News

Obituary: Florence “Flo” May (nee Arbuthnot) Rhodes, 90, of MI

Florence “Flo” May (nee Arbuthnot) Rhodes, 90, of Grosse Pointe, Mich., and longtime resident of Whitewater, Wis., died Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, at her home and surrounded by family, having celebrated her birthday nearly three weeks before. Her passing followed the loss of her husband of 62 years, Benjamin Rhodes, earlier this year. Born Nov. 6, 1934, in Janesville, Wis., Flo was the third of four children of George and Irene (nee VanDreser) Arbuthnot. Her parents owned Arbuthnot Dairy in Janesville, Wis.

She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Arts degree in comparative literature in 1957, and moved to Denver, where she taught middle school. Flo joined the Colorado Mountain Club, where she met her future husband, Ben, an avid skier and mountaineer. They married in 1961, and together raised three children and experienced much of the world through travel. Flo was an avid gardener, an excellent chef and baker, a seamstress and a woodworker, but perhaps most remarkable as an expert knitter. Those who were fortunate enough to receive a gift of a personalized sweater or hat could feel the love and care that went into every stitch. She provided a beautifully perfect home for her family, always putting them first.

Flo is survived by her sons, John Rhodes of Seattle and Philip Rhodes of Grosse Pointe; daughter, Elizabeth “Betsy” Rhodes DeMaine (Robert) of Los Angeles; and grandchildren, Paul and Annette “Annie” DeMaine, both of Los Angeles. She also is survived by her brother, Paul Arbuthnot of Lake Oswego, Ore.; sister, Mary Zirbel (nee Arbuthnot) of Wauwatosa, Wis.; and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband of 62 years, Benjamin; and brother, John Arbuthnot of Scotts Mills, Ore. As Flo wished, there will be no memorial service. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Colorado Mountain Club, cmc.org/donate, League of Women Voters, bit.ly/4i8H7Ho, or Detroit Symphony Orchestra, tickets.dso.org/support/donate.

Boys Open Basketball Season with Overtime Win

The Whitewater High School Boys’ Basketball team traveled to Delavan-Darien High School on Friday night to open up the Rock Valley Conference season. The Whippets won 82-70 in overtime. Whitewater High School was led in scoring by Reece Condon with 27 points; none were bigger than his three pointer to open up overtime. The Whippets outscored the comets 15-3 in overtime, and sophomore Connor Brummeyer added six of those.

Reece Condon

Matthew Carollo opened up the game with 5 of his 6 threes in the first half and handled the ball against a very physical DDHS team. The second half was more of a fight than a basketball game. The Whippets built a 17-point lead and withstood a late game charge from the Comets. 

Senior Ty Hagedorn had huge rebounds in the second half!

The Whippets play Monroe on Thursday night, December 12. 

Article Submitted by Michael McCabe
Whitewater High School Head Boys’ Basketball Coach
mccmi01@wwusd.org
Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka

UW-W Volleyball Finishes as National Runner-up

Warhawks celebrate a point during the match against Juniata (Keith Lucas)

Salem, Va. – The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrapped up a phenomenal 2024 campaign as the NCAA Division III National Runner-Up Saturday. The Warhawks fell to undefeated Juniata 3-2 (25-19, 25-19, 15-25, 26-28, 15-10) at the Cregger Center in Salem, Virginia. UWW pushed a fifth set for the first time in nine seasons in the national title match – the previous eight were 3-0 sweeps.

UW-Whitewater battled back to force the decisive fifth after trailing 0-2 in the match. The Warhawks turned it around in set three as the best blocking team in the country lived up to its reputation. UWW registered seven blocks in the set, holding the Eagles to a negative attack percentage. Meanwhile the offense picked up the pace hitting .235 with 13 kills. The offense-defense combination led to a lop-sided 25-15 win in the set. 

The fourth set was arguably one of the most thrilling of the season. UW-Whitewater trailed early until Jenna Weinfurt took over. The powerful outside hitter posted UWW’s next five points – all on kills – to tie the set 10-10. From there, the teams traded points, battling it out as the set continued on. Juniata claimed the first set and match point, 25-24, but the Warhawks had the response on an Alayna Jansky kill. 

The Eagles forced another match point and setter Aubrie Krzus pushed the ball back to this outside, this time for Weinfurt. She drove the ball on a dart toward the endline and the line judge lifted his flag to signal out. Juniata rushed the floor as Head Coach Stacy Boudreau immediately grabbed the green challenge card. The officials went to the monitor and quickly returned to the floor indicating the ball was in, the call overturned for a UWW point and the set now tied 26-26. 

On the next play, the Eagles’ set drifted over the net and Weinfurt put it back down for a UW-Whitewater set point. In a rare feat for a title match, the Warhawks won the set on a bad set as the Juniata setter pushed the ball to the outside pin as the hitters all collapsed toward the middle. The error sent the squads into a fifth. 

Following the brief intermission, the Eagles came out on fire scoring the first eight points. The Warhawks did not fold and continued to battle pulling to within four, but the deficit was too much to overcome in the shortened fifth set.

Weinfurt had a phenomenal match with 25 kills while Jansky posted 16 in the contest. The pair combined for 99 kills over the three matches in the championship and were named to the NCAA Division III Championship All-Tournament Team for their performances. Krzus tallied 38 assists in the match. 

Defensively, Jaedynn Evans led UWW with 19 digs while Weinfurt added 18 and Jansky posted 12. At the net, Hannah Proctor had 10 blocks, Krzus and Abbie Dix each registered eight and Chloe Werner added four. 

The Warhawks wrap up the 2024 campaign with a 31-4 record, the first 30-win season since 2015. The trip to the national title match is UWW’s first since 2007. Juniata has won 97 consecutive matches including three straight titles. 

UW-W December Commencement Set for Dec. 14

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater will celebrate the achievements of its graduates at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, as proud families and friends gather for the 2024 December commencement ceremony.

Approximately 815 students will be earning their degrees. The ceremony, about two hours long and presided over by Chancellor Corey A. King, will be held at Kachel Fieldhouse in the Williams Center. 

This year’s commencement speaker is Monica Kelsey-Brown, an alumna who has devoted her career to creating equitable educational opportunities and inspiring young minds. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at UW-Whitewater, building the foundation for her impactful career, and later completed her doctorate at UW-Madison. Kelsey-Brown currently serves as superintendent of the Waunakee Community School District, where she leads with a focus on innovation, inclusion, and student success.

The student speaker is Jordyn Robinson, a Milwaukee native who is earning his Bachelor of Arts in journalism with an emphasis in advertising and a minor in sports management. A first-generation college student, campus leader and passionate community advocate, on campus he worked to create inclusive spaces where all students could feel a sense of belonging and thrive academically and socially in his roles as president of the Black Student Union and student affairs director in Whitewater Student Government. He is the founder and owner of The GRINDmke, which provides athletic apparel, sports management, college recruitment and athletic training services in track, football and basketball.

83% percent of the graduating students come from Wisconsin, and 24 states and two countries other than the United States are represented in the graduating class.

The graduating class includes three international students, 58 military veterans and 138 nontraditional students, defined as undergraduate students who are 25 years of age or older. In addition, 80 self-identified students with disabilities — about 10% of the students graduating — will receive degrees.

Commencement will be broadcast live online by UWW-TV, the university television station. Access to the livestream will be posted at uww.edu/commencement. 

Seniors in the Park Presents Genie

“Genie”

Tuesday, December 10, 1 pm

(Holiday/Comedy); Rated PG; 1hour, 33 minutes (2023).

Flora (Melissa McCarthy), a genie trapped in an antique jewelry case, is accidentally called into service by a workaholic Dad to win his family back before Christmas. Written by Richard Curtis (“Love Actually“)  also stars Alan Cumming, host of “PBS Masterpiece Mystery.”

Seniors in the Park is located in Starin Park, 504 W. Starin Road. Although there is no charge to attend, regular participants are encouraged to join Seniors in the Park. The annual fee for residents of the Whitewater Unified School District is $10 and non-residents is $15. The funds support about half of the cost of our front desk staff person for 15 hours per week. The rest comes our of our fundraising monies. If you cannot afford the fee, we have a fund that will cover it for you. Fees are accepted at the Starin Park Community Building or online at https://schedulesplus.com/wwtr/kiosk/

Flags to Half-staff in honor of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today ordered the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin to be flown at half-staff on Sat., Dec. 7, 2024, in honor of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.

“On National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we honor and remember the brave individuals who lost their lives in the attack on Pearl Harbor, including 50 service members from Wisconsin, and reflect on the significance of this dark and fateful day in our nation’s history,” said Gov. Evers. “The attack on Pearl Harbor changed the trajectory of our nation and our world, and today, we pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation and recognize the bravery and selflessness of our WWII veterans and their families, who dedicated their lives to defend and protect the values and freedoms we hold dear.”

The governor also proclaimed Dec. 7, 2024, as “Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day” across the state. A copy of the governor’s Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day proclamation is available here.

Executive Order #246 will be in effect from sunrise to sunsetla on Sat., Dec. 7, 2024, and is available here.

Online Auction: Single Family Multi-Purpose Home – Open houses scheduled [Ad]

Advertisement

952 W. Highland Street

Online bidding will be available at this site beginning on or about December 6. The live auction will be conducted online on Wednesday, December 11 beginning at 7 p.m.

Readers who may have picked up a flyer at the home may notice that a different open house schedule is shown. The open house schedule shown above is correct: November 30, December 1, 7, and 8 from 1-2 p.m. Additional times may be arranged.

UW-W Volleyball Plays for National Championship Today at 3






The national championship game will stream from Salem, VA this afternoon, Saturday, December 7, at 3 p.m. CST. Unfortunately, the game will only be shown on ESPN+, a pay service that is only available through an app.

Previously posted on The Banner:

Salem, Va. — The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball topped Johns Hopkins 3-2 bolstered by an incredible fifth set to advance to secure their spot in the national title match. The Warhawks will play the winner of Hope and Juniata for a chance to hoist the national championship trophy on Saturday at 4 PM EST/3 PM CST. [The Warhawks (No. 6) will play Juniata of Pennsylvania (No. 1) for the championship after Juniata beat Hope 3-2. Juniata has been the champion the past two years.] The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

Thursday’s national semifinal featured big wins by each squad with Johns Hopkins taking sets one and three while UWW cruised to wins in sets two and four. It all came down to the decisive fifth set and the Warhawks showcased why they are the best blocking team in the nation.

Outside hitter Alayna Jansky tooled the block for the first point of the fifth. A fantastic serve by Riley Braunschweig had JHU out of system, but a UWW miscue tied the set 1-1. On the next rally setter Aubrie Krzus and middle hitter Hannah Proctor teamed up for the Warhawks’ first block of the set. A Blue Jay kill from the right side made it 2-2. 

The Johns Hopkins float serve sailed well long of the end line for a 3-2 lead. The Blue Jays set to the right side again but outside Jenna Weinfurt and Proctor turned their hands in on the attack sending the ball back to the floor quickly for the second block of the set — 4-2 Warhawk lead. 

The next rally had Proctor teaming with right side Chloe Werner to shut down another Blue Jay attack to force a timeout with UWW leading 5-2. On the other side of the break, Jansky’s tough serve forced a free ball and Weinfurt capitalized hammering down a kill from the outside for a 6-2 advantage. 

Weinfurt and Proctor made it five straight for UW-Whitewater with yet another block, this one deflected straight back into the hitter for the point and a 7-2 advantage. 

A cut shot for JHU hit the floor to end the run, but the Warhawks responded quickly with the team’s fifth block of the set. Werner and Proctor shut down the outside to force the side switch with UWW leading 9-3. 

A Blue Jay kill after the brief intermission made it 9-4, but once again, UW-Whitewater answered. An attack from Werner nearly hit the floor but a pancake kept the play alive. JHU was able to get the ball over the net and Krzus went back to Werner. This time she opted for the deep corner with the ball landing just inside the lines for a 10-4 lead. 

Back-to-back points for the Blue Jays narrowed the gap to four, 10-6. 

On the next play, Krzus pushed the set to the pin and Weinfurt elevated hitting over the block down the line for a kill and an 11-6 lead. The best blocker in the nation, middle Abbie Dix, got in on the block action on the next rally. She teamed up with Krzus for a huge one to force the final Johns Hopkins timeout of the set. 

Out of the timeout it was Dix and Krzus yet again for the Warhawks’ seventh block of the set to make it 13-6. 

Following a UWW service error, the Blue Jay server was whistled for going over the line on her serve to force match point. UW-Whitewater ended it in perfect fashion, with their eighth, yes eighth, block of the set as Krzus and Proctor sealed the win. 

The Warhawks ended up out-blocking the Blue Jays 14-9 with Dix leading all players with eight. Krzus and Proctor each had six while Werner added four and Weinfurt three. 

Offensively, Jansky hammered down 17 kills while Weinfurt posted 16. Krzus dished out 43 assists. In the dig column, Weinfurt registered 17 with libero Jaedynn Evans tallying 12 and Jansky adding 11. 

On Saturday, the Warhawks will play for the national title for the third time under Head Coach Stacy Boudreau. UWW hoisted the trophy in 2005, her first season at the helm, and finished as the national runner-up in 2007. 




#FlashbackFriday with the Historical Society: Cooperettes’ Christmas craft table


It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society. This view from 1957 features Marilyn Hull and Minnie Rowland from the Whitewater Cooperettes at their craft table for what appears to be a Christmas craft sale. Note the interesting Christmas tree decoration. The Cooperettes were the organization of women members of the Whitewater Co-op, later the Midland Co-op, a membership organization that provided reduced rates on goods and services, particularly those that appealed to farmers, such as fuel and farm supplies. The co-op had a service station on East Milwaukee Street during the first half of the 20th century and even a retail store in downtown Whitewater.

Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.

(2612P, Whitewater Historical Society)