Obituaries

MADISON–Richard Wayne “Dick” Carlson, 91, passed away peacefully with his family by his side, Dec. 15, 2021. Born to Edna (Tiedeman) and Ernest Carlson, Feb. 27, 1930, Dick was a lifelong Middleton-area resident.

He was known for his skill at ballroom dancing, wearing colorful shirts and buying and selling antiques. He worked at the antiques business with his wife Annette right up to his death.

Dick was a loving husband, dad and grandpapa. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Annette; daughter, Jill; son, Scott; grandkids; great-grandkids; and many friends and relatives.

A celebration to honor Dick's long and happy life was held at Gunderson West Funeral and Cremation Care, 7435 University Ave., Middleton, at 11 a.m. on Dec. 21, 2021, with a luncheon that followed. Visitation was held at the funeral home from 10 a.m. until the start of the service on Tuesday.

The family invites you to share your memories of Dick at gundersonfh.com.

MIDDLETON / BARABOO / MADISON–Constance “Connie” Hefty, 100, passed peacefully in her sleep on Dec. 8, 2021. Connie was born on Aug. 7, 1921, to William and Meta Ladien. She grew up in the Johnson Creek area and graduated from Jefferson High School. Connie had a lifelong love of music. During her teen years, she played piano and sang at dances and shows, performing with her violinist father's band. Throughout her life, Connie entertained family and friends with her upbeat piano style.

MIDDLETON–Arlie Maximillan Mucks IV, 22, of 2223 Middleton Beach Road in Middleton, passed away at 6:22 p.m. on Sept. 29, 2021, at Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa, after suffering injuries he sustained as a passenger in a motor vehicle accident in Milwaukee. Arlie was fiercely loyal to his friends and family, incredibly smart, remarkably talented and hysterically funny. He made everybody's life better by being a part of it. Arlie generously donated his organs and saved the lives of at least five other people. He will live on in others. Arlie was born at Meriter Hospital in Madison on May 27, 1999, to Jeffrey (Jeff) Simpson Mucks and Sonja Johnson. He grew up in Middleton with his parents and older sister, Alexandra (Allie), and was a 2017 graduate of Middleton High School. Arlie was currently a senior mechanical engineering student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, set to graduate in May 2022, and was employed by The Kenwood Company in Milwaukee.

BLACK EARTH–Kenneth Lein Johnson, 91, of 4557 Old Indian Tr., Black Earth., passed away on Nov. 6, 2021, at Heartland Country Village nursing home,1218 State St. in Black Earth.

Ken was born on April 13, 1930, in Black Earth, to Morris L. and Fern (Rule) Johnson. He proudly served in the Wisconsin National Guard and enjoyed working for American Family Insurance where he served as an Information Systems (IS) manager and later retired as an agent in 2000.

Ken enjoyed golf, skiing, traveling, and crossword puzzles with Ruth-Ann (Hayes) Johnson, his wife of 54 years. In 2013, Ken married Lois O’Connell, whom he affectionately called “Loiee”. Ken was an avid sports fan and especially relished watching the UW-Madison Badgers, Green Bay Packers, the Chicago Cubs, and horse racing. He was a wealth of knowledge, a great storyteller and had a great sense of humor that was appreciated by all.

MIDDLETON–Kristin Lynn “Kristie” Konsoer, age 51, peacefully returned home to God on Dec. 5, 2021, after living over nine years with breast cancer.

I was born on May 30, 1970, in Madison, the daughter of Donald and Carol (Christensen) Konsoer and grew up in Middleton. I loved Sunday visits with grandma on the farm outside of Wisconsin Dells. School was also one of my favorite places. I loved learning so much that I would often play school when I got home each day. I was a lifelong reader, writer, and learner. 

Over the years, I was fortunate to have traveled widely throughout the US and visited 26 countries. Family vacations held many favorite memories for me. Disney World, national parks–Yellowstone in particular–and Fish Creek in Door County are forever in my heart.

WAUNAKEE–Sam Anthony Daleo (born Salvatore), 95, of Waunakee, passed away on Dec. 3, 2021. He was born in Madison, son of Giovanni and Maria (Tusa) Daleo on March 29, 1926.

As the son of Italian immigrants, Sam grew up in a 10-block area in Madison known as the Italian Greenbush. He attended St. Joseph’s Catholic school through the eighth grade and continued his education at Madison Central High School through the eleventh grade. During his high school years, Sam worked in the mailroom and was a delivery boy for the Wisconsin State Journal.

MIDDLETON–Patricia Jean “Pat” Acker, 79, of Middleton, passed away peacefully at home on Nov. 24, 2021. She was born on March 24, 1942, in Auburn, NE, the daughter of John Jurgensmeier and Cecilia (Kohmetscher) Jurgensmeier.

She moved from Nebraska to Black River Falls with her parents to join her sister and her family. Pat came to Madison to look for a job, and roomed with a couple of ladies who were dating men from the Ashton area, which is how she met Dan. She married Daniel T. Acker in Middleton on Oct. 26, 1963.

DANE–Werner A. Roth, 90, of Springfield Corners passed away peacefully on Nov. 16, 2021 at UW Hospital in Madison surrounded by his loving family. He was born on April 25, 1931 in Sauk City, to Alois and Helena (Seiler) Roth. On June 21, 1960 he married Mildred (Ballweg) in Roxbury.

Werner attended elementary school in Sauk City and earned his GED while he was in the Army. He proudly served in Korea for two years during the Korean War where he was a heavy equipment operator. One of his favorite stories to share from his time in Korea was when he was asked by a small village to clear an area with his bulldozer to build a school. He was rewarded with a pan of brownies which he happily accepted. For 44 years he worked at Oscar Mayer Foods in Madison starting out as a meat cutter and doing various other jobs within the factory, ending his career in 1996 in the Lunchables department. In 2015 he enjoyed a trip on the Badger Honor Flight to Washington DC with his son, Mike.

MIDDLETON–Dorothy M. (Endres) Hellenbrand, 98, passed away on Nov. 20, 2021, at Waunakee Manor. She was born on June 10, 1923, the daughter of Ludwig and Catherine Endres. Dorothy married Harold P. Hellenbrand on February 24, 1941, at St. Martin’s Catholic Church. She and Harold lived their entire married life in Middleton.

MIDDLETON–Janet Beth Fosdal, 83, of Middleton, passed away peacefully in Minnesota, with her daughters by her side, on Nov. 16, 2021.

Beth was born and raised in Waukesha. She graduated from Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in Madison., in 1959. She then became a flight attendant for American Airlines before working as a psychiatric nurse at the Diagnostic Center in Madison.

Beth was an avid volunteer and activist who, most notably, chaired the City of Middleton's Committee on Aging from 1972 to 1992, which helped establish today's Middleton Senior Center. She embodied the value of generosity in her work.

She cherished time with her multitude of friends and family. Grandma Beth was a mother and grandmother extraordinaire who always went the extra mile to make her family feel loved.

Friends and family will remember and miss Beth's warmth, hospitality, intelligence, humor, vivaciousness, selflessness and compassion.