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“Our House Senior Living” Seeks Valentines for Residents

Editor’s Note: The following request was made by Our House Senior Living in Whitewater:

“We are so excited to announce our Valentines Day event!! ❤️❤️Our residents would love to be YOUR Valentines ❤️We have 11 amazing residents here at Our House and we would love everyone to spread love and kindness to them all. We are located at: 945 E Chicago St, Whitewater, WI 53190.. Feel free send as much love as possible to our residents. If you would like to stop by and drop off treats or cards — anything you are comfortable sending is so appreciated. ❤️If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to Angela (Director) or Brandy (Assistant Director) ❤️ Please share this post ❤️ We would like to say thank you for all the ❤️ and support we receive from our community.”

Contact: Angela Lyman, Executive Director, Our House Senior Living, 945 E. Chicago St. ,Whitewater, WI; Phone: (262) 473-1011; Fax: (262) 473-9782; Cell:  (608) 449-4890.

The image on the homepage, “Be My Valentine, lettering” by karen horton is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Gage Sugden serving on UW-Whitewater SUFAC

Editor’s note: The following was provided by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Gage Sugden from Whitewater, WI, who is studying English at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, was selected to serve on the Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee for 2021-2. Sugden is representing Residence Hall Association.

SUFAC approves budgets to fund more than 100 activities, programs, and student organizations on campus.

“Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee is committed to ensuring the success of our student organizations and departments while maintaining the affordability of our university. Committee members are responsible for the allocation of more than $500,000 in student fees,” said Matthew Schweinert, chair of SUFAC. “When making budget recommendations on the distribution of segregated fees, members of the committee develop their skills as critical thinkers and communicators, as well as financial acumen.”

Students on the committee are selected from different university areas, including appointments from each college, Residence Hall Association, and Whitewater Student Government.

Obituary: DeWight L. Hookstead, 91

DeWight L. Hookstead passed away on February 1, 2022 at Rainbow Hospice Center in Johnson Creek, Wisconsin. He was born March 22, 1930 in Lima Township to Ethel (Turner) and William F. Hookstead. He lived most of his life in Lima Township; five of those years were spent on a farm in Rome, WI. He was a farmer, owning farms in three different counties and a can and bulk milk hauler. He was a member of Woodstock Progressive Milk Producers Association.

DeWight married Sibylla A. Weber on September 25, 1954 in Pittsville, WI. They had eight children, six sons and two daughters. We promised DeWight we would keep this as inexpensive as possible so we will not be listing everybody’s names. He had copious amounts of grandchildren and a gaggle of great grandchildren! Call 262-473-4470 for more information.

DeWight had many things he enjoyed; among them were slopping the hogs, milking the cows by hand, playing cards and telling stories. His memory was amazing; he could recall dates, weather, numbers and details of any event! Especially the ones learned as a child listening in on adult conversations and from his dad. We hope all of you who knew him will continue telling his stories!

A Memorial Gathering will be held on Sunday, February 6th at 1:30 pm at All Faiths Funeral Home in Janesville, Wisconsin. Words of Remembrance will begin at 2:30 pm. All Faiths Funeral and Cremation Services of Janesville is assisting the family. Online expressions of condolences and support may be made at: www.866allfaiths.com.

Our Readers Share – Carol McCormick: First Scoop of Silt Taken Out of Trippe Lake!

Photo courtesy of Carol McCormick

Carol McCormick writes, “Today (Wednesday) was the first scoop of silt taken out of Trippe Lake! Hope to see many more!” When asked how long she had to watch to be sure to catch the first scoop, she responded, “My husband has an eagle eye!”

Trucks were also seen leaving Cravath Lake with sediment on Wednesday. Per the City, work is expected to continue twenty-four hours a day for the remainder of this week until Saturday at 7 p.m.

Our thanks to Carol McCormick for sharing another timely photo.

— Our Readers Share: We hope that you might have something that you’d be willing to share.  Anything that’s been created by someone else should, of course, be credited, and you should ask their permission if you’re able. We cannot post copyrighted material without permission. We can’t guarantee that we’ll have space for all submissions, and contributions will be subject to editorial board approval. The one definite exclusion is anything politically oriented. We will assume that you’re willing for us to include your name as the submitter unless you indicate that you prefer to remain anonymous. Send to whitewaterbanner@gmail.com or click on “submit a story” near the top right of our homepage.  Thanks for thinking about this!

Wrestling Wraps up Regular Season with a Win

Congratulations to the Whippet Wrestling Team on completing their regular season with a 55-21 victory over Janesville Craig. The win improved the Whippets to 9-1 on the season.

Jarvis Porcaro

Winning for the Whippets included Jarvis Porcaro, Jason Villegas, CJ Tomomitsu, Marcus DePorter, Aaron Porras, Carter Friend, Mason Nobs, Hector Arnodo, Mason DePorter and Leo Ortiz. 

Thank you to the parents who have supported us all season and all the fans who came out to support us in our last home competition of the season.

  • Home Crowd
  • Seniors with Coach Schimming

The JV is next in action on Thursday in a dual against Badger High School. The Varsity travels to Brodhead to participate in the Rock Valley Conference Tournament on Saturday.

Article Submitted by John Schimming
Whitewater High School Head Wrestling Coach
jschimming@wwusd.org
Action Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka, Additional Photos Courtesy of Coach Schimming

Young Auditorium Features Music from Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper on Feb. 11

Editor’s Note: The following information was provided by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Young Auditorium.

The spirit of 1950’s rock-and-roll music is alive and well at Young Auditorium. Join us on Friday, February 11th at 7:30 p.m. for John Mueller’s “Winter Dance Party”®, an unparalleled live concert tribute featuring the music of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper. Tickets are $34.25.

John Mueller’s “Winter Dance Party” is the official live and authentic re-creation of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper’s final tour and the only show endorsed by the Holly, Valens and Richardson estates. Each live concert performance includes over two hours of unbridled, high voltage entertainment featuring all the hit songs of the 50’s era: That’ll Be The Day, Peggy Sue, Oh, Boy, Rave on, La Bamba, Chantilly Lace, and many, many more.

John Mueller, the critically acclaimed former star of the U.S. touring version of the London/Broadway hit musical “Buddy…the Buddy Holly Story,” performs as Buddy Holly with Linwood Sasser as the Big Bopper and Ray Anthony as Ritchie Valens. The very authentic and energetic four-piece band (guitar, drums, stand-up bass and sax) includes Grammy award winning Mike Acosta on saxophone.

Tickets for Winter Dance Party are $34.25 apiece. Purchase tickets for all Young Auditorium season performances online at http://www.youngauditorium.com … or by connecting with the UW-Whitewater Ticket Services department, located at 950 West Main Street, Whitewater, WI 53190 inside the Greenhill Center of the Arts. They can be reached at (262) 472-2222 (Limited Hours.)

First Citizens State Bank is the sponsor.

Masks will be required for attendees of this performance. Please visit the Warhawks Are Back! website, which outlines operating practices for the UW-Whitewater campus. Modifications of these practices should be anticipated. UW-Whitewater will continue to use information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the State of Wisconsin, county health departments and the University of Wisconsin System to guide the decision-making processes across campuses. – https://www.uww.edu/warhawks-are-back

UW-Whitewater’s Fairhaven Lecture Series to offer “American Profiles”

Editor’s Note: The following information was provided by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Office of Continuing Education and Fairhaven Senior Services announce “American Profiles” as the theme for their spring lecture series. Since 1983, UW-Whitewater faculty and staff and community and business leaders have offered free presentations on topics ranging from art and literature to history and politics.  

Politicians, activists, musicians, and every day citizens.  Systems, inventions, and tragedies. This spring, we will spend an hour each week, putting the spotlight on changemakers that have made history.  From local stories to those that made a global impact, join us as we take a closer look at some fascinating American profiles.

The titles and presenters of the lectures for the spring series are:

Monday, February 7 at 3:00 pm

Who are the Supremes? A Discussion of the Lives of Supreme Court Justices

Presented by Monica Lineberger, Assistant Professor, Political Science

Monday, February 14 at 3:00 pm

Educational Innovators:  Profiles from the American Past

Presented by Anne Durst, Associate Professor, Educational Foundations

Monday, February 21 at 3:00 pm

An Opportunity and a Burden: The Lives of Loyalist Women in Revolutionary Philadelphia

Presented by Kimberly Nath, Associate Professor, History

Monday, February 28 at 3:00 pm

Life at the Intersections: The Labor, Activism, and Legacy of Pauli Murray

Presented by Ashley Barnes-Gilbert, Lecturer, Women’s and Gender Studies

Monday, March 7 at 3:00 pm

Forgetting and Remembering the “Spanish” Flu Pandemic

Presented by Karl Brown, Associate Professor, History

Monday, March 14 at 3:00 pm

Flaco Jiménez and the Accordion: Global Intersections

Presented by Erin Bauer, Assistant Professor, Music

Monday, March 21 at 3:00 pm

Profile of Wisconsin Mass Media History

Presented by Brian Schanen, Lecturer, Communication

Monday, March 28 at 3:00 pm

The Poison Widow of Whitewater: Mystery, Mayhem, and Murder

Presented by Jennifer Motszko, Digital Scholarship & Preservation Archivist

Monday, April 11 at 3:00 pm

Wendell Willkie and the We Want Willke Campaign

Presented by Dick Haven, Professor Emeritus, Communication

Lectures in the Spring Fairhaven Lecture Series, “American Profiles” are currently open to residents of Fairhaven but may be open to the public later in the semester.  They will live-streamed via Facebook at www.facebook.com/UWWFairhavenLecture/  and will be recorded and posted to our website and YouTube channel. Videos of lectures from this and previous series can be accessed for free any time after they are posted online.

Please visit www.uww.edu/ce/fairhaven and www.facebook.com/UWWFairhavenLecture/ for videos, descriptions of each lecture, and updates on the status of each lecture.  Contact Kari Borne at bornek@uww.edu or 262-472-1003 for further information or to request accommodations.   

Whippet Girls Fall to Cambridge

The Whitewater Girls’ Basketball Team traveled to Cambridge for a non-conference game on Monday, January 31. It was a defensive first half, and by the end we were down 15-22. Cali Kopecky dominated the court scoring 10 of our 15 points.  

In the second half, we came out strong, closing the gap to 23-27. After a Cambridge time out, we struggled to connect offensively; the Blue Jays dominated in the paint, and we lost 26-60. 

Cali Kopecky led the Whippets, scoring half of our total points, with 13, going 3 for 3 from 3-point range. Gwen Truesdale followed with 4. Kindyl Kilar and Danielle DePorter both contributed 3. Mayte Navejas had 2, and Cali Grosinske added 1.   

We travel to Jefferson* for a conference game Thursday, February 3. 

*Masks will be required for players, coaches, and fans. 

Article Submitted by Kristen Lippens
Whitewater High School Head Girls’ Basketball Coach
klippens@wwusd.org
File Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka

Obituary: James L. Rossmiller

James L. Rossmiller died on January 18, 2022, three days shy of his 95th birthday in Watertown at the home of his granddaughter and her family. Jim was born in Milwaukee, WI on January 21, 1927. He was lovingly raised by his grandmother, Mary Frances Rossmiller. His early years were spent on the near East side of Milwaukee. His attendance at St John’s Cathedral was a lasting influence in his spiritual life.

He graduated from Whitewater High School, entering the US Army after graduation.  He was a proud WWII veteran, stationed as a medic in Occupied Berlin along with British, French and Russian troops. It was here he picked up memorable phrases for which he was known. Upon returning from the war, he attended Whitewater College.

Jim worked at Creamery Package (CP, division of St. Regis) in Fort Atkinson and Lake Mills, retiring in 1989. He enjoyed running and bicycling when he turned 50.  He was an active member of St. Joseph’s Parish, serving in many roles, as an usher, on the parish council and a grand knight of Knights of Columbus.  He was a member of the VFW and American Legion, Fort Atkinson.

He met Rita Shroble while she worked at the soda fountain at Max’s Pharmacy, Whitewater. As she knew how to “roll” the ice cream, his forever love of Whippy Dips (ie. ice cream) began.  Jim and Rita were married on November 27, 1948. They enjoyed camping with family, traveling with friends, and dances with Club 46.  Their door was always open to family and friends. 

Family was everything to Gramps. He was known for his quick wit, one-liners and his kind and caring ways.  His final words of wisdom were “Be kind.”

Jim was preceded in death by his wife, Rita in 2018 and his son, Tom in 2020.  Jim is survived by children, Kathleen (Robert) Cheek of Fort Atkinson, Mary (James Buenger) Emrick of Nekoosa, Janice Berg of Milwaukee and James M. (Amy) Rossmiller of Brookfield; eleven grandchildren, Lisa (Michael) Reese, Kathryn (Kevin) Driessen, Matthew (Leigh) Emrick, Kara (Brad Kucken) Emrick, Lucas (Laura) Emrick, Joseph (Katie) Berg, Andrew Berg, Laura Berg, Michael Rossmiller, Sarah (Ryan) Foote, Robert (Marilyne Sabourin) Rossmiller and twelve great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his cousin, Paul Rossmiller of Dousman.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at noon on Friday, April 8, 2022 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Fort Atkinson. Visitation will be prior to the funeral Mass at the church from 10:00 am until time of Mass.

Memorials in Jim’s name may be directed to Knights of Columbus, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 1660 Endl Blvd. Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 for the KC Scholarship fund or University of Wisconsin Foundation at 1848 University Ave, Madison, WI 53726 or visit www.supportuw.org/give directed to the macular degeneration research fund.

The Dunlap Memorial Home in Fort Atkinson is assisting the family. 

www.DunlapMemorialHome.com

The family extends sincere gratitude to the staff of Bright Star and Marquardt Hospice for their kindness and care of Jim.

Flags to Half-Staff in Honor of Firefighter Robert A. Stevens

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the Office of the Governor, State of Wisconsin

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers signed Executive Order #154 ordering the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin to be flown at half-staff on Wed., Feb. 2, 2022, in honor of firefighter Robert “Bob” A. Stevens of the Fremont-Wolf River Fire Department, who passed away on Jan. 27, 2022, at the age of 66, due to complications from contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty. 

“Whether defending health and safety, being there for folks in times of need, or helping others enjoy the great outdoors, Bob dedicated more than half of his life to serving the people of his community and he will be forever remembered for his dedication,” said Gov. Evers. “Our thoughts are with the Stevens’ family, everyone at the Fremont-Wolf River Fire Department, and all of his colleagues, friends, and fellow community members in Fremont as they mourn this loss.”

Services for firefighter Robert A. Stevens will be held on Wed., Feb. 2, 2022, in Fremont. 

Executive Order #154 will be in effect from sunrise to sunset on Wed., Feb. 2, 2022, and is available here.