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For Veterans Day, Fort Library Presents Story of Sgt. Reckless, Decorated Korean War Horse

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the Dwight Foster Public Library.

The U.S. Veterans Project Library and the Dwight Foster Public Library invite you to celebrate Veterans Day on November 11 with the fascinating story of Sgt. Reckless, a hero of the Korean War. The program begins at 6 p.m. at the Dwight Foster Library, 209 Merchants Avenue in Fort Atkinson. There is also a virtual option for individuals to attend on Zoom. The link to register for the virtual Zoom is available on the library’s website: fortlibrary.org.

Staff Sergeant Reckless was a decorated war horse who held official rank in the United States military. She served in numerous combat actions during the Korean War, carrying supplies and ammunition, and was also used to evacuate wounded. Learning each supply route after only a couple of trips, she often traveled to deliver supplies to the troops on her own, without benefit of a handler. The highlight of her nine-month military career came in late March 1953 during the Battle for Outpost Vegas. Join us to learn the rest of the story of this four-legged hero.

For additional information contact Amy Lutzke at (920) 563-7790 or contact@fortlibrary.org.

Obituary: Bob Wulfkuhle, 93

Bob Wulfkuhle passed away on Friday, November 5, 2021, at Fairhaven Senior Services.

Robert Lloyd Wulfkuhle, was born on October 6th, 1928, in Lawrence, Kansas to Gustav and Lillian (Lentz) Wulfkuhle. Robert, in Lawrence or Bob in Illinois or Wisconsin, was a student of the Lawrence Public School System, attending Woodlawn Middle School and Lawrence Memorial High School, which was built in memory of the Lawrence servicemen lost in World War I.

During his school years, Bob worked at Kroger’s Grocery Store during the winter and at his Uncle Alfred’s, the Alfred Heck and Sons farm during the spring, summer, and fall. Bob started working for the Hecks when he was in 5th grade. He was close to the family, living on the farm during the busy seasons — in fact, Alfred and Emma Heck, and their sons, Arthur and Walter, always treated Bob as part of their family. Bob credited the Hecks with teaching him about the importance of working hard and with honesty to accomplish one’s goals. He learned the value of maintaining a clean and neat farm, as demonstrated by his large, productive garden and immaculate lawns. Bob was often teased by his friends and neighbors about his lawn and garden, receiving a lighted helmet to mow his lawn at night from some work friends and a large picture of dandelions – which were never allowed to grace his yard– from his good neighbors and friends, Rollie and Margaret Stortz.

Bob attended Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, working his way through college at the Lawrence Sanitary Dairy during the summer and at Kansas State University’s Creamery during the school year. He graduated in June of 1951 and was on a train the next day to begin boot camp for the Navy. Bob worked hard and served as the Boot Chief Petty Officer, receiving the American Spirit Award in recognition for his performance as the top student from his boot camp class. Bob served as an independent duty hospital corpsman for four years in the USS Baltimore. The Baltimore completed tours in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, took an admiral on a goodwill tour of the Scandinavian countries, and represented the United States during the Naval Review for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Honorably discharged from the Navy, Bob worked for the Department of Agriculture in Kansas City as an inspector and chemist. Bob was then asked to run the Arkansas City Coop, a large creamery in southeastern Kansas. He then moved to Hawthorn Mellody in Kansas City before transferring to the Hawthorn Mellody plant in Whitewater, WI. While working in Whitewater, Bob met and married his wife of 57 years, Stratewula (Sug) Kehias, an associate professor at UW-Whitewater. Bob took a job with Creamery Packaging in Chicago, IL as a Sales Engineer and moved to Chicagoland. Upon promotion to the Assistant to the President, Bob was transferred to the Lake Mills, WI plant and moved his family to Fort Atkinson, WI. Bob took a position with Hartel Manufacturing in Fort Atkinson, WI, in 1980. He worked for Hartel’s for 14 years, serving as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing, retiring in 1994.

Bob strongly believed in a life of service. While a member of Trinity English Lutheran Church in Fort Atkinson, Bob served on several church councils, sang in the choir, and could frequently be seen on the church grounds painting or otherwise helping to maintain the landscape. He volunteered at the Fort Memorial Hospital, completing 7,833 hours. He received the Volunteer of the Year award as well as a Life membership in the Volunteer department. Bob assisted at the National Dairy Shrine at the Hoard Museum in Fort Atkinson, WI, where he was awarded the E Award by the National Dairy Shrine. Bob was very active in the Kiwanis International organization. He joined Kiwanis in 1956 in Kansas. In Fort Atkinson, he served as the President of the club several times, chaired several committees, and served on the Board. He completed a one-year term as the Lieutenant Governor and then became a District Board Member. He was the first member of the Fort Atkinson Kiwanis organization to receive the George F. Hixson Fellowship, which recognizes members who contribute significantly to Kiwanis’s history of generosity. While in the Whitewater Kiwanis organization in his later life, he served on the youth committee and helped oversee the Shoe Project, providing shoes for disadvantaged students in the Whitewater Elementary school system. In 2021, the Whitewater Kiwanis club awarded Bob an Honorary Membership in recognition for his many years of service.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Gus and Lillian (Lentz) Wulfkuhle, his older sister, Elizabeth Wulfkuhle, who died in infancy, and his wife of 57 years, Sug. He is survived by his son, Gus (Cathy) Wulfkuhle, Geneva, IL; daughter Trianna (Stephen) Warkentin, Spring, TX, and four grandchildren, Emily and Sam Wulfkuhle, and Daniel and Kylie Warkentin.

A memorial service to celebrate Bob’s life will be held at First English Lutheran Church in Whitewater, WI on Saturday, November 20 at 11:00 a.m., with visitation starting at 9:30 a.m. Masks will be required during the memorial service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to Heart Prairie Lutheran Church care of First English Lutheran Church, 401 W. Main St., Whitewater, WI, 53190, please put Heart Prairie Church in the memo line or to the Whitewater Aquatic Center, Friends of the Whitewater Aquatic and Fitness Center, PO Box 509, Whitewater, WI 53190 or friendsofwac@gmail.com.

Bob’s family wishes to recognize and thank the staff of the second-floor skilled nursing unit at Fairhaven for their dedication and thoughtful care in these trying times.

Nitardy Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences can be made at www.nitardyfuneralhome.com

Whitewater Kiwanis to hold Poinsettia Plant Fundraiser to Benefit Children

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club.

The Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club is selling red poinsettia plants, in 6-inch pots with plants 15 to 18 inches tall, this year for $15, and the beautiful red blossoms will be available for distribution after December 2. Anyone interested in ordering the plants should contact Jerry Grant at 262-473-2214 or any Kiwanian.

Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club President Patrick Taylor said, “We are delighted to be able to sell poinsettias this year, with the funds helping children in our community and the world. We have 1,000 plants available, and for just $15, a beautiful red poinsettia could brighten your holidays and the lives of children.”

The Kiwanis Whitewater Breakfast Club is made up of dedicated volunteers who help children in the Whitewater community and the world, all with funds raised going directly to projects helping improve the lives of children. Each year, the club distributes approximately $20,000, with over half going to the Whitewater Unified School District, including scholarships. Kiwanis helped to build the Flowing Well Shelter, the shelter and accessible playground at Starin Park and Treyton’s Field of Dreams, the WHS football field lights and press box, as well as adopting a highway to clean up. In addition, the group donates to the Whitewater Youth Soccer Club, the Friends of the Whitewater Aquatic and Fitness Center Family Partnership Fund, the Whitewater Food Pantry, Bethel House and more.

More information can be found on the Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club Facebook page.

“We very much welcome and appreciate donations to help us with our mission of changing the world, one child at a time,” said Taylor.

2021 Downtown Whitewater Parade of Lights Powered by Generac

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by Downtown Whitewater.


As the leaves fall around us, Downtown Whitewater, Inc. staff and volunteers are once again focusing on the upcoming holiday season.


We are pleased to announce the return of our annual Parade of Lights as well as a new title
sponsor – Generac. We are fortunate to have Generac as a member of the Whitewater business
community and incredibly grateful for their continued generous support. The parade steps off at 6 p.m. on Friday, December 3.


This year’s parade theme is “Storybook Christmas.” Parade participants are encouraged to use
the google form link included below or on our website to indicate their desire to participate in this
year’s parade. Because our parade is of course after sundown all participants are encouraged
to include lights as part of their display. In years’ past we’ve had folks also tell us that the length
of the parade could be challenging especially in colder years, so this year the route has also
been modified to make it easier for participants. A map detailing the parade route is on our
website downtownwhitewater.com.


Parade entry link: https://forms.gle/mfxy8FVccpXymGzu8


Attendees are welcome to join us downtown right on Main Street to enjoy a variety of activities
before the parade. New for 2021, the City of Whitewater Parks and Recreation Department
brings a Positivi-tree to downtown with an ornament decorating station by the large evergreen in
the Flat Iron park (402 W Main Street). Community members will be invited to write something
positive on an ornament at the station or from their own collection to be displayed December
6th through January 14th. Additional children’s activities and pre-parade warming stations will
be announced in the days to come.


UW-W Lecturer Among UW System Honorees of Poorman Award for Achievement on Behalf of LGBTQ+ People

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the UW System.

Photo of Dr. Ashley Barnes-Gilbert, UW-Whitewater
Ashley Barnes-Gilbert

UW System honors achievements of LGBTQ+ advocates and their allies across UW System through 2021 awards

11 honorees of 2021 Dr. P.B. Poorman Award for Outstanding Achievement on Behalf of LGBTQ+ People

The University of Wisconsin System has announced the 11 honorees of the 2021 Dr. P.B. Poorman Award for Outstanding Achievement on Behalf of LGBTQ+ People, an annual honor given to LGBTQ+ people or their allies who have helped to create a safer and more inclusive climate for LGBTQ+ people. The award celebrates the memory and legacy of Dr. Paula B. Poorman, a highly regarded faculty member at UW-Whitewater dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ people. 

This year marks the 13th anniversary of the founding of the Dr. P.B. Poorman Award. The recipients of the award will be honored on November 4 during a ceremony hosted by UW System Senior Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer Warren R. Anderson. The awards ceremony and reception will be held in conjunction with UW System’s presentation of the Outstanding Women of Color in Education Awards.

“This year’s award recipients are doing important and significant work to enhance equity and opportunity for our students, faculty, and staff,” said Anderson. “The UW System is honored to recognize their dedication to making our campuses and broader communities more welcoming places to live, work, and learn.”

UW institutions submit nominations for the awards, which highlight each recipient’s contributions to advocacy, activism, or scholarship that enhances the experiences of, and improves the climate for, LGBTQ+ people.

Sixty LGBTQ+ people and their allies have received the award since it was established in 2008.

The honorees of the 2021 Dr. P.B. Poorman Award for Outstanding Achievement on Behalf of LGBTQ+ People are:

·          Joshua Brown, Professor of Languages, UW-Eau Claire

·          Christine Smith, Associate Professor and Chair, Women and Gender Studies, UW-Green Bay

·          Andrew Ives, Operations Coordinator, Student Support Services, UW-La Crosse

·          Katherine Charek Briggs, Assistant Director, Gender and Sexuality Campus Center, UW-Madison

·          Cary Gabriel Costello, Associate Professor, Sociology, and Director, LGBT Studies Program, UW-Milwaukee

·          Corey Young, Advisor, Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, UW-Platteville

·          Faith Velez, 2021 Graduate, UW-River Falls

·          Brianna Burke, Career Development Coordinator, UW-Stevens Point

·          Rickie-Ann Legleitner, Associate Professor of English, Advisor for Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Inclusive Excellence Action Plan Coordinator, UW-Stout

·          T Leeper, Gender and Sexuality Programs Coordinator, UW-Superior

·          Ashley Barnes-Gilbert, Instructor, Women’s and Gender Studies, UW-Whitewater

Download high-resolution photos of the 2021 recipients.

For more information about the award and past recipients, see wisconsin.edu/grants-awards/poorman-award/.

Robert Peter Frawley, 91, passed away on Thursday, November 5, 2020 (UPDATED with arrangements)

Robert Peter Frawley, 91, Whitewater passed away on Thursday, November 5, 2020 at Rainbow Hospice Inpatient Center in Johnson Creek, WI.

Bob was born on March 28, 1929 in West Allis, WI to John and Freida (Pfeiffer) Frawley. He was a graduate of Whitewater High School. Bob served his country in the United States Army in Korea during the Korean Conflict. On August 22, 1953 he married Louise Mammina at St. Williams Church in Chicago, IL. Bob owned and operated Tri-State Motor Express for 30 years. He also worked as a manager for Dairy Star Ice Cream Emporium in Lincolnwood, IL. He and Louise and their six children lived in Chicago. Bob and Louise moved to Whitewater in 2006. Bob enjoyed woodworking and decorating. He was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church, Whitewater.

He is survived by his wife, Louise; children Mary (Jim) Kersten, Glenview, IL, John Frawley, Whitewater, Michael (Sheri) Frawley, Mesa, AZ ; daughter-in-law Amy Frawley, Ohio; 13 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; children Thomas, Theresa and Julia Frawley; brothers Raymond Pfeiffer, John H. Frawley; sisters, Margaret Fuhs and Rosebud Truman.

A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, November 12, 2021 at 12:00 P.M. at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Whitewater, WI. Friends may call after 11:00 A.M. on Friday at the church until the time of the Mass.

Burial will follow in the Calvary Cemetery in Whitewater, WI.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Whitewater Food Pantry or to Bethel House.

Nitardy Funeral Home, Whitewater is assisting the family. Online condolences may be given to the family at www.nitardyfuneralhome.com

UW-W Women’s Basketball 2021-22 Roster Includes Two Local Students

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by UW-Whitewater.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s basketball team starts the 2021-22 season with high hopes as it is set to supplement a strong core of veterans with a talented group of younger players.

The Warhawks, who finished 8-3 and reached the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship game during a shortened 2020-21 season, are predicted to finish second in the WIAC by the league’s coaches and athletic communications personnel and are ranked 18th in the D3hoops.com Preseason Top 25.

UW-Whitewater kicks off the new season Tuesday at home against Calvin (Mich.) at 6 p.m. The team then embarks on an eight-game stretch of playing away from Kachel Gymnasium.

The Warhawks start with a two-game set at UW-Stevens Point Nov. 12-13, taking on Concordia Wisconsin and Benedictine (Ill.) out of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference.

UW-Whitewater then hits the road for six consecutive true road games, visiting College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin opponents Augustana (Nov. 17), Illinois Wesleyan (Nov. 20) and Carroll (Nov. 23) before a trip to Dubuque, Iowa, to take on Loras on Nov. 27. Both Illinois Wesleyan and Loras, like UW-W, reached the NCAA Tournament in 2020.

The Warhawks then kick off WIAC play Dec. 1 at UW-Stevens Point before heading to UW-Stout for a game on Dec. 4.

UW-Whitewater resumes non-conference action Dec. 19-20 with games against Alfred (N.Y.) and Centre (Ky.) in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The team closes the calendar year Dec. 29-30 with home games against Lake Forest (Ill.) and Edgewood as part of the program’s four-team holiday tournament. UW-Platteville will play the same opponents on the opposite days. Edgewood was also a 2020 NCAA Tournament participant.

The Warhawks’ 12 remaining conference games will be played between Jan. 5-Feb. 16 and include seven home dates. Highlights include Parents Day against UW-Eau Claire on Jan. 8, Alumni Day on Jan. 15 against UW-River Falls and Play4Kay on Feb. 12 against UW-Stout. The regular season closes Feb. 16 at UW-Oshkosh.

The WIAC Tournament will be played the week of Feb. 21, and the NCAA Tournament begins with regionals on March 4-5. Following sectionals (March 11-12), the NCAA Championship is slated for March 18-19 in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Head coach Keri Carollo, who enters her 20th season at the helm of the program, returns 13 players from last year’s roster and welcomes eight newcomers to the program.

Guard Rebekah Schumacher (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) and center Johanna Taylor (Wauwatosa, Wis./East) enter their fifth season with the team.

Taylor garnered first team D3hoops.com All-Central Region, first team all-conference and WIAC All-Defensive Team accolades in 2020-21 after averaging 10.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game with 41 blocks, which ranked fourth in the nation. She was recently selected as a fourth-team Preseason All-American by D3hoops.com.

Schumacher averaged 7.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per contest a year ago and has played in 76 games in her career. A two-year starter, Schumacher finished among the top 10 in the league in steals (15) and assists (24) in 2020-21.

Fourth-year returners include guards Veronica Kieres (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection) and Yssa Sto. Domingo (Streamwood, Ill./St. Edward), and forward Courtney Oomens (Lake Geneva, Wis./Badger).

Kieres averaged 4.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game and totaled 16 steals, good for a tie for fifth in the WIAC, last season. Sto. Domingo also ranked among the league’s top five with 16 steals while averaging 3.7 points and 2.6 rebounds per affair.

Oomens, a key member of the frontcourt rotation for the last two years, played in nine games last season. In the team’s last full season in 2019-20, she averaged 5.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.

Lunden Alexander (Dolton, Ill./Thornwood), Abi Baumgartner (Mokena, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central), Abby Belschner (Grafton, Wis./Cedarburg), Aleah Grundahl (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) and Kailey Ketz (Clayton, Wis./Clayton) comprise the team’s third-year returners.

Grundahl earned first team All-WIAC honors last season after tallying a team-high 14.3 points per game on 45.4 percent shooting. The forward also grabbed 6.6 rebounds per contest and finished among the top 10 in the conference in steals (15), assists (24) and free-throw percentage (73.1). Grundahl was the WIAC Newcomer of the Year as a freshman in 2019-20.

Belschner, also a two-year frontcourt mainstay, averaged 3.1 points and 2.5 rebounds per game and ranked 10th in the league in 2020-21 with seven blocked shots. Baumgartner, also a forward, appeared in four games a season ago.

Alexander and Ketz, both guards, combined to appear in eight games last season.

Guard Maggie Trautsch (Sun Prairie, Wis./DeForest) and forwards Erin Adams (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South) and Kendall Roquet (Middleton, Wis./Middleton) enter their second year as Warhawks.

Trautsch posted 5.6 points and 2.7 rebounds per outing and started three games in the backcourt in 2020-21. Adams played in nine games.

Newcomers to the program include guards Kacie Carollo (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater), Eden Frick (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South), Abby Guthrie (Dixon, Ill./Dixon), Rebecca Schauer (Fredonia, Wis./Ozaukee), Olivia Tinder (Beloit, Wis./Turner) and Hailey Voelker (Colby, Wis./Colby), and forwards Mallory Oloffson (Normal, Ill./Normal Community) and Olivia Zuege (Green Bay, Wis./Preble).

The following UW-Whitewater student-atheltes from your coverage area are members of the 2021-22 Warhawk women’s basketball team:

Rebekah Schumacher of Whitewater (Whitewater High School), a senior majoring in elementary education.

Kacie Carollo of Whitewater (Whitewater High School), a freshman majoring in integrated science and business.

This Week’s City Meetings

City of Whitewater Plan and Architectural Review Commission – Monday @ 6:00 p.m.
Agenda
City of Whitewater Municipal Building Community Room- First Floor
312 W. Whitewater St.
This meeting is IN-PERSON and VIRTUAL
Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/505797677
You can also dial in using your phone.
United States: +1 (786) 535-3211
Access Code: 505-797-677

City of Whitewater Pedestrian and Bicycle Committee Meeting – Wed. @ 5:00 p.m.
Agenda

In Person Meeting
Cravath Lakefront Building
341 South Fremont Street


City of Whitewater Community Development Authority Special Meeting – Wed. @ 5:30 p.m.
Agenda: Closed session – Discussion and action regarding issuing a UDAG/Action fund loan to a Whitewater
Business, Discussion and action regarding issuing a UDAG/Action fund loan to a Whitewater
Business, Sale of vacant parcel /A305000001 located on Innovation Drive within the City of
Whitewater

Location: Municipal Building – Cravath Lakefront Room (Second Floor)
312 W. Whitewater Street
This will be an IN-PERSON MEETING as well as a VIRTUAL MEETING.
Citizens are welcome and encouraged to join us in person, or via computer, smart phone, or
telephone. Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods.
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89615070147?pwd=akdqUkl1UUV5VjAwZXJRT0JpU0NYQT09
Passcode: 349500
Or One tap mobile :
US: +13017158592,,89615070147#,,,,349500# or +13126266799,,89615070147#,,,,349500#
Or Telephone:
Dial1 312 626 6799 or 1 833 548 0282 (Toll Free)
Webinar ID: 896 1507 0147
Passcode: 349500

City of Whitewater Police and Fire Commission – Wed. @ 6:30 p.m.
City of Whitewater Municipal Building
Agenda
Community Room- First Floor
312 W. Whitewater St.
This will be an IN PERSON MEETING as well as a VIRTUAL MEETING
Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/509376485
You can also dial in using your phone.
United States: +1 (571) 317-3112
Access Code: 509-376-485


Flags to Half-Staff on Monday in Honor of Navy Hospital Apprentice 1st Class Keefe R. Connolly Who Lost His Life in the Attack on Pearl Harbor

Editor’s note: The following information was received from the office of the governor.
 
Gov. Tony Evers on November 5 signed Executive Order #139 ordering the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin to be flown at half-staff on Mon, Nov. 8, 2021, in honor of Navy Hospital Apprentice 1st Class Keefe R. Connolly, who lost his life in the attack on Pearl Harbor. 

“I want to thank all the folks who have worked to ensure Navy Hospital Apprentice 1st Class Connolly was able to return home after all these years so he can be laid to rest in his home state,” said Gov. Evers. “We are thankful for his service and his sacrifice, and we hope this final journey brings peace to his memory.”

Connolly, assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, lost his life on Dec. 7, 1941, in the attack on Pearl Harbor. The USS Oklahoma was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft and sustained multiple torpedo hits that caused the ship to capsize, resulting in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Connolly. Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew between 1941 and 1944 and interred unidentified remains, including those of Connolly, at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu shortly after World War II. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) exhumed USS Oklahoma Unknowns in 2015 for scientific analysis and possible identification, and the DPAA laboratory identified Connolly, who was accounted for on February 11, 2021.

Navy Hospital Apprentice 1st Class Keefe R. Connolly will be laid to rest with military honors at Memorial Cemetery in his hometown of Markesan on Mon., Nov. 8, 2021.