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Hefty Headed to State Cross Country Meet

October 24, 2021

What a day to be a Whippet! Both the boys’ and girls’ CC teams dished out incredible efforts on Saturday, October 23 on the challenging terrain that the course at UW-Parkside offers. A combination of three things contributed to their strong day. First was their mental toughness, secondly, the culmination of the season’s work, and lastly, favorable weather conditions for runners. 

Jack Hefty

The boys were up first, and fans were treated to strong races from top to bottom. Freshman Jack Hefty was able to turn around what was a tough day at the conference meet last week and absolutely throttled the competition to finish 6th overall in 17:16, just 10 seconds off his season best on a much tougher course. He nabbed the fourth individual qualifier spot (the top 5 individuals not on the top two qualifying teams also go to state) and looked the best he has all season. Jack knew what was possible, didn’t shy away from the opportunity, and trusted his legs to do the work that they were prepared to do. Senior Cooper Hammond put together a great race and finished in 26th place with a time of 18:41. Sophomore Nate Holden and Junior CJ Tomomitsu raced together and finished in 54th and 56th, respectively with times of 19:50 and 19:53. Freshman Miles Nickelsburg had a great race compared to the last few as did Junior Ben McCulloch. They came across the line in 78th and 79th with times of 21:21 and 21:27. Senior Andrew Rollette made the most of his final race in a Whippet uniform by running close to a lifetime personal best, running 22:32 and finishing in 90th place. The boys’ team had a solid team showing and earned a 7th place finish overall out of 15 teams. 

The girls’ team continued their steady racing that they displayed a week ago at the conference meet and were led by Junior Caelyn Caputo who has modeled solid consistency in the back half of the race season. It doesn’t matter how challenging the conditions are, or how difficult the course, she has been so steady. Caelyn finished in 35th with a time of 23:15. Junior Emma Weigel and freshman Nola Coburn found each other early in the race and it paid off in spades as Emma ran her second best time of the year, and Nola ran her season best, as they finished in 39th and 40th place with times of 23:40 and 23:42. Senior Sophie Walton was seconds off her season best time by running a 23:55 and took 45th place. Senior Gwen Truesdale had been working through some quad pain lately but was able to run her final race in a Whippet jersey to place 49th with a time of 24:29. Senior Olive Coburn ran her season best as well, placing 52nd in 25:03. Senior Jenni Villarreal ran her season best time when it mattered most, her final race as a Whippet, in 26:13 to place 60th. The girls’ team earned a 7th place finish out of 13 teams. 

The last team race is always a bittersweet day as we say goodbye to the seniors that have contributed an immeasurable amount to the program. Their work ethic, leadership skills, grit, guidance, steadiness, and humor are just a small glimpse of the things that will be missed most as they have concluded their days in a Whippet CC uniform. The staff is already eager to hear from them as they enter “the real world” and come back to visit or compete in the Dirk Seibold Alumni Meet in the future.

Full Results: http://wisconsinrunner.com/results/2021/2021stcatssectional/

Jack Hefty will be racing in the WIAA Division 2 State CC Meet on Saturday, October 30th, in Wisconsin Rapids, at the Ridges Golf Course. His race will begin at noon. Please congratulate the Whippets on tremendous races if you see them, and also wish Jack well in his first ever state race!

State Meet information can be found here: https://www.wiaawi.org/Sports/Fall/Boys-Cross-Country/Tournament#50481249-state-tournament-meet-information

Article and Photo Submitted by Chad Carstens
Whitewater High School Head Cross Country Coach
ccarstens@wwusd.org

Women’s Tennis Earns 15th Straight WIAC Championship

October 24, 2021

By Chris Lindeke, Assistant Athletic Director, Strategic Communications and Branding, UW-Whitewater

Sunday, October 24, 2021

Women’s Tennis Earns 15th Straight WIAC Championship

WIAC Championship Web Page/Results: https://wiacsports.com/sports/2021/9/16/WTEN_0916212159.aspx

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s tennis team claimed its 15th consecutive conference title Sunday on the second and final day of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship (Presented by Culver’s) at Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison.

The Warhawks totaled a league-best 55 points at the tournament, which counts for two-thirds of the criteria for the championship. UW-W combined that with its conference-high seven points from the dual meets in the fall to earn the program’s 22nd conference title all time.

UW-Whitewater will now host the four-team WIAC Team Tournament this spring to determine the league’s automatic qualifier for the NCAA Tournament, which begins in May.

Olivia Kraft led the Warhawks with titles at No. 3 singles and No. 1 doubles. She topped UW-Stevens Point and UW-La Crosse in straight sets Sunday on the way to her first career singles title.

Kraft then paired with Autumn Bruno at No. 1 doubles for an 8-6 victory against top-seeded UW-Eau Claire for Kraft’s second career doubles championship.

Bruno and Gianna Nikoleit finished as runners-up at the Nos. 1 and 2 singles positions, respectively. Other second-place finishes included Kellie Ha at No. 4, Courtney Day at No. 5 and Molly Rueth at No. 6. Day took the first set in her final before being edged in a third-set super tiebreaker.

Ha combined with Madalyn Bigelow to place second at No. 3 doubles. Rueth and Day defeated UW-Stevens Point to finish third at No. 2 doubles.

Following play, Ha was selected as the team’s representative on the WIAC All-Sportsmanship Team. Kraft was named WIAC Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete. (A complete announcement will be released soon.)

The Warhawks’ spring season is scheduled to begin March 4 with a dual meet at Division I Northern Illinois.

See below for UW-Whitewater’s individual results from Saturday and Sunday.

Singles

Autumn Bruno – No. 1

First Round: d. Kailey Courteau (UW-River Falls) 6-0, 6-0

Semifinal: d. Elaine Franta (UW-Eau Claire) 6-0, 6-0

Final: lost to Kimberly Steinert (UW-La Crosse) 6-3, 6-2

Gianna Nikoleit – No. 2

First Round: Bye

Semifinal: d. Faith Leithold (UW-Stevens Point) 6-3, 6-2

Final: lost to Tasha Bailey (UW-La Crosse) 6-1, 6-2

Olivia Kraft – No. 3

First Round: Bye

Semifinal: d. Jenna Koepp (UW-Stevens Point) 6-3, 6-3

Final: d. Kellie Hierl (UW-La Crosse) 6-3, 6-2

Kellie Ha – No. 4

First Round: d. Hannah Stitt (UW-Oshkosh) 6-0, 6-0

Semifinal: d. Hannah Riegle (UW-La Crosse) 6-1, 6-2

Final: lost to Samantha Fuchs (UW-Eau Claire) 6-1, 6-4

Courtney Day – No. 5

First Round: Bye

Semifinal: d. Chloe Leithold (UW-Stevens Point) 3-6, 6-0, 1-0 (12-10)

Final: lost to Alexa Brooks (UW-Eau Claire) 0-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-8)

Molly Rueth – No. 6

First Round: Bye

Semifinal: d. Kaylee Woelfel (UW-Stevens Point) 6-1, 6-2

Final: lost to Kaitlyn Kalinka (UW-La Crosse) 6-4, 7-5

Doubles

Autumn Bruno/Olivia Kraft – No. 1

First Round: d. Michelle Spicer/Jenna Nolde (UW-Oshkosh) 8-1

Semifinal: d. Kimberly Steinert/Kellie Hierl (UW-La Crosse) 8-7 (7)

Final: d. Lindsey Henderson/Elaine Franta (UW-Eau Claire) 8-6

Molly Rueth/Courtney Day – No. 2

First Round: d. Alysa Pattee/Hannah Stitt (UW-Oshkosh) 8-0

Semifinal: lost to Tasha Bailey/Kaitlyn Kalinka (UW-La Crosse) 8-0

Third Place: d. Faith Leithold/Kaitlyn Hess (UW-Stevens Point) 8-4

Madalyn Bigelow/Kellie Ha – No. 3

First Round: Bye

Semifinal: d. Grace Henes/Chloe Leithold (UW-Stevens Point) 8-2

Final: lost to Alexa Brooks/Morgan Nelson (UW-Eau Claire) 8-1

Great Start for the Whitewater Storytelling Festival

October 23, 2021

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce.

Photo credit: Katy Daixon-Wimer with Katy Daixon Photography


The Whitewater Area Chamber launched its brand-new Whitewater Storytelling Festival, a celebration of the art of storytelling, October 15-16. This brand-new festival brought to town locally, regionally, and nationally known storytellers and lots of visitors who enjoy a good tale! It was a collaborative event, harnessing the talents, skills, and resources of multiple organizations and individuals in the Whitewater community and the Whitewater Chamber can’t thank those partners enough for their help in bringing this event to our home.

Photo credit: Katy Daixon-Wimer with Katy Daixon Photography


We kicked off the weekend on Friday, October 15th with some campfire stories down by the Cravath
Lakefront fire pit and enjoyed tales from some locals and visitors alike. The evening was beautiful, and
we were blessed with amazing weather as the rains cleared just in time. We saw a steady flow of story
seekers all day on Saturday, October 16th enjoying the sunny skies and many tales of the talented
storytellers. Children took advantage of the crafts and special storytelling sets, and many folks spent
time in one or more of the available workshops. We moved indoors on Saturday night at the Cultural
Arts Center where we saw a standing room only audience enjoy the stories of three most amazing
tellers. Others in town that evening took advantage of an open-mic night at our local bookstore, The
Book Teller.

Storyteller Jim Winship – Photo credit: Katy Daixon-Wimer with Katy Daixon Photography


We were assured by many of our festival visitors, both local and out-of-town, that they will return next
year! We were excited to hear that as we definitely plan to repeat this festival and grow it over the next
three years. We have the distinct privilege of the use of JEM Grant funds awarded by the WI Department of
Tourism and we are excited to look to planning for next year. We are working with other regional
storytelling festivals to ensure that our event is put on the calendar as one not to miss. Our hope is that
this festival becomes something that Whitewater is known for each year!
We would like to extend a very big thank you to our generous event sponsors for supporting the festival,
Novel Sponsors Generac and storytelling patrons Rosa Spellman & family, Chapter Sponsor Lavelle
Industries, and Bookmark Sponsor Fort Community Credit Union.

Children’s Stories by Coral Conant Giles – Photo credit: Tom Ganser



We look forward seeing everyone at the festival and welcoming new visitors to the community. Be sure to follow the Chamber’s Facebook page for updates on other events that the Chamber is planning! For questions about anything Chamber related please contact Kellie Carper, Exec. Director at (262) 473-4005.

Storyteller Elizabeth Matson – Photo credit: Tom Ganser
Karen McCulloch listening to a story – Photo credit: Tom Ganser
Colby Flade reading his poetry – Photo credit: Tom Ganser

Landline Users: Ten Digit Dialing Now Required for Local Calls

October 23, 2021

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

Starting October 24, 2021, everyone in Wisconsin has to use ten digits to make a local phone call. This means you’ll have to dial the area code plus the seven-digit phone number. Calls dialed with only seven digits will not be connected.

All parts of the country are gradually going through this transition. The change is related to creation of a new national suicide prevention lifeline, 988. The problem is that in many areas there are seven digit numbers beginning with 988.

In Wisconsin, this change impacts area codes 262, 414, 608, and 920. People in the state’s other two area codes, 534 and 715, already must use 10-digit dialing for local calls.

During the transition to 988, Americans who need help should continue to contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 1-800-273-8255 (1-800-273-TALK) and through online chats. Veterans and Service members may reach the Veterans Crisis Line by pressing 1 after dialing, chatting online at www.veteranscrisisline.net, or texting 838255.

The image on the homepage, “Vintage Western Electric Rotary Dial Telephone, Model 302, Made In USA, Produced From 1937 – 1958” by France1978 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

This Week’s City & School Board Meetings

October 23, 2021

City of Whitewater Urban Forestry CommissionMonday @ 4:30 p.m.
Agenda
Community Room, 1st Floor
312 W Whitewater St
(This will be a hybrid meeting.)
Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/259427581
You can also dial in using your phone.
United States: 1 (646) 749-3122
Access Code: 259-427-581

Whitewater Community Development Authority –Seed Capital Screening CommitteeMonday @ 5:00 p.m.
Innovation Center- Room 202
1221 Innovation Drive
Closed session: Discussion and consideration of Capital Catalyst Fund Grant Application from Safepro Technologies, Inc.
Reconvene to take action on closed session item as needed.

Whitewater Unified School District School Board Regular Meeting – Monday @ 6:00 p.m. (Closed session) 7:00 p.m. (Open session)

Agenda (Click on “meetings” in upper right hand corner.)

——————————————–
Whitewater Unified School District Central Office
William D. Kyle Board Room
419 South Elizabeth Street, Whitewater, Wisconsin

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6:00 p.m. via Zoom Online
– URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89237022730?pwd=eGkxL3VQV2FqaXJKdE5qRVdhdzVjUT09
– Password: 349689
———————————————-
– Dial-in: 1-312-626-6799
– Webinar ID: 892 3702 2730
– Password: 349689
———————————————-
Closed Session – Agenda includes review the terms of School Resource Officer (SRO) agreement
———————————————-
Open Session resumes at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom Online

Agenda includes naming of baseball field, Approval of revised 2021-22 budget, Approval and certification of 2021-22 tax levy
– URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88093907797?pwd=NExlWmIzWkJMQXBTcnpXaWVhSXhzdz09
– Passcode: 074585
———————————————-
– Dial-in: 1-312-626-6799
– Webinar ID: 880 9390 7797
– Passcode: 074585
———————————————–
PUBLIC NOTICE: The health and safety of District employees, School Board, and the community is a top priority. As such, some Board members may participate virtually. Members of the public may attend in-person on a first come, first serve basis by submitting a Google Form: https://forms.gle/GHARNb6ARzcVn7qHA, 24 hours prior to the meeting time. A capacity of 20 individuals is set for in-person attendance. Additionally the meeting will be live streamed via Zoom for those individuals unable to attend in-person.

If participants wish to speak on Agenda Items they may speak regarding specific issues on the agenda at the time the Board discusses that item. A Citizen Comment Request should be filled out prior to speaking. In accordance to Board Policy 187, personal criticism and/or derogatory remarks directed at School Board members or employees of the district will not be tolerated. Should there be a number of citizens planning to speak, the President will announce the total time for citizen comments and divide the time between speakers equally with no more than three minutes allotted to each participant.

City of Whitewater Common Council Special Meeting – Tuesday @ 6:30 p.m.
City of Whitewater Municipal Building – Cravath Lakefront Room – Second Floor
This will be an IN PERSON MEETING as well as a VIRTUAL MEETING.
Agenda: Renegotiation of contract and services with Whitewater Fire
Department. You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88170485645?pwd=SUpFMVE0SjhreVNSdmtCU3BNK3c3Zz09
Passcode: 183756
Or Telephone:
Dial 1 312 626 6799 or 1 888 475 4499 (Toll Free)
Webinar ID: 881 7048 5645
Passcode: 183756

City of Whitewater Community Development AuthorityThursday @ 5:30 p.m.
Board of Directors Meeting
Agenda
Location: Municipal Building – Community Room (First Floor)
312 W. Whitewater Street
This will be an IN‐PERSON MEETING as well as a VIRTUAL MEETING.
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83722331716
Or One tap mobile hands‐free:
US: +13126266799,,84370930146#,,,,*641837#

#FlashbackFriday with the Historical Society: Hamilton Gym & Field

October 23, 2021

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the Whitewater Historical Society.

Its time once again for #flashbackfriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.

Football is in full swing on college campuses, including the UW-Whitewater. This week’s view is the Hamilton Gym and Hamilton Field, the center of the university’s sports life prior to 1966 and 1970. Built in 1915, the Hamilton Gym was used for indoor sports until 1966, when the Williams Center opened. Hamilton Field was the location of college football until 1970, when the new Warhawk Stadium (Perkins Stadium) was completed. Hamilton Gym lived on for recreation and other purposes until 1983, when it was demolished.

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

(5513PC Whitewater Historical Society)

Fort Community Theatre Returns to the Stage after a Two-Year Hiatus

October 23, 2021
 Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the Fort Atkinson Community Theatre.

From Broadway to Fort Atkinson, theatres around the world have struggled in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many have “gone dark” and some may have even closed their doors for good. Thankfully, with health risks starting to subside, live theatres are reopening, and the licensing company Music Theatre International (MTI) is giving them the perfect opportunity to “stage” a comeback.

In April of this year, MTI announced the creation of a brand-new musical revue called All Together Now!, which is meant to serve as a fundraiser for revitalizing local theatres. The show features selections from several of their most popular musicals such as Mary Poppins, Rent, Les Miserables, Mamma Mia!, and many more. Described as a “global event celebrating local theatre,” All Together Now! will only be performed during the weekend of November 12-14, creating a sense of musical togetherness on a worldwide scale.

Fort Atkinson Community Theatre (FACT) is thrilled to be participating in All Together Now!, which will be the group’s first stage performance since November 2019. Director Jason Teeter has gathered an incredibly talented cast of twenty-seven voices from around the area, including Stephanie Aegerter, Maddy Buchta, Molly Button, Cathy Daly, Molly Ebel, Tessa Fitzsimmons, Annalis Goeschko, Norman Goeschko, Kaile Goodman, Anne Grover, Christine Hamele, Alexia Klein, Jason Konz, Niina Ajango Konz, Kassie Kucken, Eric Lonsdale, Amy Lothary, Paul Lothary, Brenda Nitardy, Jodi Ratcliff, Becky Schultz, Tim Stachowiak, Grae Szabo, Amelia Teeter, Holly Teeter, Jason Teeter, and Karen Wydeven.

Performances will be held at First United Methodist Church, 320 S. Main St., Fort Atkinson, with dates and times as follows:
Friday, November 12 – 7:30 pm
Saturday, November 13 – 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm

All Together Now! is a fundraiser for FACT, and while admission is free, donations are highly encouraged. Cash, check, and credit card will be accepted at the door, or you may donate online at www.fortfact.org.

Come and sing along, All Together Now!

No. 3 Warhawk Football Edges UW-River Falls

October 23, 2021

No. 3 Warhawk Football Edges UW-River Falls

Chris Lindeke, Assistant Athletic Director, Strategic Communications and Branding – University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
October 23, 2021

Box Score: https://uwwsports.com/sports/football/stats/2021/uw-river-falls/boxscore/15414

The No. 3 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team took the lead with just under three minutes to play Saturday and held on late for a 34-28 victory at UW-River Falls in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest.

After the Falcons (5-2 overall, 2-2 WIAC) tied the game with 5:41 left in the fourth quarter, Jaylon Edmonson returned the ensuing short kickoff 46 yards to the UW-RF 19-yard line.

From there, Matt Maldonado put his 28-yard kick through the uprights to give the Warhawks (7-0, 4-0) a 31-28 advantage.

On the ensuing kickoff return, Daniel Baggett forced a fumble that was recovered by Kyle Koelblinger at the Falcons’ 14-yard line.

Three plays later, Maldonado hit a 31-yard field goal to double the UW-W lead to six with 1:51 on the clock.

On the first play from scrimmage on the next drive, Koelblinger picked off Kole Hinrichsen at midfield, and UW-Whitewater ran out the clock for the win.

Quarterback Max Meylor threw for 166 yards and three touchdowns. Tamir Thomas and Alex Peete led the Warhawks’ rushing attack with 83 and 74 yards, respectively. Derek Kumerow posted five receptions for 64 yards to lead all receivers.

Koelblinger led the defense with four tackles, two interceptions and one fumble recovery. Linebackers Shane McGrail and Aaron Sturdevant tied for the team high with six tackles apiece.

UW-Whitewater scored touchdowns on its first two offensive possessions and forced three-and-outs defensively on UW-River Falls’ first two possessions.

After a 41-yard punt return by Dain Hudson that was moved back to the Falcons’ 40-yard line on a penalty, the Warhawks took six plays to find the end zone. After a third-and-12 completion from Meylor to Ryan Wisniewski, Tyler Holte caught a 6-yard touchdown from Meylor at the 10:34 mark of the first quarter.

Thomas set up UW-Whitewater’s next touchdown with runs of 22 and nine yards, respectively. Meylor hit Wisniewski for a 23-yard score to make it 14-0 with 6:33 to play in the period.

UW-River Falls tallied 21 unanswered points in the second quarter to take a 21-14 advantage into halftime.

After a UW-W punt, the Falcons drove near midfield. On third down, Niko Lemke recovered a UW-RF fumble to give the Warhawks the ball at the Falcons’ 44-yard line.

From there, UW-Whitewater tied the game at 21-21 on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Meylor to Sam DeLany with 10:16 remaining in the third quarter.

Following a UW-River Falls punt, the Warhawks took the lead on a 10-play, 70-yard drive that included a 16-yard pass from Meylor to Kumerow on fourth-and-4 from the Falcons’ 33-yard line. Edmonson ran for 11 yards, and Peete completed the drive with a six-yard scoring run with 2:51 to go in the frame.

A turnover deep in UW-W territory set up UW-River Falls’ game-tying touchdown and set the stage for the final six minutes of action.

UW-Whitewater hosts UW-Eau Claire during Homecoming next Saturday, Oct. 30, at 1 p.m. at Perkins Stadium.

Obituaries

Obituary: Kandi Lynn Kincaid (Cardinal)

In Loving Memory of Kandi Lynn Kincaid (Cardinal)Beloved Daughter, Sister, Mother, Grandmother, and Friend It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Kandi Lynn Kincaid, daughter of Eunice and Richard Kincaid, on December 28th at 7 PM. Kandi passed away peacefully in bed, enjoying one of her favorite pastimes—watching crime shows. Kandi was a woman of many passions. She was a devoted fan of the Chicago Bears, found joy in listening to 2Pac, and had an unwavering love for animals, always standing against cruelty of any kind. Her smile could light up a room, and her warmth … Read more

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Obituary: Dr. George Harold Seeburger, 89, of Lake Mills

Dr. George Harold Seeburger, 89, of Lake Mills passed away on Friday, January 3, 2025 at Lilac Springs Assisted Living in Lake Mills. George was born on July 20, 1935 in Phillips, Wisconsin to George and Nellie (Knight) Seeburger.  He graduated from Phillips High School and received an undergraduate degree from UW Stevens Point and went on to earn his PhD from the University of Georgia Athens. He was a biology professor at UW Whitewater up until his retirement. George married Nancy Carole Skalitzky on November 6, 1959 in Waukegan, Illinois. Nancy passed on November 13, 2021.  They enjoyed traveling … Read more

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Obituary: William J. “Bill” West, 75

William J. “Bill” West, 75, of Whitewater passed away on Tuesday, December 24, 2024 at Fort Memorial Hospital in Fort Atkinson. Bill was born on September 8, 1949 to John and Bessie (Sutherland) West in Fort Atkinson. He worked at the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater for twelve years. Bill enjoyed watching the Packers and NASCAR. He is survived by his girlfriend, Sandy Hahn; and many friends and family. A memorial visitation will take place on Thursday, January 16, 2025 from 11 AM until 1 PM at Nitardy Funeral Home, 550 N. Newcomb St., Whitewater, WI 53190. Inurnment will take … Read more

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Obituary: David Harold Baker Jr., 61, of Portland, OR

David Harold Baker Jr., beloved husband, father, stepfather, son, and brother, passed away on December 16, 2024, in Portland, Oregon, at the age of 61. Born on August 10, 1963, in Beaufort, South Carolina, David was the firstborn child of David Baker Sr. and the late Betty Jean Baker (née Wickham) while his father served in the United States Marine Corps. David spent his early years in Wyoming, where the family lived until his parents divorced. In 1976, David moved to Oregon with his father, and he graduated from high school in 1982. Shortly after, he moved to Wisconsin to … Read more

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Obituary: Allen C. Hicks, 85

Allen C. Hicks, 85 of Whitewater passed away on Saturday, January 4th, 2025 at Huntington Memory Care in Janesville. Al, the oldest of seven boys, was born on July 5th, 1939, in Belvidere, Illinois to Walt and Laura (Keller) Hicks. A few years later, the family bought a dairy farm in Whitewater and became very active in the Whitewater community. There was always work to be done or something to be repaired on the farm which led to Al’s lifelong love of tinkering. He was very active in high school sports which continued on into his adult years playing in … Read more

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Obituary: Jeanette Ila Hansen, 91

Jeanette Ila Hansen, 91, Whitewater passed away on December 24, 2024 at Rainbow Hospice Inpatient Center in Johnson Creek, WI, having lived independently almost all her later life. Jeanette was born on May 12, 1933 in Whitewater, WI to Alvin and Maybell (Maasz) Cox.  She married Norman Hansen on November 2, 1950 and they were married for 59 years.  Jeanette enjoyed fishing, reading, indoor gardening, collecting dolls, and cooking; and she made many beautiful items with crocheting, knitting, and sewing.  She was generous and seemed to have a good word to say about almost everyone she met. She especially loved … Read more

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Obituary: Isaac Richard Unger, 31

Isaac Richard Unger left the field on Christmas Day, and is now at peace. He was born in Whitewater, WI on April 1st, 1993 to Paul and Mary Jo (née Peiffer) Unger. Isaac was born ten days late on a silly holiday, and lived his life as such–never rushed, and with a lighthearted sense of humor. Isaac graduated from Madison East High School in 2011, and then attended UW-River Falls from 2011-2016, where he studied English and philosophy. Isaac was a sports lover, not only as a spectator, but as a participant. Isaac grew up playing soccer, basketball (Badger Sporting … Read more

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Obituary: John George Mack, 61

John George Mack passed away into eternal glory on December 24th, 2024. John was born December 1, 1963, in Fort Atkinson, WI to Ronald and Mary Alice (Hanson) Mack of Whitewater.   John was a 1982 Whitewater High School graduate. In 1983 just out of high school John started his first wood company selling wholesale through all the major gift markets including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and New York. At the time his clients included 8 out of the 10 retail chains and several thousand independent stores nationwide. John had so many wonderful customers and associates.   As the wholesale gift market shifted to cheaper overseas … Read more

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Obituary: Clifford Maynard Witte, 103

Clifford Maynard Witte, age 103, of Whitewater, WI completed his earthly journey on December 24, 2024 in his home surrounded by his loving family.  Clifford was born on September 13, 1921 on a farm in Mount Horeb, WI, and was the third child of Ella and Eli Witte.  Clifford served his country by joining the Navy in 1942 during WWII, and served alongside his two brothers. Later he used the GI bill to attend Palmer Chiropractic College in Davenport, IA. There he met the love of his life, Beulah (Billie) Ohrberg, and they married on Nov 7, 1946. Shortly after … Read more

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Obituary: Mary Ann Burkhardt, 79

Mary Ann Burkhardt, 79, passed away December 24, 2024, at Edgerton Hospital, surrounded by loved ones following a brief illness. Mary was born on September 14, 1945, in Chicago, IL, to Raymond and Helen (Pasternak) Burkhardt. She attended elementary school in Chicago and Good Counsel Catholic Girls High School, before her family moved to Whitewater where she graduated from WHS in 1963.  She worked at Gus’s Pizza Palace, Whitewater Products, and finally, Jones Dairy Farm until her retirement 33 years later.  She enjoyed bowling, snowmobiling, boating, golf, riding her motorcycle, and playing softball for the Long Branch Saloon.  She was … Read more

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