Obituaries

Cecelia Kay Heffernan, age 74, passed away October 19, 2023 in Boscobel, WI. There will be no services for Kay at this time. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Kay was born October 17, 1949 to Lillian and Paul Allenby in Wheeling, WV. Her father, Paul, was in the military and Kay lived abroad as a young child. She had a brother and best friend, Paulie, who passed away when he was 12 years old. After that Kay found the love of her life in Larry Heffernan at the age of 14. This started their lifelong journey as they were married when she was just 14 and he was 16 April 19, 1964 in Mexico.

Jerre J. Henthorn, 80, of Waukon died Saturday, October 21, 2023 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Memorial services are pending. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements.

Jerre Jean Henthorn was born August 7, 1943 in Richland Center, WI, the daughter of Gerald and Eva (Williams) Henthorn. She attended Chore Elementary and graduated from Readstown High School; she then attended Vernon County Teachers College for two years. Jerre received her teaching certificate from UW-Platteville and her special education endorsement from UNI in Cedar Falls.

Jerre taught third and fourth grades in Postville for five years before becoming a special education teacher at Waukon Junior High for 38 years. In 1983, she met Gregory A. Thiele and they were together until Greg’s death in 2021.

Milton “Bill” C. Jones, 84, of Harpers Ferry died Friday, October 20, 2023 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. A celebration of life will be held from 12-3 p.m. Saturday, October 28 at Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon. Burial with military honors will follow at Sixteen Cemetery in rural Monona.

Milton “Bill” C. Jones was born July 6, 1939 in Luana, one of 12 children of Andrew Nathan and Floy Olive (Clawson) Jones. He attended Ion country schools and, at age 17, joined the U.S. Navy. He served a total of six years and was stationed all around the world as a submarine tender.

August 20, 1966, Bill married Ramona Platten in Monona. He worked in Cedar Rapids for a couple years before going to Northern Engraving in Waukon. In 1975, Bill bought his Caterpillar bulldozer and helped farmers with terracing, building ponds and removing trees. In the early 1990s, he returned to Northern Engraving as a maintenance man, retiring in 2002.

Jim E. Nagel, 82, of Waukon died Thursday, October 19, 2023 at Northgate Care Center in Waukon. Funeral services were held Monday, October 23 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. John Moser officiating. Burial was at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon handled arrangements.

James “Jim” Edward Nagel was born June 17, 1941 in Waukon, the son of Edward and Aurelia (Stock) Nagel. He attended Waukon schools. February 23, 1963, he married Mary Sweeney at St. Mary’s Lycurgus Catholic Church in rural Waukon. For over 50 years, Jim worked for Quandahl’s Food Ranch in Waukon.

Family was very important to Jim; he loved spending time with them, especially his grandchildren. He enjoyed working in his yard and scratching lotto tickets. Jim collected guns, coins, stamps, marbles, dominoes and comic books. He was an all-around great guy, always very generous, kind, and had a positive word to say about everyone.

Raymond “Jim” Dougherty, 86, of Waukon, formerly of Dorchester, died Wednesday, October 11, 2023 at his home. Funeral services were held Tuesday, October 17 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. John Moser officiating. Burial with military honors was at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon handled arrangements.

Raymond “Jim” James Dougherty was born January 23, 1937 in Waukon, the son of Emmet G. and Irene (Bresnahan) Dougherty. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, attended country schools near Waukon, and graduated from St. Patrick Catholic High School in 1955. He then farmed with his parents and in 1960 went to military basic training in Missouri and AIT training for four months in Norfolk, VA, before becoming a reservist for six years out of Prairie du Chien, WI.

Virginia Anne Robinson (Anne), died peacefully October 9, 2023 in Chicago, IL. A Celebration of Life will be held in Chicago at a future date.

Anne Robinson was born November 11, 1937 in Manchester. She was the daughter of Burdette and Lynne Harris. Being the child of a serviceman, Anne traveled much during her younger years with stops in Illinois, Texas, Alabama, Nebraska, among others.

It was in Hanover, IL that she met the young man she would eventually marry.  Jack and Anne Robinson tied the knot July 18, 1956.  They settled down in Hazel Green, WI where their first child, Roxanne, was born.  A second child, Randy, was born three years later in Manchester. The family lived in Edgewood before moving to Waukon in 1969. In 2001, Jack and Anne moved full-time to Winter Haven, FL where they spent 18 years.

Gregory Lee Steffans, 65, of Somerset, KY passed away Monday, October 9, 2023 at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, WI. A Celebration of Life Gathering was held Saturday, October 14 at Schutte-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Postville. A Graveside Service was held Sunday, October 15 at God’s Acres in Clermont with Pastor Karla Johnson serving as the officiant.

Gregory was born December 20, 1957 to Donald and Wilma (Quandahl) Steffans in Decorah. He graduated from Valley High School in 1976.

Cindy Lou Peterson, 65, passed Saturday, September 2, 2023 with her family by her side at home in Harpers Ferry on the Mississippi River. A Celebration of Life Ceremony will be honoring her Saturday, October 14 at 12 p.m. during the Annular Solar Eclipse. A riverfront reception will immediately follow at the Peterson’s home at 219 South 1st Street in Harpers Ferry. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements.
 

Leslie Kerndt, Jr., 90, went to his heavenly home October 7, 2023 from the Northgate Care Center in Waukon. Memorial services were held Tuesday, October 10 at Zion United Church of Christ in Waukon with Pastor Grant VanderVelden officiating. Burial with military honors was at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon handled arrangements.

Leslie William Kerndt, Jr. was born August 28, 1933 to Leslie William and Irene (Gruber) Kerndt. He was born in a log cabin on the Center Township farm in rural Allamakee County; the payment to the doctor was a Holstein bull calf.

Les attended the rural schools of Center Township and graduated with the class of 1951 from Waukon High School. While in high school, he was active in all the sports. During a basketball practice, Les was dribbling down the court when the coach yelled, “Stretch”.  Stepping on the bus the next morning, everyone yelled “Stretch” and he has been known as “Stretch” ever since.

Dawn Roney, 65, of Waukon was called home to the Lord Thursday, October 5, 2023 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, MN surrounded by loved ones. Memorial services will be held Saturday, October 28 at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Waukon with Pastor Duane Smith officiating.

Friends may greet the family from 10 a.m. until time of services Saturday, October 28 at the church. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements.

Diane Dawn Roney was born June 25, 1958 in Postville, the daughter of Walter James and Dorothy Jean (Barr) Gelo. Dawn was raised on the family farm in the Forest Mills area of rural Postville, where she enjoyed riding her pony and taking long bicycle rides, several times all the way to Elgin to see her sister, Linda. She was baptized at First Baptist Church in Waukon and graduated from John R. Mott High School in Postville in 1976.