Obituaries

John Manning passed away Saturday, March 5, 2016 in Lansing. Visitation will be at Maresh-Meredith Funeral Home, located at 803 Main Street in Racine, WI, Friday, March 18 from 5-7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday, March 19 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Richard’s Catholic Church, located at 1503 Grand Avenue in Racine, WI, with Reverend Ron Gramza officiating. Burial will immediately follow at Calvary Cemetery in Racine, WI. In lieu of flowers, memorials are to be directed to the Lansing Fire Department and Ambulance Service, Lansing, IA 52151.
John was the son of Cyril Manning and Viola (Augedahl) Manning-Strub. He was born December 3, 1953 in Waukon and attended Immaculate Conception Grade School and St. George High School (Class of 1972) in Lansing and Gateway Technical College in Kenosha, WI. He lived in Racine, WI from 1974-2005.

Richard A. Hager, 64, of Elkader, formerly of Waukon, died Thursday, March 10, 2016 at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, WI. Visitation will be held Thursday, March 17 from 4-7 p.m. at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon.
Richard Arthur Hager was born November 15, 1951 in Waukon, the son of Arthur Fredrick and Leona Marie (Glaser) Hager. He was baptized at Bethlehem Presbyterian Church in rural Postville and confirmed at First Presbyterian Church in Waukon. He graduated from Waukon High School in 1970. June 30, 2001 he married Aileen Mary Tackitt in a ceremony in rural Harpers Ferry.

Violet G. Long, age 73, died February 23, 2016 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon.
Violet was born June 16, 1942 in rural Monona to Lester Schlitter and DELillia Bollman. She became a child of God through the sacrament of baptism in the Methodist Church of Monona. She graduated in 1960 from Waterville High School, where she was a member of the softball team.
In 1961, she married Ervin Bugenhagen. They are the parents of three children. November 17, 1990, she married James Long.
Violet worked at various factories, restaurants and pubs. She enjoyed spending time with family and friends, bowling, going to toy shows with her husband, Jim, going to dances, and playing cards.
Violet was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Jim; her brother, Arno Schlitter; and a step-grandson, Brent Blietz.

Verdine J. Berns, 79, of Waukon died Thursday, March 10, 2016 at his home in rural Waukon surrounded by his loving family. Funeral services were held Monday, March 14 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, with Rev. Msgr. Cletus Hawes, Fr. Donald Hawes, Rev. Msgr. Ed Lechtenberg, Fr. Gary Mayer and Deacon Mike Ward officiating. Burial with military graveside rites was at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Patrick Catholic School or Veterans Memorial Hospital, both in Waukon.

Eleanor C. Ryan, 94, of Waukon died Wednesday, March 9, 2016 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services were held Tuesday, March 15 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, with Rev. Msgr. Cletus Hawes, Fr. Donald Hawes, Rev. Msgr. Ed Lechtenberg and Deacon Mike Ward officiating. Burial was at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon.
Eleanor Clemence Ryan was born April 29, 1921 on her grandparents’ Jefferson Township farm near Rossville. She was the daughter of John Charles and Miranda Helen (Link) Larkin. Eleanor was baptized and confirmed at St. Pius Catholic Church, Cherry Mound. She attended the Jefferson #7 country school and in 1941 graduated from St. Patrick High School in Waukon.

Margaret “Lois” Robinson, age 90, passed away peacefully March 9, 2016 at Thornton Manor in Lansing. Mass of Christian Burial was held Monday, March 14 at St. Ann-St. Joseph Catholic Church in Harpers Ferry, with the Rev. John Moser as celebrant. Burial followed in St. Joseph Paint Rock Cemetery, rural Harpers Ferry.
Lois was born December 1, 1925 to Thomas and Crystal (Reed) O’Brien on a farm near Paint Rock, rural Harpers Ferry in the same house that her father was born. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Joseph Catholic Church at Paint Rock.
She attended rural schools through her elementary grades and then for two years attended Waukon High School. She transferred to the Harpers Ferry High School, where she graduated in 1944. She was a member of the Harpers Ferry High School basketball team.

Robert N. Ferring, 88, of rural Lansing died peacefully surrounded by his loving family Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at Thornton Manor in Lansing. Mass of Christian Burial was held Saturday, March 12 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Lansing, with Rev. John Moser and Msgr. Ed Lechtenberg as the Concelebrants. Burial followed at Gethsemane Cemetery, Lansing with Military Rites.
Bob was born on the family farm near Churchtown July 26, 1927 to Nick and Gertrude (Doehler) Ferring. He attended school at Center Township #1 through the eighth grade. He farmed with his father and brother, Paul, until July 10, 1951 when Bob was drafted into the Army, serving primarily in Japan and a short time in Korea. He returned home June 9, 1953, rejoining his father and brother on the farm. The farming operation expanded where he owned his own farm.

Ruby O. Kloke, 84, of Waukon died Friday, March 4, 2016 at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, WI. Funeral services were held Tuesday, March 8 at Bethlehem Presbyterian Church in rural Postville, with Rev. Gary Catterson officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery.
Ruby Oretta Roldson Kloke was born November 7, 1931 in Waukon, the daughter of Oscar Bernard and Ruth Christine (Christianson) Roldson. She was baptized and confirmed at the Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church in rural Waterville and graduated from Waterville High School in 1949. Following schooling she worked as a nanny for several years.

Katherine “Kathy” C. Johnson, 55, of Waukon passed away February 24, 2016 at Good Samaritan Society in West Union. Friends may call from 4-6 p.m. Friday, March 4 at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon. Kathy’s wishes were to have her ashes spread near a memorial of her late mother-in-law, Virginia Johnson from Ferryville, WI, arranged by the family.

Doris L. Blietz, 92, of Lansing died Friday, February 19, 2016 at Thornton Manor in Lansing. Burial was at God's Acres Cemetery in Clermont Tuesday, February 23. Martin Funeral Home in Waukon handled arrangements.
Doris L. Blietz was born July 20, 1923 in Cedar Rapids, the daughter of John I. and Millie S. (Yauslin) Smith. She grew up and lived in the Cedar Rapids area and in 1942 graduated from McKinley High School. For 37 years, Doris worked as a tailor/seamstress for Killian’s and Armstrong’s department stores in Cedar Rapids.
February 13, 1970, she married Vernon L. Blietz in Miami, FL, and in 1977, the couple moved to the Waukon area until 1982. They then moved to Arizona and then Arkansas before moving to Lansing in 1987. Doris enjoyed sewing, going to high school reunions and visiting with classmates, trout fishing and politics.