Obituaries

Mary K. Brandt, 99, of Atkins, formerly of Waukon, died Wednesday, July 17, 2024, at home in Atkins. Funeral services will be held Friday, August 2 at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. John Moser officiating. Burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon.

Friends may greet the family from 9:30 a.m. until time of services at the church Friday. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements.
 

Ralph L. Hicks, 91, of De Soto, WI, died Friday, July 19, 2024, at his home in De Soto. Funeral services will be held Thursday, July 25 at 11 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lansing with Fr. Joseph Sevcik officiating. There will be a 9 a.m. rosary with the visitation following until time of the services at the church Thursday. Burial will be held in Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Hokah, MN. Thornburg-Grau Funeral Home in Lansing is handling the arrangements.

No one knows where or when Ralph’s life began. A childless couple, Elbert and Stella (Hill) Hicks, adopted him from The Home for Little Wanderers in Saint Joseph, MO - now Noyes Home for Children. With no birth record, his Certificate of Adoption stated he was born “on or about June 7, 1933.”

Lyla M. Hanson, 81, of Waukon died Monday, July 15, 2024, at Northgate Care Center in Waukon. Memorial services will be held Saturday, July 27 at 11 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon with Pastor Bryan Robertson officiating. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Friends may greet the family from 9 a.m. until the time of services at the church.

Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements. The service will also be livestreamed on the funeral home’s facebook page: facebook.com/martinfunerals.

Lyla Marlene Hanson was born June 23, 1943, to Jerald and Irene (Erickson) Runice. She was baptized August 15, 1943, at West Prairie Hauge Church in Crawford County, WI. She graduated from De Soto High School in 1961. September 8, 1962, Lyla married Alvin Hanson in La Crescent, MN.

Throughout her life, she worked retail at many places, including Kwik Trip, Ioco, Quick Draw’s, and Quillins - from where she eventually retired.

Anne Caroline Surom, 86, of Strawberry Point passed away Tuesday, July 9, 2024, at Garnett Place in Cedar Rapids, surrounded by her family. Funeral service was held Tuesday, July 16 at Emanuel Lutheran Church, Strawberry Point. Interment also took place Tuesday, July 16 at Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church Cemetery, Waterville.

Anne was born July 31, 1937, in Arkansas, the daughter of James and Thelma (Johnson) Burrow. Anne was raised and educated in Little Rock, AR and was a graduate of Little Rock Junior College.

On New Year’s Eve in 1955, Anne and Herb met in Little Rock at a roller-skating rink. March 1, 1959, Anne was united in marriage to Herbert “Herb” Surom, Jr. Three sons were born to this union. Anne worked in advertising and marketing in Little Rock and later for Younkers in Des Moines.

Eric G. Palmer, 50, passed away after a long battle with brain cancer, at home surrounded by his family, July 15, 2024. A private burial will be held with Pastor William Odermann and Pastor Bryan Robertson officiating. A Celebration of Life will be held Friday, July 26 from 3-7 p.m. at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion, Waukon.

Memories are made to be shared. Please take a moment to write down your favorite memory made with Eric and share it with us. Notecards will be available for those who need them at the Celebration of Life. Memorials can be made to Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hospice, The Hope Lodge, Veterans Memorial Hospital, or St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon.

Robert “Bob” Van Brocklin, 90, of Lansing passed away Tuesday, July 9, 2024, at Thornton Manor in Lansing surrounded by his family. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, July 27 at 11 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lansing. A visitation will take place prior to the service beginning at 9 a.m. Following graveside services with military honors, a luncheon will take place at the New Albin Community Center.

Robert Keith Van Brocklin was born February 26, 1934, to Dwight and Bessie (Darnell) Van Brocklin in Allamakee County. He graduated from Lansing High School in 1951. A master of quick wit even at an early age, Bob was voted “class clown” by his high school classmates. His uncanny ability to wiggle his ears on command likely contributed to this well-deserved title.

Nicole M. McGeough, of Prescott Valley, AZ, age 28, formerly of Waukon, passed away suddenly Tuesday, June 25, 2024, at her home in Arizona. A prayer service will be held Saturday, July 20 at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. John Moser officiating. Burial will be at St. Pius Cherry Mound Cemetery in rural Harpers Ferry at a later date. Friends may greet the family from 9 a.m. until time of services at the church Saturday. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements.

Nicole was born May 9, 1996, at Winneshiek Memorial Hospital in Decorah to Laurie Gjere and Michael McGeough. She was baptized at St. Pius Cherry Mound Catholic Church, rural Harpers Ferry. Renewing her faith, Nicole was confirmed at St. Ann’s-St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Harpers Ferry.

Bonnie L. Iseli, 71, of New Albin died Thursday, July 4, 2024, at her home in New Albin. A visitation will be held Saturday, July 20 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon with a celebration of life to follow at Lid’s in Waukon from 1-3 p.m.

Bonnie Lou Iseli was born August 7, 1952, in Waukon, the daughter of Lynn and Virginia (Winters) Halverson. She graduated from Postville High School in 1970. While at the Waukon bowling alley one day, Bonnie met a handsome gentleman who would later become the love of her life, Kenneth Iseli. The two were married at Bethlehem Church in Ludlow Township October 17, 1970.

Richard (Dickie) Wilkins, age 84, of Germany, and formerly of Decorah, died June 29, 2024 at his home. A private military service will take place in Germany Wednesday, July 17.

Dickie was born August 26, 1939 to Wilbur and Nina (Cahoon) Wilkins at home near Rossville. April 3, 1962 Dickie married Wilma (Susie) Rebmann in Germany.

Dickie enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1960, and he retired March 1, 1980. He continued to make his home in Germany, working for a German construction company, building roads and bridges.

Lotus Wenona (Huffey) Bulman, age 93, passed peacefully into the arms of Jesus, her beloved Lord and Savior, the evening of July 9, 2024 at Gundersen Hospital, with family by her side. A private burial with the family was held Thursday, July 11 at the Trinity Cemetery near Spring Grove, MN.

Memorial services were held Sunday, July 14 at Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Spring Grove, MN with Reverend Tommy Case officiating. Roble Funeral Home of Spring Grove, MN assisted the family with arrangements.

Lotus was born at home, near Waterville, January 10, 1931 to Walter and Tilda (Olson) Huffey. She was the youngest of ten children. She had four brothers and five sisters: Lloyd, Vinton, Vernon, Shirley, Merle, Greta, Leatrice, George, and Esther. The family moved to Decorah when she was quite young and Lotus attended grade school there until the age of ten when the family moved back to the farm near Waterville.