Obituaries

Donald L. O’Dell, 78, of Middleton passed away peacefully in the presence of family on Sept. 10, 2022 at Heritage Memory Care.

He was born on December 16, 1943 in Highland Park, MI, the son of Chester and Evelyn O’Dell. Don is a graduate of St. Johns Military Academy in Delafield and shared countless stories of his travels around the world as an Eagle Scout.

He met the love of his life, Susan Hauda, while studying at the University of Wisconsin - Madison and they were married on July 18, 1970. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business and a master of arts in teaching from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

CAMBRIDGE, MA–Former Middleton and Spring Green area resident Susan Jacobs Lockhart, 87, died peacefully on Aug. 22, 2022 at home in Cambridge, MA, due to complications from COVID-19, with her husband, Harvard University Art and Architecture Professor Neil G. Levine, who cared for her during the final weeks, by her side.

Susan was born in Milwaukee, on Nov. 19, 1934, the daughter of sculptor and architect expert Katherine F. (Wescott) Jacobs and her husband Herbert Austin Jacobs, a former Milwaukee Journal and then Capital Times newspaper journalist. Susan dedicated herself to living, enriching, and preserving the legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright. For many, she embodied it and its values. Her involvement with Wright began at an early age.

CROSS PLAINS–Albert C. Zander, 87, of Cross Plains, passed away on June 18, 2022. He was born on Nov. 16, 1934, in Cross Plains, the son of Joseph J. Zander and Margaret (Laufenberg) Zander. He married Carrie Ann Frederick on May 30, 1959 at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church in Waunakee. During their marriage he was a member of Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Cross Plains.

In the early 1950s Albert attended Middleton High School where he was a member of Future Farmers of America (FFA). Later, he served in the US Army in Korea from 1956-1958, and he spent his entire life dairy farming until 1994. After Albert retired, he loved traveling and camping. In his free time, he enjoyed building instruments from wood.

MIDDLETON–Mary Diana Helt passed away on Aug. 29, 2022 at age 77. She was born in Kenosha on September 25, 1944. 

Mary married Donald Helt on April 20, 1963. Don preceded her in death in 2015.

Mary was a caregiver her whole life beginning with taking care of her siblings and into her adult years caring for her family and the elderly. She enjoyed gambling, cards and crafts. Most of all she loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. 

She will be dearly missed by her children: Donald, Jr. (Kathleen), Gregory (Dawn), Michael (Jennifer), Brian (Merri) and Andrea (Richard) Ziegler; 15 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; sister Phyllis (Everett) Duvall; sister-in-law, Sandy Hinkle; and other extended family and friends. 

She was preceded in death by her parents William and Kay Cole, husband Don, and brother Bruce Hinkle. 

CROSS PLAINS–Amanda Sue Butler, 24, of Cross Plains, passed away peacefully on February 22, 2022. She had been diagnosed with borderline personality and had spent years successfully fighting the ultimately overwhelmingly mental, emotional, and physical challenges that associate with this condition.

Amanda was born on Sept. 10, 1997 to Kenneth L. and Peggy Butler. In 2016 she graduated from Middleton High School where she was a member of the girls’ volleyball team. She was a beloved member of District 1 Emergency Medical Services in Cross Plains, and was certified as a CPR instructor, a state and national EMT, ACLS, PALS, CNA, and ER technician. She had a bachelor’s degree in arts and was currently a COVID-19 pandemic vaccinator.

MIDDLETON–Kathleen Ann Ballweg, 70, of Middleton, passed away on July 6, 2022. She was born at Madison General Hospital in Madison. on June 5, 1952, the eldest daughter of George Edwin Ballweg and his wife Margaret Gertrude (Coghlan) Ballweg.

She was raised in Middleton and graduated from Middleton High School in 1970. She was smart, adventurous, and confident, and she loved her family and friends very much.

While living in Madison, she went from cooking at Rennebohm’s while in high school to selling shoes at Manchester’s department store. Then, she fell in love with San Francisco and moved to California where she continued to work in the shoe business. She managed The Little Daisy in the Embarcadero Center then in Strawberry Village in Mill Valley, CA.

WESTON–John David Jensen of Weston, passed away Aug. 20, 2022, of Pancreatic Cancer. John was born on Sept. 15, 1966, the son of Barbara (Flaherty) and David Jensen.

John graduated from Middleton High School in 1984 and received a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He worked as a project manager for Municipal Well and Pump where he was a highly respected colleague and friend.

John loved spending time with his family and friends. He grew up playing hockey, was a member of Madison Junior Scouts, and got great enjoyment out of boating, hunting, fishing and spending time with his dog Gracie.

In 1993 John married Lisa Gauthier and they had two children, Caylee and Taylor. They shared 19 years together until her passing in 2012. After meeting Darcy Knapp in 2014, they married and built a wonderful life together, enjoying traveling, ballroom dancing, music and cooking. Darcy was a devoted wife and caregiver throughout his illness.

CROSS PLAINS–Paul Clarence Weber, 78, of Cross Plains, passed away peacefully at Heartland Country Village nursing facility in Black Earth on June 7, 2022. He was born at St. Mary's Hospital in Madison on May 14, 1944, to Leonard N. and Regina M. (Esser) Weber.

Paul graduated from Queen of Apostles Seminary High School in Madison and enlisted in the US Army National Guard. In August 1972, Paul married Ruthann Auman. He worked at Whitewater College as a baker and then he joined the family-owned Weber's Bakery, which began in 1967, located at 2223 Main St. in Cross Plains, until they closed in 1988. Paul later worked as a baker for Cub Foods grocery store in Madison, and at Middleton Farmers Co-op until he retired.

He is survived by his beloved wife of almost 50 years, Ruthann. He is also survived by his brothers, Edward (Katherine), Harold (Sue), Joe, and John (Janice); his sister-in-law, Donna  Weber; and many nieces and nephews.

LODI/LAKE WISCONSIN–JoAnn Roy Stormer, age 65, of Lodi, passed away on Jan. 12, 2022, at her home surrounded by her loving family.

JoAnn was born on July 9, 1956, in Rockford, IL, the daughter of Franklin and Jacqueline (Blais) Roy. After she graduated from Rockford's Boylan Catholic High School in 1974, she relocated to Madison to attend Edgewood College. 

In March of 1975, JoAnn met the love of her life, Stephen M. Stormer. Six months later they were engaged. Nine months after that they were married on June 26, 1976.

JoAnn began her career with the Catholic church, working as the Director of Education for three different Madison-area churches. In 1990, she transitioned to secular work as the Director of Volunteer Services for the Southwest Chapter of the American Red Cross. Throughout her career, she also participated in many professional organizations and boards.

WEST BEND–Mary Ann Baldwin, 75, of Madison, peacefully passed away on Aug. 3, 2022 at The Kathy Hospice, with her family by her side.

Mary was born to the late Roy and Mabel Rades, Nov. 1, 1946, in Shawano. She graduated from Shawano High School in 1965. She was immensely proud to have received her bachelor’s degree from Upper Iowa University in 1996 at the age of 49. Mary worked for over 36 years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, retiring in 2003 with emeritus status; she truly enjoyed her interactions with the engineering students, especially meeting those from other countries.