of 2017. He liked to hunt and fish and loved to watch the New Orleans Saints.  Josh is survived by his mother and stepfather, Beverly and Gordon Smith, of Sparta; his father, Charles Michel, of Louisiana; a sister,...

     Erika B. Oswald, 78, of Sparta, died Thursday, April 26, 2018 at Gundersen Health System, La Crosse. She was born at Olympic Stadium Hospital in Doberitz, Berlin, Germany. She grew up in Berlin and attended schools there.      Erika married Robert W. Oswald on August 29, 1963 in Bad Kissingen, Germany. After his service in the military, they moved to Sparta. Erika worked as a CNA at Rolling Hills Rehabilitation Center in Sparta and St....

Cecilia Marie Jacobson, 95, of Sparta passed away April 21, 2018, at the Morrow Memorial Home in Sparta, WI, surrounded by her loving family.   Cecilia was born on January 20, 1923, to Herman and Agnes (Sichler) Hart of Alma Center, Wisconsin. Cecilia’s mother taught her to play piano, a passion that stayed with her throughout her life. She attended a rural one-room school and often recalled taking a horsedrawn buggy from the family farm to school each day. She...