Obituaries

Wayne N. Martin, 85, of Waukon died Saturday, March 4, 2023 at his daughter’s home in Stoddard, WI. A celebration of life will be held Saturday, March 11 from 1-4 p.m. at Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon.

Wayne Neal Martin was born March 14, 1937 in Waukon, the son of James and Hazel (Rongstad) Martin. He attended country schools in the Waukon area, graduated from Waukon High School in 1956, and attended Upper Iowa University in Fayette on a football scholarship.

November 29, 1956, he married Elaine Jean Easley at Zion United Church of Christ in Waukon. Wayne worked for Charlie Feuerhelm for a couple of years then worked at Hygrade in Postville for 20 years; after working for Interstate Power in Lansing for 20 years, he retired in 1999. After retiring, he mowed the fairways at the Waukon Golf and Country Club for about 10 years.

Glenn Herbert Paus, 90, of Eitzen, MN passed away Saturday, March 4, 2023 at Spring Grove Assisted Living, Spring Grove, MN. A visitation will be held from 1-2 p.m. Thursday, March 9 at St. Luke’s Church, Eitzen, MN. Immediately following the visitation, a graveside service will follow in the church cemetery. Pastor Michael McCann will officiate. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to St. Luke’s Church, Eitzen, MN.

Glenn was born November 11, 1932 in Caledonia, MN to Frank and Emma (Deters) Paus. He graduated from Caledonia High School in 1950 and went on to attend college at Winona State and the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Ralph E. Callahan, 76, of Harpers Ferry passed away Saturday, March 4, 2023 at Crossing Rivers Health in Prairie du Chien, WI, surrounded by his family. Memorial services will be held Saturday, March 11 at 11 a.m. at St. Ann’s - St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Harpers Ferry with Fr. Joseph Sevcik officiating. Burial with military honors will be at Wexford Cemetery in rural Lansing.

Friends may greet the family from 9 a.m. until the time of services Saturday at the church. Thornburg-Grau Funeral Home in Lansing is handling the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to be made to the Wexford Cemetery or Crossing Rivers Health Hospice.

Robert “Bob” A. Roeder, 72, of Lansing passed away Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids due to heart complications. Memorial services were held Sunday, March 5 at Thornburg-Grau Funeral Home in Lansing with Pastor Bryan Robertson officiating. Military graveside honors were at Oak Hill Cemetery, Lansing. Memorials may be directed to the family.

Robert Allen Roeder was born November 27, 1950 in Lansing, the son of Clyde and Melita (Pottratz) Roeder. Growing up, Bobby helped run and operate the family business; his parents owned Roeder Tap (now The OP) in Lansing.

Bob graduated from Lansing Kee High School in 1970 and was a stellar athlete, excelling in baseball and basketball. After graduation, he entered the United States Army and served from 1970-1972. After receiving his discharge, he met the love of his life, Rita, at the Bright Spot in De Soto, WI. Bob and Rita Myhre were married June 2, 1973 in De Soto.

Kathryn “Kathy” M. Conway, 75, of Lansing lost her battle with cancer Monday, February 27, 2023 at Northgate Care Center in Waukon. In her final days she was surrounded by her loving husband and beloved children.

Funeral services were held Saturday, March 4 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lansing with Fr. Joseph Sevcik officiating. Burial was at Gethsemane Cemetery in Lansing. Memorials can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a charity she supported for over 18 years.

Mary A. Ward, 83, of Waukon died Saturday, February 25, 2023 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, March 1 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. John Moser officiating. Burial will be at St. Mary’s Hanover Cemetery in rural Waukon.

Friends may greet the family from 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, February 28 at Martin - Grau Funeral Home in Waukon, where there will be a 3:30 p.m. scripture service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the American Lung Association (https://www.lung.org/get-involved/ways-to-give).

Mary Ann Ward was born July 4, 1939 at home in Dorchester, one of 12 children to Emmett and Lillian (Doubek) Schwartzhoff. In 1957, she graduated from high school in Spring Grove, MN and then moved to Rochester, MN with her sister-in-law, Shirley Schwartzhoff, to work as a nursing assistant at the hospital.

Rev. Sue Moline Larson died February 23, 2023 at University Hospital, Madison, WI. Her funeral service will be at Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 Hwy. M, Middleton, WI Saturday, March 4 at 1 p.m. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to the time of service. Interment will be Monday, March 6 at 1 p.m. at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. In lieu of flowers, memorials will be directed to a scholarship fund to support students studying environmental justice and advocacy.

Sue was born February 20, 1947 in Waukon in the beautiful rolling hills of northeast Iowa near the Mississippi River Valley. She was baptized June 9, 1947 at Grace Evangelical United Brethren Church in Lansing. She attended the Ferring country school through fifth grade and then went to school in Waukon when her family moved due to father’s ill health.

Susan Stanton O’Connor, 83, of Bellevue, WA passed away peacefully in her sleep February 8, 2023 after battling lymphoma and dementia. A small private service will be held for the family. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Old Friends Club (welcome@oldfriendsclub.org), a dementia support group.

Susan was born June 14, 1939 in Chicago, IL to Erma Beryl Jones and James J. Stanton. The family moved to Waukon, where Susan attended school through grade 11. She moved to California and graduated from Tustin High School in 1957. Susan went on to graduate from Bellevue College as a Registered Nurse. She also spent over 20 years working for Sno-Isle Libraries as a library assistant at Mukilteo, WA.

Jim O’Neill, 73, of Waukon passed away Thursday, February 16, 2023 at his home in Waukon. Funeral services were held Tuesday, February 21 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. John Moser officiating. Burial will be held at a later date in Wexford Cemetery in rural Lansing.

James Francis “Jim” O’Neill was born August 21, 1949 in Decorah, the son of Steve and Eleanor (Mullarkey) O’Neill. He was baptized and confirmed at Wexford Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in rural Lansing and graduated from St. George Catholic School in Lansing in 1967.

December 5, 1970, he married Susan Marti at Wexford Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Wexford. Jim retired from his lifelong career at J.F. Brennan Company in 2011. Retirement years led to development of Wexford Valley Campground.

James N. Gruber Sr., 101, of Lansing died Saturday, February 11, 2023 at Good Samaritan Society in Waukon. Memorial services will be held Thursday, March 2 at 11 a.m. at United Methodist Church in Lansing with Pastor James “Buck” Buckhahn officiating. Burial will be held at a later date in Oak Hill Cemetery, Lansing. Friends may greet the family from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, March 1 at Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon.

James Norbert Gruber Sr. was born April 16, 1921 in Lafayette Township, rural Lansing, the son of Leslie and Salome (Hacklander) Gruber. He attended Prairie Lafayette School in rural Lansing. September 28, 1952, he married Catherine Hancock at Waterville Lutheran Church in Waterville.