Judith Ann Sweat, 81, found her peace with the Lord on Saturday, April 30, 2022. Judy was born December 2, 1940 in Elgin, Illinois at St. Joseph Hospital. Her parents were Clayton Wood and Martha Colberg Rohr. Her growing up years were in Elgin and after she married Richard Sweat, they lived in Canada for several years. She moved back to the states with her four children and settled again in Elgin. She worked several years for the Methodist Board of Pensions in Evanston, Illinois before moving to Whitewater 20 years ago. She brought her granddaughter, Angela Garcia, with her at this time. Judy enjoyed reading, puzzles and having coffee with a friend.
She left behind four children; Rebecca Garcia, Chicago, IL, Deborah Aceves, Whitewater, Susan Butler, Fort Atkinson, and David Sweat; beloved granddaughter, Angela Garcia, New Jersey, Sister, Nancy (John) Hoffmann, Whitewater, and special friend, Sharon Martin and her family of Whitewater. There are many grandchildren and great-grandchildren scattered throughout Illinois. She is preceded in death by her parents and two sisters: Carol Wood, Elgin, IL and Sally Sodt, Richey, MT.
Following Judy’s wishes there will be no services. Those wishing to provide a memorial may do so by choosing your favorite charity. Inurnment will be in the Bluff City Cemetery, Elgin, Illinois. Online condolences may be made at www.nitardyfuneralhome.com.
Nitardy Funeral Home, Whitewater is assisting the family.
Wendall Bean, 23-year head WHS wrestling coach, will be inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame – WI Chapter at an Honors Banquet in Wisconsin Dells on May 15. Information regarding details of the Honor Weekend, induction banquet tickets and National Hall of Fame donation information (donations in inductees name) may be found online here.
By David Ostrowsky Boston based sports writer Special to the Banner
You never would’ve known they were the defending NBA champs.
Heading into yesterday’s Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 1, the Milwaukee Bucks, with their second-best player, swingman Khris Middleton, possibly shelved for the entirety of the series with a Grade 2 MCL sprain, were significant underdogs to the white-hot Boston Celtics. Pundits nationwide were predicting the Celtics would breeze past a presumably one-dimensional Bucks team. At best, the Bucks would stretch the series to a Game 6 before bowing out. From coast to coast, there were more than a few talking heads predicting Boston in four while in Beantown, there was already talk about who would be an easier Eastern Conference Finals opponent — the Miami Heat or Philadelphia 76ers.
And yet it was the Bucks, behind their gritty defense and a solid, though not spectacular, performance from two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (24 points, 13 boards, 12 assists), who dusted off the front-running Celtics, 101-89, in front of a booming TD Garden in Boston yesterday afternoon.
“The activity everywhere was good,” Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer remarked about his team’s sterling defensive effort during his postgame presser. “Giannis, Brook [Lopez], Bobby [Portis], those guys really have to do both — they’ve got to play the paint, they’ve got to play the three-point line.
“Our guards gotta do the same thing, our guards gotta limit penetration, limit opportunities. I think defensively the edge, the focus, was appropriate.”
A shell-shocked Celtics team, one that has been the flavor of the month in the NBA this spring, had no answers for Milwaukee’s dominance on both ends of the floor.
“There’s a reason they were the champs last year — that level defensively that they have,” acknowledged Celtics veteran forward Al Horford. “You’ve got to give them credit. They definitely were the better team tonight.”
Indeed, the Bucks put forth a textbook team-wide effort, particularly on the defensive end of the floor, to clamp down on the heavily-favored Celtics, who had reeled off 26 wins over the final 32 games of the regular season before sweeping the star-studded Brooklyn Nets in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. In addition to Antetokounmpo’s triple-double, the Bucks were bolstered by veterans Jrue Holiday (25 points) and Bobby Portis (15 points, 11 rebound) as they stole home-court advantage away from Boston.
But it was the Bucks’ suffocating defense that proved to be the difference-maker. With Antetokounmpo, arguably the best player on the planet, and fellow frontcourt mate Brook Lopez contesting Celtics’ shots, the hosts went a paltry 1-15 from the floor. For the first time since December 29, the Celtics didn’t eclipse 90 points as they shot just 33 percent while converting merely 10 2-point field goals. Boston’s two offensive kingpins, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, the latter of whom is in the conversation to be Antetokounmpo’s successor as league MVP, were largely silenced as they combined for just 33 points.
“To have 89 points and lack of penetration and paint points is obviously alarming,” acknowledged a dejected Celtics’ head coach Ime Udoka in his postgame remarks. “We know who they are defensively, and I think their physicality more so than anything caught us off guard.”
Of course, this was only the first of what very well may be a seven-game series. The Bucks and Celtics split four regular season games and there are significant questions as to whether Middleton can return over the course of the next week. Surely, Boston’s dynamic duo of Brown and Tatum will look to bounce back from a dismal series-opening performance. And not to be forgotten, it was just three years ago that the Bucks got tripped up by the visiting Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals only to storm back to take the series in five.
“This is going to be a competitive series,” said Budenholzer, whose squad outclassed the Chicago Bulls in five games during the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in what turned out to be a very noncompetitive series. “This is going to be a tough series. And today was very much like that. That’s what we expect from this series. A lot of respect for them.”
Portis echoed his coach’s sentiment by saying, “both teams are physical. Both teams play hard. Both teams play defense. Both teams are long and tall.”
The Bucks’ pursuit of a second consecutive NBA Finals trophy resumes Tuesday night in Boston for what should be an electrifying Game 2.
David Ostrowsky is a former sports writer for the Metrowest Daily News and current contributing sports writer to the Atlanta Jewish Times. He is also the author of Pro Sports in 1993 (McFarland & Company). His next book, Roberto Alomar: The Complicated Life and Legacy of a Baseball Hall of Famer, will be published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2024.
Congratulations to senior Guin Yeager and junior Brooke Bazeley who were honored as Wisconsin Honorable Mentions for the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Award at a ceremony at the Milwaukee School of Engineering on Sunday, May 1. The ceremony celebrated 138 students from high schools across the state of Wisconsin.
Brooke with Parents Bill and Danielle BazeleyGuin with Mom Christine Yeager
Both girls have completed an array of computer science courses at Whitewater High School and have been key members of the programming teams that have competed at MSOE and Marquette University. In addition, Guin served as the team captain for the Aerospace Jam Drone Team this year, and Brooke is a member of the programming team for Ferradermis, Whitewater High School’s FIRST Robotics Team #6574.
The awards ceremony featured guest speakers from the world of information technology, a question and answer period with people working in the field, and an opportunity for award recipients to network.
For more information on the Aspirations in Computing Awards program, visit https://ncwit.org/k-12/.
Article Submitted by Laura Masbruch Whitewater High School Computer Science Teacher and Banner Volunteer lmasbruch@wwusd.org
City of Whitewater Equal Opportunities Commission – Monday @ 5:00 p.m. VIRTUAL MEETING AGENDA MONDAY MAY 2, 2022 5:00 PM Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://meet.goto.com/709902797 You can also dial in using your phone. 1 (408) 650-3123 Access Code: 709-902-797 Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://meet.goto.com/install
City of Whitewater Common Council – Tuesday @ 6:30 p.m. Agenda includes update on lakes dredging project, Update on work being done in Walton Oaks Park and Effigy Mounds, and Possible action on Release and Employment Disposition Agreement between City of Whitewater and City of Whitewater Police Chief. This will be an IN PERSON and a VIRTUAL MEETING. Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join us via computer, smart phone, or telephone. Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods. Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device: Please click this URL to join. https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88002144924?pwd=RlMzakVSRFZXRHduMTRDUWJ6R2hFdz09 Passcode: 716452 Or join by phone: Dial 1 301 715 8592 Webinar ID: 880 0214 4924 Passcode: 716452
Whitewater Unified School District School Board – Special Meeting – Tuesday @ 6:30 p.m. Agenda (Click on “meetings” in upper right corner.) Whitewater High School Library 534 South Elizabeth Street ———————————————– 6:30 p.m. via Zoom Online – URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83000977917?pwd=ZHlsTVFFZDZJWWdCc1ZPWE5EaW1FUT09 – Passcode: 493080 ———————————————- – Dial-in: 1-312-626-6799 – Webinar ID: 830 0097 7917 – Passcode: 493080
City of Whitewater Landmarks Commission – Thursday @ 6:00 p.m. Agenda Cravath Lakefront Room 312 Whitewater Street Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://meet.goto.com/457331381 You can also dial in using your phone. United States: +1 (408) 650-3123 Access Code: 457-331-381
City of Whitewater Police and Fire Commission Meeting – Thursday @ 6:30 p.m. Agenda City of Whitewater Municipal Building Community Room- First Floor 312 W. Whitewater St. This will be an IN PERSON MEETING as well as a VIRTUAL MEETING Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://meet.goto.com/295250101 You can also dial in using your phone. United States: +1 (872) 240-3212 Access Code: 295-250-101
Annual Board of Directors Meeting Whitewater Fire Department, Inc Business Meeting – Thursday @ 6:30 p.m. Agenda Location: WFD Meeting Room This meeting will have a virtual viewing only option. Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone : meet.google.com/dqs-zuof-afs You can also dial in using your phone United States: Meeting ID: +1 478-419-3191 Passcode: 171 330 516#
The Chapter Story — Chapter 4: “The Shellback Chiropractor” — Clifford Witte
By Sherrie Benes Whitewater Banner volunteer staff whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
Acknowledgement: “I would dedicate my story to my wife Beulah (Billy) and my children.”
Introduction: When commenting on this man’s beautiful family he had on display behind his chair, he chuckled and said, “I think they’re very nice.” Then, with some emotion in his voice, he said, “I really appreciate hearing that.”
I knew before interviewing this kind man, it was going to be a beautiful, interesting story, retold from his 100 year old book….enjoy!
“Did I milk cows? Of course! Everyone milked cows in Mt. Horeb. It was all dairy farming out there, you know,” he answered when asked. “We milked 30 or 40 cows by hand. It took a time, yes it did …”
Clifford Witte was the youngest of three siblings, who was born on September 13, 1921, in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin on a 160-acre farm that his grandparents owned. When recalling his childhood, he commented, “Mother ran the outfit and was very precise! We always sat around the table for meals, with a table prayer, that we had to take part of. Father, he just made sure we were there to work!”
His childhood did consist of some fun memories besides work, that he shared!
“We had a creek behind our farm that we would dam up with stones and rocks to make a swimming hole! Our cousins would come from the next farm over to join us. We had a lot of fun in that old swimming hole!”
(This memory must be the reason he loves living on the lake now!)
When it came to his schooling, he recalled how he would have to walk three miles to get to his one room schoolhouse, which held eight grades. “We had a strict teacher, who was an old maid,” he said with a chuckle. I asked if he behaved in school, (after he had disclosed that this strict teacher also had a yardstick’!) “Of course not!” he said laughing.
“So, what did you do, to find yourself in trouble?”
“I’d prefer not to say!” he answered with another chuckle!
(It is worth noting that Cliff was the champion speller of the Spelling Bee competition, held against three other country schools!)
After his graduation, and with the start of WWII, many of these young men found themselves being drafted. When Cliff went to the recruitment center, he was asked if he would mind serving in the Navy. At this time, his older brothers were already enlisted, one in the Marine Corps and the other in the Army, so he agreed with the recruitment officer, and joined the Navy.
“I had a lovely time in boot camp,” he said. Since I’ve never heard of anyone referring to boot camp as lovely, the look on my face must have told him to explain! “Well, it was a nice time,” he said. “I was put in the Choir Company, and we went around to different high schools to sing. We would also perform on the radio, and of course we would have to open and close ceremonies.”
“Oh!” I exclaimed, “you’re a singer?” He laughed and said “well, that’s using the word loosely!”
After boot camp, Cliff soon found himself boarding the USS Osage while stationed in California. “We went west to east, through the Panama Canal. Then we had to do a shakedown of the ship in the Mediterranean, meaning, we had to try the ship out, to see if everything worked! We’d fire the cannons, then take the ship to do quick turns, just to see if the ship was seaworthy!” he recalled. “Do a dry run, you know!”
During the war, they found themselves sailing all over the Pacific Ocean. He recalled the Philippines, China, Japan, New Caledonia, but without many ports of call he said, since they were always on the move.
“Our ship was all the way from Shanghai, China, to the Philippines to Okinawa, and to Luzon in the Philippines. We even got close to Australia,” he recalled, which brought him to an amusing story!
Laughing, he said, “That’s when I became a ‘Shellback’!”
I, not knowing what he was referencing, had to question what caused him such amusement! “Well, before you cross the equator, you’re a ‘Pollywog.’ When you go across the equator you get initiated and then you become a ‘Shellback!’ You never heard of that?” he asked me. “That’s an old Navy tradition!” he said with a chuckle!
“No, I never heard of that!” I replied. “Does everyone on the ship get initiated then?”
Apparently amused with my lack of Navy knowledge, he smiled before continuing. “No, there were some men on the ship that were ‘Old Salts!’ They were the ones who held the initiation. They built a big tube of canvas that you would have to crawl through, and of course you were on your knees and hands with your butt up in the air! And those ‘Old Salts’ would give you a whap on the butt till you moved along, you know! Well, I made it through!” he said with a chuckle!
While listening to more of his travels during the war, I found myself wondering about his two brothers he had mentioned, who were also enlisted.
“Did you ever wonder where your brothers were during this time?” I asked. “Well, I corresponded with my parents, and I knew that all three of us were in the Pacific. Then I found out that my oldest brother, who was in the Marines, was stationed in Guam, after it was taken away from the Japanese. Our ship happened to stop in Guam during this time, so I got off hoping to see if I could find him,” he said with a smile. “I inquired around, as to where my brother might be, and a guy said, ‘he’s down at the supply depot right now, but his desk is right here in this building.’ So, I stood at his desk and waited for him.”
As he started to chuckle, he finished the story, “when he came up from what he was doing down at the hangars, he was taken by surprise to see a sailor standing at his desk, on a Marine base! But after he recognized me, he said, ‘What the hell is a sailor doing at my desk!’ He said he couldn’t believe it!”
After his service in the Navy, Cliff went on to college at the Palmer College of Chiropractic in Iowa, where he would eventually be introduced to his wife. “How did you meet Billy?”
Chuckling he said, “well, that’s another story! We met on a blind date! She was a secretary in the city, and I thought when I first saw her, now that’s apretty nice lady!”
On November 9, 1946, Cliff and his ‘pretty nice lady’ Beulah Ohburg, became husband and wife. He completed his studies, a year after their marriage, and they decided to purchase a home in Platteville, Wisconsin. This would soon serve as both their home, and his chiropractic business.
Cliff continued his practice in Platteville, while they raised their family, until his semi-retirement when they moved to Whitewater.
After purchasing their retirement home on Whitewater Lake in 1976, he decided to set up a chiropractic office in town, at 222 W. North Street, (which he addressed precisely without thought!) where he served the Whitewater community for another 10 years.
After the loss of his beloved wife Billy, Cliff still manages to spread joy and love to those who surround him, even to a stranger like me …
Before leaving that day, I asked if he had any advice on how to live to be over 100.
(It was rather a simple answer, coming from a wise Old Salt!)
“Just breathe,” he said, as his laughter once again, filled the air …
A special thank you to Cliff Witte, for sharing his story for our feature “Chapter Story!”
If you know of anyone who would like to share their story, or your own, please contact me at: sherbenes@gmail.com. Subject Line: Chapter Story
I would love to meet you! ~Sherrie
Our thanks, also, to the sponsors of this Chapter Story!
A quick note from the Whitewater City Market Team:
As we approach the beginning of May, this Saturday 4/30 will mark the end of the Indoor Season for the Whitewater City Market. On Tuesday 5/3 the market once again moves outdoors. Below are a few Indoor Season highlights and a preview of the Outdoor Season.
The Indoor Season of the Whitewater City Market, not counting those who plan to shop this weekend, saw a total of 1,924 shoppers with an average of ten vendors attending weekly. We thank those who came out in all sorts of weather over the season to support our local vendors.
We would like to thank our hosts, Irvin L. Young Memorial Library, once again for allowing us the use of the community room for our indoor market season. The community room is a warm and inviting space that created a perfect atmosphere for the market.
The Outdoor Season beginning this Tuesday runs weekly from May 3 through October 25th 4 to 7 p.m. at the Historic Train Depot. Highlights for the upcoming season include a place to get outside and linger with friends old and new, children’s activities, food trucks/prepared food vendors, live music and an average of 30 vendors weekly. We have a number of new additions to the market including two new area farmers: Terra Mana Gardens and Little Red Farms.
We invite you to keep in touch with the market by following our social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram, viewing information on our website at downtownwhitewater.com, or with our weekly newsletter (signup at the bottom of our website). Each week we share highlights from previous markets, seasonal recipes, vendor lists, and tips for using and storing produce.
As always we thank you for supporting our local vendors, and we can’t wait to see you at the market!
It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.
It is the time of year when farmers are out plowing and planting, so we offer a view of plowing 1900 style. The first farmer is riding a plow attachment behind a three-horse hitch, a marked improvement over the second farmer walking behind a two-horse hitch pulling an old-fashioned plow. The photo was taken by Henry Scholl around 1900 and is one of over 400 glass plate negatives in the society’s collections that depicts life in the Whitewater area at the turn of the 20th century.
Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.
Editor’s note: The following information was provided by UW-Whitewater.
Patricia Clasen, who has served the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater at Rock County for 20 years, has been named dean and assistant vice chancellor, effective Monday, May 2. This position is responsible for the leadership, administration and operations of the Rock County campus and its College of Integrated Studies, which employs 66 faculty and staff, and enrolls 644 students.
Clasen came to UW-Whitewater at Rock County in 2002, and most recently served as interim dean. Over the past few years, she led the campus through a system-wide restructuring of the former UW Colleges, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, while successfully launching a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree and creating new partnerships with technical colleges and businesses.
“I’m so pleased that Patricia Clasen has accepted the opportunity to continue serving in this important leadership role at UW-Whitewater,” said Robin Fox, interim provost. “Dr. Clasen champions the Rock County campus and its mission to provide degree pathways to students of all backgrounds. A strong resume of experience as a professor, department chair, associate dean and interim dean gives her a deep perspective of everything that makes the Rock County campus a critical part of the region and its future. She is an invaluable and trusted leader.”
“It’s truly an honor and a privilege to be named as the permanent dean,” Clasen said. “The campus has been a launching pad for so many students. In a time of change and challenges, we’ve worked hard to build new pathways for students in the area who are looking for personalized attention and an affordable start to their college experience and careers. Through partnerships with UW-Whitewater colleges, community business and organizations, area school districts, and other higher education institutions, I’m excited for what’s to come and so grateful to continue to serve in this role.”
Clasen holds a bachelor’s degree in speech communication from UW-River Falls, a master’s degree and Ph.D. in communication studies from, respectively, Wichita State University and University of Nebraska. She is an elected member of the Rock County Board of Supervisors, representing District 26.
