News Center newsletter

The Kee girls basketball team had both its regular season and overall season brought to a close this past week for its 2022-2023 campaign, suffering a pair of losses in two games played. The Lady Hawks first fell at home, 66-43, to Waukon Monday, February 6 in a game rescheduled from January 3 to bring its regular season to a close, before then having its overall 2022-2023 season ended in the opening round of Class 1A Regional Tournament play with a 79-29 loss at Edgewood-Colesburg Thursday, February 9.

The losses bring the Lady Hawks’ season to a close with a 5-16 overall record that includes a 5-11 mark that placed the Kee girls sixth in the final nine-team Upper Iowa Conference standings. With its regional win, Edgewood-Colesburg advanced on to play 10th-rated Central Elkader Tuesday, February 14 in the Region 6 quarterfinals.

Senior Maggie Criswell claims another assist record with new single-season mark

The Waukon girls basketball team played a busy week of three games this past week but put all of them in the win column, including the end of its regular season and Northeast Iowa Conference (NEIC) season, as well as the beginning of its postseason. The Lady Indians first defeated Kee, 66-43, in a non-conference road game Monday, February 6 in a game made up from January 3, then wrapped up their regular and NEIC seasons with a 76-37 win at Charles City Tuesday, February 7, before opening Class 3A Region 7 Tournament play with a 66-38 win at North Fayette Valley Saturday, February 11.

For more complete coverage, pick up this week's print edition or subscribe to our e-edition by clicking here.

Natasha Lynn Walleser, age 27, of Lansing passed away Sunday, February 12, 2023 surrounded by family at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, WI. She was the beautiful daughter of Fred and the late Dora Walleser. She was the loving older sister of Ethan, Michael and Michelle.

There will be a service in her honor at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lansing at 1 p.m. Friday, February 17, followed by a visitation and celebration of life at TJ Hunters Banquet Hall starting at 3 p.m. All who knew and loved her are welcome to attend.

Mark N. Benda, 43, of Waukon died suddenly Thursday, February 9, 2023 at his home. Memorial services will be held Friday, February 17 at 11 a.m. at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Waukon with Pastor Kim Gates officiating. Friends may greet the family from 4-8 p.m. Thursday, February 16 at Martin - Grau Funeral Home in Waukon. In lieu of flowers and gifts, memorials are preferred for his daughter, Nalia.

Mark Neal Benda was born February 9, 1980 in Waukon, the son of Paul and Kathy (Palmer) Benda. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Waukon, where he remained a lifelong member. Mark attended Waukon schools and graduated in the class of 1998.

He worked in concrete construction for Rusty Berger and for his brother, Matt. For the past five years, Mark worked for the City of Waukon as an operator at the sewer plant. Mark loved working on the family farm as a kid and continued to help his neighbors and friends with their farm work.

Clair Wagner, 86, of Lansing died peacefully in his home surrounded by family February 11, 2023. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Friday, February 17 and from 9:45-11:45 a.m. Saturday, February 18. Scripture service will take place at 4 p.m. Friday and Funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, all taking place at Immaculate Conception Church in Lansing.

In lieu of flowers, donations/memorials may be made to Holy Family of the Bluffs Faith Formation, Gethsemane Cemetery Restoration, or Crossing Rivers Hospice of Prairie du Chien, WI.

Clair Francis Wagner was the fourth son and eighth child in the Frank and Monica (Hogan) Wagner family.  He was born in Waukon April 1, 1936. Clair graduated from Immaculate Conception (IC) High School in Lansing in 1954. At IC, Clair was a catcher on the baseball team and a key member of their 1954 Archdiocesan Championship basketball squad.

John “Jack” Levi Hagensick, age 89, of Waukon passed away at home after a short battle with cancer Wednesday, February 8, 2023. Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, February 17 at the Zion Lutheran Church, 117 West Greene Street in Castalia. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service Friday at the church.

Jack was the only child born to Joseph and Lois (Bacon) Hagensick in Waukon June 2, 1933. Jack went to school in Waterville through the eighth grade. They then moved to Castalia where Jack started farming with his dad. This is where he met the love of his life, Sally Schultz, who lived just a mile down the road.

Jack married Sally December 27, 1953. They farmed in Castalia until 1965 when they purchased their own farm in Glenwood Township. There they raised their five children.

Debra Ann Zeimet, 57, formerly of Waukon, finished her journey Monday, January 16, 2023 at Thornton Manor Nursing Center, Lansing, where she spent the last 16 months of her life. All are welcome for a graveside gathering Saturday, February 25 at 11 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Church, Wexford, where she will rest alongside her beloved mother, Gloria.

Her pure spirit was born to Adrian and Gloria (Hodgkinson) Zeimet January 3, 1966 in Prairie du Chien, WI. As the youngest, she was welcomed into a home of four brothers and two sisters where she won our love and showed us how to care. Those siblings included Frank (Kim) Zeimet of Kearney, MO, John (Joyce) Zeimet of Camdenton, MO, Robert (Barb) Zeimet of De Soto, WI, Catherine (Robert “Bob”) Stevenson of De Soto WI, Kenneth Zeimet of Smithville, MO and Teresa (Tim) Jandrey of Gilbert MN.

Norman “Chris” Clinton Christianson, 78, of Issaquah, WA passed away at home January 27, 2023 of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Chris was born in Waukon April 14, 1944 to Hilma Corneilia (Larson) and Andrew Cornelius Christianson. He worked the family farm in Waukon after graduating from high school. Chris served in the United States Navy and the Marines as a hospital corpsman from 1966 to 1970. He was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal with Combat “V” for meritorious service while serving in Vietnam.

Toward the end of his military career, he was stationed at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, CA. There he met Gayle Shapiro and they married five months later. Chris and Gayle lived most of their lives and raised their two sons in Vallejo, CA.

Chest pain is a common presenting complaint in any emergency room, including the emergency room at Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH). There is always the possibility of heart disease in every complaint of chest pain or upper abdominal pain, and it must be taken very seriously.

The common signs and symptoms of an acute myocardial infarction, commonly called a heart attack, are;

1. Chest pain (crushing, squeezing or heaviness).
2. Sudden onset of weakness, nausea, fainting and sweating without an obvious cause.
3. Pain that radiates to the shoulders, neck or arms.

These symptoms occur when the blood flow to a part of the heart is blocked, often by a blood clot. This happens because coronary arteries that supply the heart with blood slowly become clogged from a build-up of cells, fat and cholesterol called plaque.

Veterans Memorial Hospital recently received a large donation of hand-made baby blankets from Cindy Hertrampf of rural Monona. Many of the blankets are pictured above with Cindy and will be given to young patients in ER, surgery and inpatient areas of the hospital. Many will also be offered for sale in the hospital gift case which is managed by the Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital. Submitted photo.