Obituaries

MIDDLETON–Shirley Haase, 92, went to heaven on Dec. 1, 2020. The beloved sister of the late Richard Onstad and the beloved identical twin to late Sharon Marie Splaine. 

The loving mother of Kathryn Noelle Lawler, John Michael Haase and William Onstad Haase. Loving grandmother to the late Nathan Michael Haase, Alexandra Marie Synnott, Jessica Emily Haase, Claire Noelle Lawler and James Braeden Lawler.  

Shirley truly made hundreds of lives brighter by her lifetime of service. She volunteered for several organizations including over three thousand hours with the Attic Angel Community. At a time when there was very little opportunity for those with disabilities, Shirley learned to transcribe books into braille and followed that up with swim lessons for the sight impaired. What a gift!  

MIDDLETON–Mary Elizabeth “Meme” (Funck) Stiloski, age 54, passed away peacefully on Dec. 8, 2020, at her home in Madison, surrounded by her children. Mary bravely fought a cancer diagnosis for over a year with unwavering resolve, faith and grace.  

Mary Elizabeth Funck was born to Thomas and Joyce Funck in Racine, on July 7, 1966. Mary was the youngest of three daughters. The Funck family moved to Middleton, in the year 1973. Mary was a sweet and shy little girl who adored her father. She enjoyed a happy childhood and the family lovingly called her our “Truly Scrumptious.”

Mary excelled in school. She graduated from Middleton High School in 1984 and later attended Madison Area Technical College. Mary went on to have a long and successful career in Medical Administration for several Froedtert and Aurora Clinics in the greater Washington County Area. 

MIDDLETON–Joyce Elizabeth Howard, age 96, entered into Heaven on Dec. 12, 2020. Joyce was born on the family farm in Wilson Creek on July 18, 1924, to LeRoy “Roy” and Stella (Jones) Radel. She was one of nine children who cherished her siblings. They were very close and spent a great deal of time telling stories and laughing. She was the Wisconsin State Dairy Queen in 1942, traveling the US to promote the dairy industry. 

Joyce married Chester Howard on Nov. 21, 1943. They celebrated 71 years of marriage before his passing in 2015. Chet and Joyce raised two children in Middleton. She loved her family and God’s word. She was a powerful prayer warrior. She taught Sunday school and participated in woman’s fellowship and bible studies over the years. She was a Proverbs 31 woman: of noble character, speaks with wisdom and clothed in strength and dignity. Joyce had no fear of leaving this world, as she knew she was going home to be with her Savior. 

WAUNAKEE–Eugene “Gene” Ralph Voegeli, 72, went to be with the Lord on Nov. 12, 2020 at Waunakee Manor in Waunakee. Gene was born to Ralph and Inez Voegeli on Leap Day, Feb. 29, 1948. A graduate of Albany High School in 1967, Gene took over the family farm after his father’s untimely passing and then farmed outside of Winslow, IL. for many years. After farming, he worked at Highland Chemical in Stockton, IL., Landmark Services in Juda and Middleton Co-Op in Middleton, always keeping in touch with the farmers in the area. Gene married Dorothy Helt Endres on Nov. 15, 2003. Gene deeply loved his family, John Deere tractors, fishing, being outdoors looking at the Fall colors, playing cards and games, taking an occasional trip in his Cadillac to Ho-Chunk, and going out for breakfast and coffee with his friends and family.  He was an avid Green Bay Packers and Wisconsin Badgers fan. Gene loved to tell stories and loved to laugh. He had a smile that would light up the room.

CROSS PLAINS–Mary Jane (Maerz) Esser, age 93, of Middleton, passed away on Nov. 12, 2020. She was born in Castle Rock on June 19, 1927, the daughter of Peter and Christina (Hying) Maerz. Mary Jane was united in marriage to Lawrence Esser on June 19, 1946, in Dane. Together Lawrence and Mary Jane bought the Esser family farm where they farmed and raised five children. Her husband, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were first priority in her life. Mary Jane loved flowers, and she planted and maintained several flower gardens on the farm. She also loved music. She played guitar, accordion and piano. She was a member of a small band and played at many establishments in western rural Wisconsin and local establishments. She entertained residents of the Black Earth and Lodi nursing homes as well.

CASPER/LANDER, WY–Lois Simonson, age 103, passed away peacefully on Nov. 2, 2020 at the home of her daughter and son-in-law Sara and Verlin Pitt in Lander, WY. She lived with them for the past 12 years.

Lois was born in Groton, SD on Nov. 13, 1916 to Robert Bruce McCordic and Melvina (Maltby) McCordic. She had two sisters, Margaret and Ella and one brother, Robert (Bob). When Lois was four years old, the family went on a picnic, and her mother and sister drank from a contaminated well. They died from typhoid fever shortly afterwards in 1921.

Lois and her brother Bob were sent to Idaho to live with her maternal grandparents and her aunt Nellie on their farm in Rogerson, ID.  

The Great Depression had a profound impact on Lois. She and her brother lived alone in an old shack during the winter of 1931 to 1932 when she was 13 and Bob was 10. She complained of the ceiling plaster falling into the bread dough she was making on one occasion.

MIDDLETON–Jetta Lea Roberts, age 66, of Middleton, passed away peacefully on Nov. 7, 2020. She was born on Jan. 8, 1954, in Madison, the daughter of James and Jean (Potter) Trickey. Jetta graduated from Monona Grove High School in 1972. She married the love of her life, Ralph Roberts on Dec. 6, 1993 in Las Vegas, NV.

Jetta worked for 12 years as a Hospital Service Associate with the American Red Cross Blood Services, leaving in 1985. 

Jetta will be remembered for her kindness, her warm smile, and her love for animals. She had a way of making people like themselves better just by being around her. Jetta was a huge fan of "The Wizard of Oz" and she could sing every song and recite every dialog in the film verbatim. Jetta was a devoted Green Bay Packers Fan. 

MIDDLETON–Gail Margaret Nelson, age 63, of Middleton, passed away on Oct. 31, 2020, at the Villa at Middleton Village. She was born on Feb. 23, 1957, in Racine, the daughter of C. Richard and Roberta (Thompson) Nelson.

Gail graduated from Racine Horlick High School in 1975 and earned her bachelor’s degree from UW-Whitewater. She worked as a teacher in Juda, and as an aide at the Middleton Library and afterschool programs. Gail was a past member of the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Racine. She was a current member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Madison, where she taught Sunday School and attended “Singles Group.” Gail enjoyed being a teacher, reading and family.

MOUNT HOREB / MIDDLETON–Helen Marie Abplanalp was born to Martin and Clara (Anderson) Martinson on June 12, 1921, on the family farm in Springdale Township. Helen passed away on Oct. 29, 2020, at Ingleside Nursing Home in Mount Horeb.

MADISON–Kenneth William Burns, age 80, of Madison, passed away on Nov. 1, 2020, at Agrace HospiceCare, Fitchburg, after a hard-fought battle with multiple health issues. Ken was born on July 31, 1940, in Hollandale, the fifth of 12 siblings born to Joseph and Lucille (Broughton) Burns. Ken married his high school sweetheart, Mary Ryan, on Aug. 3, 1963. Together, they had one daughter, Colleen.

Ken attended grade school and high school in Hollandale. He was the owner/operator of Ken’s Bar in Madison for many years. Ken loved to tell good stories and loved to cause apprehension in his sisters, never quite knowing where the story would end. Having been raised by depression-era parents, he developed a reputation for being very frugal. One lunch patron at his bar offered to return a piece of meat he found in his soup because he did not want to be the guy who ate the only piece of meat in the whole pot of soup.