Obituaries

Agnes C. Acker, 92, passed away peacefully at home on May 11, 2020, surrounded by her family.  Agnes was born on Jan. 18, 1928, in Ashton, WI to Aloysius (Al) J. and Rose Elizabeth (Spahn) Meinholz.

She was the second of six children who grew up on the family dairy farm. Agnes loved to be outdoors, helping milk the cows (first by hand and later with a machine), and work in the fields. Her life-long love of horses began with the farm’s work-horse team. "On Sunday afternoons when friends and neighbors came to visit, I would hitch the team to a wagon and take them for rides" Agnes said during a 1983 interview.

Agnes attended St. Peter’s Catholic Elementary School in Ashton. She was a devoted Catholic and a member of St. John the Baptist Church in Waunakee for most of her adult life. She grew up a neighbor to her future husband, Ervin J. Acker, the son of John C. and Katherine (Ziegler) Acker, whom she married on May 25, 1948, at St. Peter’s in Ashton.

CROSS PLAINS–Charles Ransford “Randy” Case II, son, brother, husband, father and grandfather, passed away from cancer on Aug. 19, 2021, one day shy of his 74th birthday. Randy was preceded in death by his parents, Charles R. Case I and Ilyeene Case; and his brother, Steven K. Case. Randy is survived by his wife, Beth Ann Hamilton; brother, Bruce W. Case; sister, Catherine E. “Cathi” Case; son, Charles R. Case III (Monica); son, Peter S. Case (Aneta); son, David H. Case (Kristen); and grandchildren, Madeleine, Michael, and Alexander. A fourth grandchild is due in December.

A lifelong believer in education, Randy graduated from Oshkosh High School in 1965 and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 1969. He held two master’s degrees: in physics from Iowa State University (1971) and in botany from the University of Michigan (1974). He was particularly proud of his secondary education teaching certificate in science and mathematics earned at the University of Michigan in 1974.

MIDDLETON–Jenna L. (Vanden Brook) Baker, 33, of Middleton, passed away on July 6, 2021, at University Hospital in Madison after a courageous battle with brain cancer. Jenna was born March 31, 1988, in Madison the daughter

of Julie and Mark D. Vanden Brook. She married Jesse Abraham Baker on June 22, 2013 in Bedford, VA.

In May of 2006, Jenna graduated from Waunakee High School where she was active with concert choir, girl’s tennis, and vocal jazz performing. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Liberty University and her Master of Business Administration earned at Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA.

WAUNAKEE–Mary Ann “Mae” Wipperfurth passed away at home surrounded by family at age 97 on July 13, 2021.

Mae was born in Marxville, Wisconsin on April 26, 1924, to Louis Mathias Meier and his wife Theresa (Meinholz) Meier. She married Town of Roxbury native and US Navy veteran Robert J. Wipperfurth on Sept. 26, 1946, after his return from serving in the Pacific during World War II. 

Later, they settled in Waunakee where the couple lovingly raised their 10 children, and where Bob owned and operated Wipperfurth Excavating, Inc. He was also an original partner in the development of the InnKeeper restaurant and Country Aire.

ROXBURY–Ellen Louise (Mack) Schmitt, 67, of Roxbury, passed away peacefully on June 28, 2021, at Meriter Hospital in Madison after battling lymphoma and pneumonia.

Ellen was born on May 3, 1954, in Baraboo, to Herman J. and Blanche M. (Breunig) Mack. After attending Sauk Prairie High School, she married the love of her life Dane Township native DuWayne P. Schmitt at St. Norbert's Catholic Church in Roxbury on Sept. 30, 1978, just 11 days after the sad passing of her father. At the time, she was employed at Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Mutual and Credit Union Member Insurance Services (CUMIS) Insurance Co., in Madison.

WAUNAKEE–Ronald (Rex) Gerard Endres of Waunakee passed away unexpectedly at age 64 on July 5, 2021.

Known to many as Rex, he was born on March 1, 1957, at St. Mary's Hospital in Madison, to Laverne M. Endres and his wife Jeanette Ann (Wagner) Endres. He grew-up on the Endres family farm in rural Waunakee, and later was a 1975 graduate of Waunakee High School.

He married Debra Theresa Pulvermacher, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Robert and Bernadette (Annen) Pulvermacher, on Sept. 26, 1981, at St. Martin's Catholic Church in Martinsville with a reception held later that day at the Dorf Haus in Roxbury.

Rex learned his work ethic early, growing up on the family farm in the Waunakee area. During high school he began laying carpet and he later co-owned a local carpet business.

MIDDLETON–David Roy McQueen, 77, of Middleton, passed away on July 25, 2021, at UW Hospital. He was born on April 3, 1944, in Beaver Dam, the son of Ernest and Evelyn (Herr) McQueen. David graduated from Middleton High School in 1962. He married Carolyn Faust on July 26, 1990, at West Middleton Lutheran Church.

David worked his entire career as a master plumber. He was a member of West Middleton Lutheran Church. He loved spending time with his family and long-time friends. In his free time, he also enjoyed fishing, hunting, golf, and gardening.

David is survived by his wife, Carolyn; children, Heidi (Mike) Fafard, Mark (Jen) McQueen, Dayna (Tim) Cannon, Jodie (Ken) Parker, Cindy Danz and Holly Tierney; 13 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and siblings, Mike McQueen, Steve (Ann) McQueen and Vicki (Ron) Homburg. He was preceded in death by his parents, and sister, Jo Jeanne Frisch.

MIDDLETON–Richard J. "Gundy'' Gunderson passed away peacefully on July 28, 2021, surrounded by family. Richard was born in Madison on June 5, 1943, to John and Viola Gunderson. After school, he spent four years in the US Navy, where he enjoyed seeing the world. While growing up he had a paper route with the Wisconsin State Journal, winning trips to New York and Montana. Richard married Joann Hellenbrand on June 4, 1966, and together they raised three children, Vicki (Kendall) Dresen, Catherine Gunderson and Jason (Rosalee) Gunderson. He worked many years for Northwestern Construction and L&L Foods, where Gundy was well known and loved by so many along his route through Wisconsin and northern Illinois.

MIDDLETON–Donald Ralph Harrop, 104, of Middleton, passed away on July 19, 2021. He was born on April 24, 1917, the son of Ralph and Martha (Schuldt) Harrop in Arena Township. Don graduated from Arena High School in 1935. He married Veronica Statz on Feb. 11, 1939.

MIDDLETON–Thomas Henry Ullsvik, 79, died at home in Middleton on May 29, 2021, surrounded by his loving family. Tom was a special person who always had a twinkle in his eye. He was born in Madison on Dec. 26, 1941, to Henry and lone (Bosser) Ullsvik.