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Girls’ Swim Opens at Conference Relays

The Whitewater Girls’ Swim Team started the season by competing at Conference Relays in Elkhorn on Thursday, September 2. Everyone was excited to compete in their first events of the season.

Some highlights include the following:

5th place in both the 200 Medley Relay and the 500 Freestyle Crescendo Relay was earned by Grace Foucault, Emerson Dunham, Makayla Bazeley, and Brooke Bazeley.

The 200 Butterfly Relay of Ashly Xochipa, Skylar Staebler, Josie Treder, and Karime Velazquez bettered their seeded time all while Ashly swam with her goggles around her neck!

The 100 Freestyle Relay of Grace, Emerson, Brooke, and Makayla took home some hardware with a second place finish and a time of 58.42. Our second 100 Freestyle Relay of Skylar, Aileen Perez, and Michelle Abarca got to do some fast swimming in a unique event (each swam 25 meters). Shout out to Michelle for competing in her first race, ever!

The 400 Backstroke Relay of Makayla, Brooke, Emerson, and Grace took some more hardware home with a 3rd place finish and a time of 5:11:36.

The night was finished off with the 400 Freestyle Relay crew of Ashley, Skylar, Josie, and Karime who all swam some great times.

Way to go Whippets! What an impressive way to start off the season!

Article and Photo Submitted by Sarah Reynolds
Whitewater High School Head Girls’ Swim Coach
sreynolds@wwusd.org

Obituary: Phyllis Jane Butke, 91

Phyllis Jane Butke, 91, Whitewater passed away on Saturday, August 28, 2021 at Mercy Hospital in Janesville.

Phyllis was born on July 5, 1930 in Whitewater, WI to Emil and Anna (Krueger) Storck.  She attended Whitewater City High School.  Phyllis married Harley Butke on November 26, 1948.  He preceded her in death on November 12, 1990.  She and Harley raised 3 children: Robert, Connie and Lori. Once the children went to school Phyllis worked for Whitewater Electronics and Universal Electronics for many years.  She enjoyed bowling, camping, playing cards and snowmobiling.  Most of all she loved being with her family. Phyllis was a member of St. John Ev. Lutheran Church, Whitewater.

She is survived by her children: Robert (Vangie) Butke, San Antonio, TX, Lori (Scott) Oldenburg, Whitewater; grandchildren: Robert (Alex) Butke, Cheryl (John), Stephanie Butke, Adam (Micki) Oldenburg, Andy (Hannah) Oldenburg, Ariana Oldenburg, Shelly Cole, Nicholas (Kacy) Meyer; 11 great-grandchildren; sister, Genny Goehl; brother, Melvin (Judy) Storck; sister-in-law, Susan Storck.  

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, daughter, Connie Meyer; sister Rosie Peyer; brother, Lawrence Storck.

A private burial service will be held at Richmond Cemetery.  Online condolences may be made at www.nitardyfuneralhome.com

Obituary: Ernest (Ernie) Robert Staebler, 81

Whitewater, WI—Ernest (Ernie) Robert Staebler, Age 81 passed away Monday August 30, 2021 at Fairhaven in Whitewater, WI following a courageous battle with Brain Cancer.

Ernie was born in Burlington, WI to parents Bertha & Paul Staebler on December 14th, 1939. He grew up in Waterford, WI where he graduated from Waterford High School. Ernie was baptized, confirmed, & married at St. Peters Lutheran Church in Waterford, WI. Ernie married Margaret N. Mayer on September 18th, 1965 and was married almost 56 years. Ernie spent his working life employed as a precision tool grinder (33 years) at Charter Wire in Milwaukee, WI.

Ernie & Marge moved to Whitewater, WI in 1981 when they started their custard stand Frosty’s Frozen Custard and ran it for 23 years. During his time at Frosty’s you could see him after work most days at Frosty’s working in his vast flower gardens. He earned much recognition from his gardens including a commendation from Gov. Thompson and a writeup in national publication Birds & Blooms. When he wasn’t working in his gardens he loved to fish & hunt. Thru the years you would have found him on dartball & horseshoe leagues in the area where he loved razzing his competition.

Ernie is survived by his wife Margaret (Mayer) Staebler and their two remaining children, Charlene Staebler & Keith Staebler. His youngest daughter Teresa (Ryan) Pope lost her battle with Cancer in 2018. Ernie has four grandchildren. Brianna & Skylar Staebler (Keith), and Madisyn & Logan Pope (Ryan & Teresa). Ernie has two older brothers Paul II (Sharon) Staebler and William (Marilyn) Staebler. He is preceded in passing by his father Paul I Staebler and mother Bertha (Moritz) Staebler.

Funeral services will be held Monday September 6th, 2021 at Nitardy Funeral Home in Whitewater, WI. Visitation will be from 1-3pm. Services will be conducted at 3 pm by Pastor Steven Blyth of St. Matthew Lutheran Church of Palmyra. Celebration of life to follow.

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

Obituary: Gayle Lynne Golinski, 82, of Fort Atkinson

Gayle Lynne Golinski, 82, of Fort Atkinson passed away on September 1, 2021 at her home.

Gayle was born on April 7, 1939 in Fort Atkinson to Urban and Dorothy (Leedle) Beischel. She attended Fort Atkinson High School and graduated in 1957. Gayle was very active in band and received a band scholarship, but passed it up to get married to her high school sweetheart, Jerry. She was Homecoming Queen of 1956. On July 24, 1957 she and Jerry Golinski were married in Bettendorf, IA and together they had three children. Together, they owned and operated the Arcadia Lanes in Fort Atkinson and Jerry’s Polish Palace. In her later years, Gayle enjoyed working with the public at various establishments, with most recently being at Mobil Station in Fort Atkinson.

She enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and was very proud of them all. Gayle was a very giving person and never would take anything in return. In her younger years, she was an avid bowler, carrying an average of 180 and passed along this talent to her three children. Gayle loved her lottery tickets and she and her beloved dog, Oliver, drove all around to get them; always hoping she would be the big winner. She enjoyed her daily phone conversations with her siblings and would often get together with them for luncheons.

Gayle is survived by her children, Lynne (Doug) Blank, Julie (Brad) Peterson, Steven Golinski; grandchildren, Lucas Waga, Lacey Waga, Carleena Blank, Alexa Blank, Colton Peterson; great-grandchildren, Jayden Olson, Chase Waga; brother, Dean; sisters, Shirley and Karen; beloved dog, Oliver; nieces, nephews, and friends.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Jerry; brothers, Joe and Dick; and sister, Barbara.

Visitation will take place from 5 to 7 PM on Friday, September 10, 2021 at Nitardy Funeral Home in Fort Atkinson. A burial will take place at a later date at St. John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery in Jefferson.

Online condolences can be made at www.nitardyfuneralhome.com

Obituary: Anne Elizabeth Johnson (Nee Wilmot), 77

Anne Elizabeth Johnson (Nee Wilmot), devoted wife of Robert, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on August 30, 2021 at the age of 77 in Oconomowoc, WI. She was born on August 8, 1944 in Milwaukee, WI. Preceded in death by her parents Teresa Wilmot and Robert Wilmot. Survived by her three children Christopher, Teresa (Gary) and Julia (Blake), grandson Michael and brothers Mike, Robert and Jim (Paulette). Further survived by other relatives and friends.

Anne graduated from Divine Savior Holy Angels High School in 1962 and later married Robert on September 18, 1965 at St. Sebastian Church in Milwaukee, WI. This year would have been their 56th wedding anniversary. Anne graduated from Harper College in Palatine, IL and then worked as a registered nurse caring for developmentally disabled individuals for over 30 years. She was actively involved in events and fundraising for Northpointe Resources (now Aspire), a service provider for disabled individuals. She enjoyed reading, home decorating and gathering with her family and friends. Anne and Robert lived in Arlington Heights, IL until 2018 when they moved to Whitewater, WI.

A memorial service and final place of rest is to be determined. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that remembrances be made in the form of contributions to Aspire Living.

Donations by mail can be made to:

Attn: Kristen Hermes
Aspire
1815 S. Wolf Road
Hillside, IL 60162

Donations by phone can be made to:

Director of Creative Philanthropy Kristen Hermes at 708.236.0979, extension 3592.

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

Freshmen Experience First Day of High School; Football Team Spends Day Helping at Elementary Schools

Whitewater High School welcomed the Class of 2025 on a “freshman only” first day of school on September 1, 2021. Students began the day in homeroom with their Lead Dogs, seniors who have been selected to work with the freshmen throughout the year as role models.

After an assembly, during which all freshmen walked across the stage and signed a banner as their commitment to graduate, students moved to the gym to participate in activities similar to the Almost Anything Goes races at Homecoming. Next, freshmen made their way through their class schedules, meeting with each of their teachers for a short period. Thank you to the Lead Dogs for continuing to provide direction in the hallways as the new students navigated the building for the first time.

Throughout the day, freshmen participated in a scavenger hunt which left them searching through plaques on the wall for pieces of information, talking with particular staff members, and playing rock/paper/scissors with Principal Mike Lovenberg to get his signature.

After lunch, freshmen were invited into an Activities Fair, where sophomores through seniors representing the various clubs, activities, and athletic teams had set up displays and were available to answer questions. All freshmen were encouraged to choose at least one activity to get involved with. The day then continued with Chromebook distribution and an opportunity for members of the Class of 2025 to “Make Their Mark” by leaving a colored handprint on the hallway wall.

Students wrapped up their first day of high school with a class meeting in the gym to discuss upcoming Homecoming activities and take their class photo in their new Whippet t-shirts.

Since 10th-12th graders did not have school, the Whippet Football Players spent their day at the middle and three elementary schools to help out with things like student drop off, getting kids to their classrooms, translating, helping teachers and custodians set up classrooms, and spending time hanging out with kids at lunch and recess as well as the afternoon pick up. The players all went to the school they are an alum from so it was fun for them to see their former teachers and hear about how much they have “grown up!” We are proud of our athletes for setting a good example for our younger kids and showing what it means to be a Whippet!

Article submitted by Laura Masbruch and Jason Bleck
Whitewater High School

Masks to be Worn in City of Whitewater Owned Facilities

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the City of Whitewater.

September 1, 2021- Effective immediately, based on guidance from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), the City of Whitewater is now asking members of the public who are
conducting business in City-owned facilities to wear face masks, regardless of vaccination status, when in
indoor public spaces.

Reasonable efforts will be made to maintain physical distancing during public meetings occurring under the
requirements of the open meetings law. Participants and observers of public meetings subject to the open
meetings law are asked to wear a mask during the open public meeting, regardless of their vaccination status.
Remote participation by employees and visitors will also be made available to help participants achieve desired
physical spacing.

Masks are required to be worn by all City of Whitewater employees in public or common areas within city
facilities. Employees will not be required to wear masks while working outdoors.
For more information, visit https://www.whitewater-wi.gov/502/COVID-19-Community-Updates or call
262-473-1398.

Whitewater Arts Alliance Presents Geneva Lake Arts Foundation Member Show

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the Whitewater Arts Alliance.

For the month of September, the Whitewater Arts Alliance will be hosting a hybrid gallery and virtual exhibition on the WAA website, whitewaterarts.org, of work created by members of Geneva Lake Arts Foundation. This hybrid exhibition will be on display virtually September 1st-30th, and in-gallery September 3rd-26th. The gallery will be open Friday through Sunday, 2-4pm. At this time, WAA will not require vaccinated individuals to wear a mask, and suggest that unvaccinated individuals wear a mask in the gallery.

This exhibition helps to connect local art communities and display the talents of more artists from Southeastern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. This show displays work from 11 artists with a total of 37 pieces, with a range in two dimensional mediums including watercolor, acrylic, wood carving, colored pencil, collage, and photography.

Founded in 1947, Geneva Lake Arts Foundation is a volunteer organization formed for the purpose of encouraging individual artistic growth and excellence. Geneva Lake Arts Foundation (formerly the Geneva Lake Art Association) fosters a community appreciation of the fine arts through the arrangement of shows, monthly programs, lectures, demonstrations and workshops. For more information about Geneva Lake Arts Foundation, visit their website at https://www.genevalakeartsfoundation.org.

Big thanks to our sponsor!

The mission of the Whitewater Arts Alliance is to promote the visual and performing arts through an alliance of artists, individuals, educational resources, and organizations to promote creativity and diversity that will serve to educate and enrich the lives of the residents of the Whitewater community and surrounding areas.

Whippet Volleyball Tops Wilmot

The Whitewater Whippets celebrated their seniors at last night’s match against Wilmot. Before the game players shared reflections on how the seniors Nikita Hartheim, Avery Hintz, Lexi Juoni, and Savannah Hill have impacted the program with their work ethic, dedication, leadership, ability to have fun, and most importantly, how each of them have become such good friends. The celebration was topped off by a 3-1 victory over the Panthers by the scores of 25-10, 23-25, 25-17, and 25-11.

Thursday night the Whippets travel to Johnson Creek. Game times are slightly different than our typical Rock Valley start times. The JV and JV2 play at 6:00 and the varsity takes the court at 7:30. 

Stat leaders:
Aces: Avery Hintz with 3
Kills: Kindyl Kilar with 18 and Avery HIntz with 7
Blocks: CC Alexander with 2
Assists: Calli Grosinske with 12, Avery Hintz with 7, and Caleigh Yang with 5
Digs: Avery Hintz with 18, Cali Kopecky with 15 and Kindyl Kilar with 14

Obituary: Jean Ann Lyford, 91

Jean Ann Lyford, 91, of Whitewater, Wis., entered into Heaven on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021.

Jean was born on May 8, 1930, in Big Bend, Wis., to John and Ethel (Raht) Keller. She graduated in 1948 from Nathan Hale High School in West Allis, Wis. On Sept. 20, 1952, Jean married John Lyford. He preceded her in death on July 28, 2021. She dearly loved her family, and she supported John in his ministry in several areas of the country, including churches in Pennsylvania, Illinois and Wisconsin. She was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church in Oconto, Wis. Jean also was active in Beja Shriners of Green Bay, with Daughters of the Nile.

She is survived by her children: Susan (Jeffery) Woods, Fort Atkinson, Timothy Lyford, Green Bay; grandchildren: Jennifer (Joe Zweep) Woods, Michael (Laura) Woods; great-grandson Rowan Zweep. She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and her sister, Marjorie Kirchenberg.

A memorial service will be held in the near future at Fairhaven Senior Living in Whitewater. Memorials may be made in Jean’s name to Bethel House in Whitewater or online at PresbyterianMission.org. Online condolences may be made at www.nitardyfuneralhome.com.