Jeffery Evans Nelson December 2, 1947-December 10, 2019
Jeffery Nelson, 70, of Milton, passed away at Oak Park
Place of Janesville with loved ones by his side. He was born in Frankfort, IL
to Marvin and Naomi Nelson. The family came to Wisconsin and settled in
Whitewater from Indiana in 1952. Jeff then graduated from Fort Atkinson H.S. In
1966 and the following year was drafted into the United States Army, serving in
Germany during the Vietnam War.
Jeffery Evans Nelson
Jeff became a plumber for Bryan Nelson Plbg. And later
had a partnership with his nephew Brent under J & B Nelson Plbg out of
Milton.
All the Nelson family, including Jeff, loved to play
cards and he especially enjoyed golfing and bowling, having a “300” game once.
Jeff could also be found heading to a casino to gamble when looking for
something to do.
Jeff is survived by a sister, Sherry Plucinski and
brother, Wesley Nelson both of Elkhorn and sisters-in-law Joan Nelson and
Jeanette Nelson-Milleson, along with many nieces, nephews and great nieces and
nephews that he was quite close to. Those who preceded him in death were both
his parents, his brothers Dale and Bryan, sister Karen Dinsmore, and
brother-in-law Robert Plucinski.
The family wishes to thank Agrace Hospice of Janesville for helping with Jeff’s care near the end.
A Celebration of Life will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, January 12, 2020 at The Real MacCoys, N1431 County Rd N, Whitewater, WI 53190. Albrecht Funeral Homes & Cremation Services, Milton is assisting the family with arrangements.
Victor F. Shober, age 94, formerly of Whitewater, WI, passed away Sunday, December 29, 2019 in Appleton, WI.
Victor was born on July 14, 1925 in Monroe, WI. He spent his early life in Southeastern Wisconsin and Whitewater with his parents, Harry O. and Martha L. (Wolfe) Shober. He graduated from College High and was inducted into the Army Air Corp on October 5, 1943. He served with the 8th Fighter Group in the South Pacific during WWII until he was honorably discharged January 6, 1946. He was a member of the VFW.
On June 12,
1948 Victor was united in marriage to Lorena May Adams at the Whitewater Bible
Church.
Following
their marriage Victor went to work for Hawthorne Melody Dairy. After completing
his course work in Radio and TV electronics at the Illinois Technology
Institute he opened his own TV and Appliance business, initially out of his
home, then on West Main Street and eventually several locations. In the 60’s he
branched out into real estate, fixing up properties for sale or rent, including
apartment complexes, farms, recreational properties, motels, and hotels.
He and
Lorena enjoyed gardening, hiking, boating, camping, and flying around the state
to meet friends for breakfast. Victor loved flying and had various planes
through the years such as Luscomes, Cessnas, and Pipers.
He had a deep faith, and church was a big part of his life. He was a past member of Whitewater Bible Church, Fond du lac Bible Church, and Bethel Baptist Church. Victor served as an elder, deacon, and trustee. He enjoyed attending missions and Bible conferences. He gave gifts to start churches in Southeast Asia and Central America and would supply pastors with reference libraries in Africa and a small Bible school and orphanage in Myanmar.
He is survived by his son Philip F. (Jan) Shober of Appleton, WI and family; Arnold F. (Megan) of Appleton, WI and their children Clara, Gretchen, Naomi, and Josiah; Alicia M (Brad) Coffey, Colorado Springs, CO and Charles (Kim) Shober of Fort Collins, CO.
Son Robert
L. (Stacey) Shober and son Kolton Witkowski of Brandon, WI and Robert’s family,
Jason W. (Sarah) Shober of North Fond du lac, WI and their children William,
Dillan and Spencer; Mandy L. (Jeff) Griffin of North Fond du lac, WI and their
children Haily, Eric, Hannah, and Tanner; and Robyn P. Shober of Lomira, WI and
her children Carson, and Beau Grace.
He was
preceded in death by his parents and his wife Lorena.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, January 3, 2020 at 11 a.m. at the Nitardy Funeral Home 550 N. Newcomb St., Whitewater, WI. Friends may meet the family from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. He will be laid to rest at the Hillside Cemetery, Whitewater, WI.
Rodney Dean Berg, 84, died peacefully at home on December
10th with his wife and daughters at his side. He was born on
December 13, 1934 to Chester and Irene (Sievert) Berg. He was raised on the
family farm on Berg Road, Lima Township in Rock County. The second of four
children, he went to Lima Center School then on to Whitewater High School
graduating in 1952.
Rod joined the Wisconsin National Guard, then volunteered
for the draft in 1954 and served in the army for two years in Europe. Upon his
return, he worked on the family farm for a time, but his earlier interest in
woodworking led him to the construction business in 1961.
Rodney Dean Berg
On June 24th, 1961 he married the former Donna
Matson of Eagle River, WI. They made their home in Whitewater, raising two
daughters there. He built an enviable reputation as a respected home builder,
being hands on until he was 70 years old.
His building craft also led to building 2 boats, neighborhood
floats and elaborate decorations for his daughter’s proms and homecoming
dances. These included a stagecoach, carousel and paddle wheel boat to name a
few. Always a car enthusiast, he built motorized cars for his kids as well as a
Model T truck. In addition to all his building projects, Rod was a volunteer
firefighter with the Whitewater Fire Department for 25 years, head usher and
church council president at First English Lutheran Church. As Rod loved sports,
he enjoyed playing softball, golf and went snowmobiling in his younger years. He
then became a fan supporting UWW men’s athletics, and loved watching his
daughters and later, granddaughter compete in sports. The family enjoyed many
spring break trips to Florida.
Although he was known for his built in cabinetry in the
homes he constructed, in retirement he took the furniture building to another
level. A charitable man, he donated many
chests, often engraved, and other items to organizations around the community
including Whitewater High School, UW-Whitewater, First English Lutheran Church,
Milton FFA, Evansville FFA and even fundraisers for people he didn’t know. He
was rewarded for some of this charity work when inducted into the UW-Whitewater
Hall of Fame with the Distinguished Service Award in 2003.
Rod appreciated good music and enjoyed going to concerts. His interests ranged from ABBA to Engelbert, Tom Jones to Mickey Gilley and he looked forward to trips to Branson to see several entertainers in a few days’ time.
Rod is survived by his wife of 58 years, Donna of Whitewater, daughter Brenda Lowry and only grandchild, Logan Lowry of Appleton, and daughter Sandra Miller of Fitchburg. He is further survived by his sister, Audrey Kaasa, Phoenix, AZ, brothers Alan (Barbara) Berg, Dacula, GA and Bill (Cindy) Berg, LaCrosse, WI. Cousin, Robert (Mary) Berg, Oak Park, IL and Cousin through marriage, Diana Berg (Richard dec.), Oak Brook, IL. Sisters-in-law Lolita Kachel, Whitewater, Bunny (Rolf) Grimsrud, Superior and Mia Matson, Poway, CA. He had several nieces and nephews and had the pleasure of seeing many of them, as well as his three siblings, just this past September. He was predeceased by his parents, Chet & Irene, father & mother-in-law, John and Laura Matson, brothers-in-law John Matson and David Kachel, cousin, Richard Berg and both sons-in-law, Judson Lowry and Matthew Miller.
Rod was most proud of his farming roots, his service to
his country, and his attention to detail in his construction of homes and later
furniture. He treasured his family, friends, and work partners over the years. He
enjoyed weeknight visits to local watering holes to catch up with friends as
well as dinner out on Saturday night. His favorite night of the year became the
‘Rod & Wally’s Warhawk Auction’ that he started with his late friend, Wally
Schilberg, 24 years ago.
The family sincerely thanks the many friends, family and neighbors for their calls and visits these last several months. Thank you to Drs. Kontny and Porter, and the nurses at SSM Health Oncology in Fort Atkinson for your tremendous care and concern for Rod. Many thanks to Agrace Hospice Care for helping our family keep dad at home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First
English Lutheran Church or the Whitewater Food Pantry.
Visitation will take place on Friday, January 3, 2020 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Nitardy Funeral Home, 550 N. Newcomb St., Whitewater, WI. A memorial service will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 4, 2020 at First English Lutheran Church, 401 W Main St, Whitewater, WI. Visitation will take place on Saturday, January 4, 2020 from 10 a.m. until the time of services.
Teresa
M. Messier, 59, passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of
December 14, 2019, at the Rainbow Hospice Center in Johnson Creek,
with her loved ones by her side. Terry was born in Fort Atkinson,
Wisconsin, on October 31, 1960 to Blaine and Shirley Messier. From
that time forward, Terry, who was one of her Grandma Messier’s
favorite grandchildren, acquired many nicknames, one of which was
“pumpkin.”
Terry was considered a tomboy during her younger years, and one time broke her arm while using her swing set as a piece of gymnastics equipment. Terry had a great interest in cars, and as a High School student, Terry began working at Frawley Oil in Whitewater. After she graduated from Whitewater High School in 1979, Terry continued to work for the family she had become so close to until 2015, when she was diagnosed with an uncommon form of Parkinson’s disease, and was no longer able to work. Terry was a homebody, and took great pride in her cooking. Terry had an insatiable sweet tooth. To receive a plate of her homemade cookies was a treat indeed. Terry also enjoyed spending time with her many close friends.
Terry was preceded in death by her father, Blaine Messier, and her very dear friend, Vern Koch. Terry is survived by her life partner, Ron Thomas of Fort Atkinson; her Mother, Shirley Messier of Whitewater; two sisters, Michele Smith (Bill Smith) of Whitewater; and Karen Messier (Mark Simdon) of Fort Atkinson; and one niece, Alaina Smith (Jason Barajas) of Whitewater. Terry is also survived by numerous friends who have supported her immensely during her illness.
The
family would like to extend a special thank you to Rainbow Hospice
and Visiting Angels. A special thank you is also extended to Bud
Jones of Whitewater, who was instrumental in transporting Terry to
her numerous Doctor appointments in Madison, and to Carol Messier of
Fort Atkinson, who spent countless hours helping Terry with every-day
tasks. The volunteers made dealing with her debilitating disease
much easier to bear.
Nitardy Funeral Home of Fort Atkinson is assisting the family. Per Terry’s request, there will be no formal service. A small graveside burial service will be held on Friday, December 20, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at Melendys Prairie Cemetery in Eagle, Wisconsin.
Marilyn (Mike) Taylor (born Marilyn Jane Wiemer) died surrounded by family on Tuesday, November 26, 2019. She was born in Burlington, WI on March 19, 1932 to Carolyn and Raymond Wiemer. At 18, she married her high school sweetheart, Merwyn (Mert) Taylor and moved to the family farm where they raised five children. They were later blessed with 16 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren all of whom she loved dearly.
Marilyn
loved refinishing furniture, gardening, and sewing, but most of all
quilting. It was her passion. When she ran out of children, their
spouses, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to give her quilts
to, she donated them to people she never met and would never know.
She was thrilled to see photos of Columbian children waking up from
surgery wrapped in one of her quilts.
She
was a quiet woman of great patience, gentle kindness, and
self-giving. We are all richer for her loving example.
Marilyn
is survived by her husband, Mert, sister, Joyce Zimmerman, children,
Dianne (Dick) Dunham, Sally (Steve) Watson, Donna (Scott) Allenstein,
Steve (Chelli) Taylor, Frank (Lisa) Taylor, grandchildren,
great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
Services
will be held Saturday, December 7 at Nitardy Funeral Home,
Whitewater. Visitation begins at 10:00 with service at 11:00. Burial
will follow at the LaGrange cemetery.
Memorials
can be made to the Milwaukee Medical Mission.
Special
thanks for the kindness of the emergency room staff at Mercy
Hospital, Janesville.
Nitardy
Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
Jean Marie Leedham, 86, a long-time resident of Whitewater, died on Tuesday,
November 26, 2019 at Fairhaven Senior Services.
Jean was born on April 22, 1933 in Brooklyn, NY to Cajus Elsworth and Nina
(Gist) Leedham. She received a degree in Christian Education and
Psychology from National College in Kansas City, MO. She furthered her
education at the University of Kansas with a Master’s Degree in Social
Work. Jean was a psychiatric social worker for 40 years in the Chicago
area. She retired to the Whitewater community in 2000. Jean was a
life-long Methodist and participated in many ministries at First United
Methodist Church, Whitewater. She served on the Resident Council at
Fairhaven and as a board member for the League of Women Voters. She was a
prolific reader, enjoying world history, religion and psychology and
biographies. Jean was preceded in death by her parents and life-long
friend Winona Campbell.
A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, December 10, 2019 at 10:30 in
the Fairhaven Fellowship Hall at 435 W. Starin Rd., Whitewater, WI. with Rev.
Susan Bresser officiating. In lieu of flowers you may wish to consider
memorials to the First United Methodist Church or to the Fairhaven
Foundation. Nitardy Funeral Home, Whitewater is assisting the family.
Ismael “Mike” Aranda, 22, Whitewater passed away on November 24, 2019.
Mike was born on October 26, 1997 in Fort Atkinson to Martin and Maria Antonia (Villegas) Aranda. He graduated from Whitewater High School.
Ismael “Mike” Aranda
Mike was very respectful and hardworking, and family and friends were very important to him. He liked working on cars and worked at Basin Precision Machining, which he enjoyed a great deal. He had plans for his future and was getting ready to buy a house. Everyone around him loved him a lot. He was a very good man.
Mike is survived by his parents,Martin Aranda and Maria Villegas; two sisters; Brenda and Marisol; brother-in-law, Rosember; niece, Isabel; and two nephew, Gabriel and Leonardo.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, November 29, 2019 at 11:00am at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 1225 W. Main St. Whitewater, WI 53190. A visitation will be held at the church on Friday from 9:00am until the time of the service. Burial will be in the Calvary Cemetery in Whitewater.
Robert Howard Wright, age 100, died November 12, 2019 at Fairhaven in Whitewater, Wisconsin. He was born in Chicago, IL October 12, 1919 to Howard B and Mary A (Ramsgard) Wright. He grew up in Glen Ridge, NJ. He attended Cornell University and was also involved in Army ROTC. In 1942, after graduation, he was enlisted in the Army as a First Lieutenant. After boot camp, he married Connie Mae Hollister on August 18 in her parents’ home in Painted Post, NY. He was stationed in Fort Sill, OK where he taught new recruits shooting techniques. He went to Denton TX for a short time before being shipped to England in 1944. He spent the rest of his service time fighting in WWII in Europe. He was in Belgium when the war ended.
After the war, he worked for the US Graphite Company while living in Syracuse NY with his wife and 2 daughters. After 4 years, he was transferred to Wisconsin, settling in Pewaukee. He eventually started his own business as a sales representative. He retired in 1988 and so moving to a cabin on the Millecoquins River in Naubinway, MI in the upper Peninsula.
In 1989, he met up with Marguerite (Powell) Asher whom he had known for a long time in Pewaukee. They were married in October, 1989 and he eventually settled Royal Oak, MI where Marguerite and her daughter, Elizabeth were living. They had a wonderful time together, wintering in Florida until Marguerite died in 2001. He had become close to his stepdaughter, Elizabeth Asher, and they decided to live together. They eventually moved to Whitewater, WI in 2002 as that was where Marguerite and Elizabeth’s roots were. Many winters were spent in Naples, FL.
He was an avid golfer and didn’t mind sharing his secrets with Elizabeth and daughter, Sandy. He also was an accomplished watercolor artist starting lessons at age 50. His works are displayed at Elizabeth’s condo and with other family members. Bob was a gentle, kind soul who was revered by all of his extended family and community members. He was smart and influential with those who would listen and take his advice. His quick wit kept all laughing.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Howard B and Mary A (Ramsgard) Wright, his first wife Connie M (Hollister) Wright, and second wife, Marguerite (Powell) Wright, his 2 sisters, Dorothy (Wright) Hockenberger Galley of Oconomowoc and Michigan, and Barbara J (Wright) Fisher of NJ and N. Carolina. He is survived by his daughters, Sandra L (Wright) Schaefer of Hot Springs Village, AR, Connie Jean Wright of Tomah, WI and stepdaughter, Elizabeth M Asher of Whitewater, WI, and his two Grandsons of Minneapolis, MN: Bradley John and Bruce Robert Berge. Elizabeth was his caregiver for many years as his health declined. She was his social partner for 18 years and is credited, in part, for his long, enjoyable life.
There will be no ceremony at this time. His ashes were buried in Hillside Cemetery. There will be a service in the spring, to include Military Honors.
The Nitardy Funeral Home, Whitewater, WI assisted the family, www.nitardyfuneralhome.com
Arthur “Art” Speerbrecher, 75, Whitewater passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 10, 2019 at his home surrounded by his family.
Art was born on January 19, 1944 in Milwaukee, WI to Robert and Edith (Seignemartin) Speerbrecher. He graduated from Greendale High School. Art served his country in the United States Coast Guard from 1963-1967. On June 1, 1968 he married Susie Rudolph and they started their life in East Troy, WI. Art was employed with UPS and later with JC Penney as a maintenance supervisor in their distribution centers. He was a member and past president of the Tichigan and Whitewater Lions Club. Art enjoyed hunting and working with his dogs. He also liked sailing, swimming, canoeing and being outdoors. Family was very important to Art and he made time to be with them.
He is survived by his wife of 51
years Susie of Whitewater; children Tammy (Calvin) Tomomitsu,
Whitewater, Mark (Tracy) Speerbrecher, Whitewater; grandchildren
Nicole, Zach and CJ Tomomitsu and Taylor Speerbrecher; sisters
Gretchen (David) Boyer, West Allis, WI and Edie Mae (Jon) Wells of
Garnar, NC. and many nieces, nephews and other relatives. He was
preceded in death by his parents and sisters Robin Roderick and Nancy
Millard.
A Memorial Service with military rites will be held on Thursday, November 14, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. at First English Lutheran Church, 401 W. Main St. Whitewater, WI 53190. Friends may call at the church from 2:00 p.m. until the time of the service.
RICHARD WILLIAM LANDSEE 9/8/1946 – 11/6/2019 To say Rich was the nicest guy you’ll ever meet is an understatement. He was a devoted husband, family man and friend. He loved to tease people and if you knew him for very long, he probably assigned a nick name to you in a funny and loving way.
Richard was born to Frank and Violet (Thomsen) Landsee, had two brothers- the late Frank Landsee, Jr (Maria) and Douglas (Nancy). Rich grew up on the southside of Milwaukee, attended South Division High School, married me, Roberta (Bobby, please) Minorik in 1968 and we started off on our life’s journey. He began the police academy in the fall of 1968 but with our first Christmas cards that year, he received his draft notice. He served 2 years – most of his tour was in Germany, where I joined him and we had many adventures during that time. When we returned, he finished the police academy and was a police officer for the City of Milwaukee for 30 years. He went on to finish his college degree in Social Justice at UW-Milwaukee in 1976. We have 2 children, Amy Marie, born in 1972 and Matthew Scott in 1974. We have 3 grandchildren, Bethany Lellia, Nathan Frank and Grace Elizabeth. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
When Richard retired in 1999, we moved to Whitewater Wisconsin, where he indulged me to have the house of my dreams – a beautiful Victorian Queen Ann style 5 bedroom painted lady. We settled into small town life pretty quickly where we have made many lasting, loving friendships. We opened an antique store in downtown Whitewater which we ran for 4 years. Love of antiques, his love of sports cards (he had quite a collection) and life has occupied us for the past 20 years. He worked for Spacesaver for a short time and then went on to work at Generac for about 14 years. He loved to sell our wares at flea markets, buy at auctions and help me tend our antique mall spaces around the area. Everywhere and everyone he met, will never forget his smile, his humor and his warmth.A Memorial Service with military rites will be held on Friday, November 15, 2019 at 11:00am at the Congregational United Church of Christ 113 S. Franklin St. Whitewater, WI 53190. Friends may call at the church on Friday from 9:30am until the time of the service.
The Nitardy Funeral Home, Whitewater, WI is assisting the family, www.nitardyfuneralhome.com
