Obituaries

MIDDLETON/JANESVILLE–Wanda Kathryn Sonnentag of Middleton, formerly of Janesville, passed away peacefully at St. Mary's Hospital in Madison on April 29, 2021, at the age of 86.

Wanda was born on June 7, 1934, in Janesville to Floyd E. and Beatrice (Tewalt) Smith. She graduated from Janesville High School on June 4, 1953 and was employed in the office at the General Motors Plant and later worked as a title searcher for Modern Abstract and Title.

She married James William Sonnentag, a US Navy World War II veteran, on June 16, 1951, at First Christian Church in Janesville. They were together for 54 years until Jim's death on June 20, 2005. The musically talented young couple created a local band known as The Tiny Kay Orchestra. The name came from Wanda's petite four-foot ten-inch stature. However, due to family and work obligations, she soon retired from the music business and the orchestra disbanded.

VERONA–Christine (Christy) Jo Schoepp Miller passed away on Tuesday afternoon, May 18, 2021, after a courageous three-year battle with lung cancer in the comfort of her home in Verona, surrounded by family.

Her vibrant personality, sense of humor, and her "tell it like it is" honesty was genuine and loved by all who knew her.

Christy was born at St. Mary's Hospital in Madison on April 28, 1961, the second child of Shirley (Allely) Schoepp and her husband David J. Schoepp, the founder and owner of Schoepp Motors in Middleton and Madison. 

As a child, Christy loved boating on Lake Wisconsin, snowmobiling, and skiing with her family. She graduated with many lifelong friends from James Madison Memorial High School in 1979.

Robert Monthey, 77, of Middleton, Wisconsin, passed away on May 26, 2021.

Bob was born to parents Robert and Madonna (Garvey) Monthey on Oct. 1, 1943, in Lakeland, FL. Bob graduated from Portage High School and went on to receive his Business Administration degree from Madison Business College. He spent 25 years working in programming, operations and management for the Graber Company and left to purchase and run his own businesses and franchises. He spent 31 years applying his business acumen, creating many successful endeavors. He was an incredibly hard worker whose service-oriented mentality, keen intelligence and industriousness influenced many and earned him various service awards.

MIDDLETON–Doris Mae Schroeder, age 83, of Middleton, passed away on May 26, 2021, at Ingleside Manor. She was born July 4, 1937, to Harold and Veronica (Rommelfanger) Schroeder in Sheboygan Falls. She earned degrees from UW-Whitewater and UW-Madison. From 1963 to 1994, she enjoyed working as a counselor and principal at Middleton High School.

Since retirement, she volunteered three years at the MOM food pantry. She worked 20 years at the Middleton Senior Center serving as RSVP driver escort, receptionist, newspaper assembly and member of the Commission on Aging. In 2004, she was recognized by the Middleton Good Neighbor Board for service to the community. In 2015, she was nominated by RSVP and received the National and Community Service Award for more than 4000 hours of volunteer work.

Her leisure activities included reading, exercising, bowling, playing cards, casino trips, watching the Badgers, Packers and Brewers and visiting friends and neighbors.

WAUNAKEE–Dolores G. (Hilgendorf) Acker, 1601 Dover Drive, Waunakee, passed away at age 94 on March 19, 2021. She was born at home on January 22, 1927, in Cross Plains as the first child of eight to Carl William and Catherine A. (Virnig) Hilgendorf. Early in her life, Dolores attended St. Francis Elementary School in Cross Plains and later graduated from Middleton High School.

Dolores married Waunakee native Henry Anthony Acker, Jr. on October 11, 1947 at St. Francis Xavier Church in Cross Plains. She previously worked at the Farmer's Mutual Insurance.

WAUNAKEE - Norbert W. Bernards, 79, of Waunakee, passed away on May 1, 2021, at St. Mary's Hospital. He was born on March 30, 1942, in the Town of Springfield, the son of Andrew and Adelaide (Wagner) Bernards.

Norbert was born and raised on the family farm in Ashton Corners. He attended Middleton High School. Norbert married Wilma Johnson on June 8, 1963. They celebrated 51 years of marriage before her passing in 2015. He was employed as a landscaper for Watts Landscaping for over 25 years and then began working with the Dane County Highway Department and retired from Dane County Parks in 2005. 

Norbert was a hard worker and very humble man throughout his life. His family was his greatest joy and he loved spending time with them. Norbert and Wilma enjoyed traveling and one of his fondest trips was to Germany. He was a lifelong and devoted member of St. Peter's Catholic Church in Ashton.

CROSS PLAINS–David Patrick Shanahan, of Cross Plains, passed away on April 2, 2021, at the age of 41 in Los Angeles, CA. David was born on March 17, 1980, in Madison, to Michael R. and Christine Anne (Adams) Shanahan.

After graduating from Saint Francis Xavier Catholic School in 1994 and Middleton High School in 1998, David attended UW-La Crosse where he graduated in 2004 with a B.S. in sports medicine, exercise fitness and nutrition. After a number of years in the field of athletic training, David returned to school at the University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ to pursue his love and passion for photography, where he earned a B.A. in fine arts.

David is survived by his beloved parents, Michael and Christine Shanahan; older brother, John W. Shanahan (fiancée, Beth Lundberg); a niece, Lucy Mae Shanahan; his grandparents, Kenneth and Violet Willis; as well as aunts, uncles, and cousins.

MIDDLETON/PLATTEVILLE–Larry G. White, 72, of Platteville; formerly of Branch Street and Parmenter Street in Middleton, passed away on April 6, 2021, at Edenbrook assisted living facility in Platteville. Larry was born July 10, 1948, in Savannah, Tenn., to James and Hazel White. The family moved to Chicago, Illinois in the mid-1950s, then Hazel and the kids moved to Linden, Wis. (in Iowa County) in 1966. 

Larry received an associate degree from Madison Area Technical College in the early 1970s and started work at the historic Stamm House restaurant, 6625 Century Ave., in Middleton, shortly after that. He worked there for 31 years before moving to Platteville to be closer to his brother, Ed, in 2004. In 2005, Larry started working as a Walmart greeter and continued in that position and maintenance until his cancer diagnosis in October of 2020.

MIDDLETON–Hubert C. “Sonny” Brabender, 84, of Madison, passed away on April 16, 2021, at University Hospital, Madison, after a massive stroke suffered on March 29. He was born May 16, 1936, in Madison, the son of Hubert P. and Rosalia (Friedl) Brabender.

Hubert, better known as Herb, spent the first five years of his life in Madison with his parents, until moving to the family farm in Ashton in 1941. He graduated from Ashton St. Peter’s Catholic elementary school, and then graduated from Middleton High School in 1955 after lettering in baseball, basketball, football, and track. Herb was a member of the 1954 Middleton High School basketball team that went to the state tournament. School Principal Meyer often chided him, “If only you would work as hard on your academics.” During the summers Herb starred on the Ashton Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) baseball team and hung out with his buddies, Joel Larson, Kenny Bram, Jim Shaksted and others, creating havoc and having fun.

CROSS PLAINS–Lynn Miller, age 56, of Cross Plains, passed away on April 14, 2021. She was born on Jan. 6, 1965, in Manila, AK, the daughter of Carol Brandt and Wade Bradford.

Lynn loved her job working in the deli at the Piggly Wiggly in Cross Plains and enjoyed spending time with her coworkers. She recently found a passion for doing Diamond Art in her spare time. She had an unparalleled generosity and spent countless hours working on designs to give to her loved ones.