News Center newsletter

The 2021-2022 Waukon boys basketball season was much like putting a puzzle together, with each piece that was added making the team and its efforts more complete on the way to an 8-14 season record. A 0-5 start to the season eventually played to a 1-9 mark near its midpoint before ultimately finishing with a 7-5 result over the second half of this winter’s campaign.

Some of the early missing puzzle pieces for the basketball Tribe during that single-win first half of the season included a pair of its most experienced players who were nursing injuries from the extended football season this past fall and did not come back to the starting line-up until after the holiday break.

Included in that pair was a returning consistent contributor in a reserve role from last season in senior Lincoln Snitker, along with last season’s leading scorer and a four-year varsity starter in senior Braden Hemann.

Gerald “Jerry” J. Schroedel, 82, of Waukon died Monday, March 14, 2022 at Northgate Care Center in Waukon. Funeral services were held Friday, March 18 at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Waukon with Pastor Kim Gates officiating. Burial was at Oakland Cemetery in Waukon.

Gerald John Schroedel was born July 25, 1939 in Sherburn, MN, the son of Mathias James Paul and Velma Minerva (Mowery) Schroedel. He grew up in Sherburn, where he attended grade school and graduated from Sherburn High School in 1957. During his high school years, Jerry was active in sports, playing basketball, and he especially enjoyed summer adult baseball league. He also enjoyed hunting and fishing with his dad and uncles; this continued into his adulthood.

LeOtia “Lee” E. Flage, 88, of rural Waukon died Saturday, March 12, 2022 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Memorial services will be held Saturday, March 19 at 11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Waukon with Pastor Grant VanderVelden officiating. Friends may greet the family from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services Saturday at the church.

Burial will be held at a later date at Oakland Cemetery in Waukon. Memorials may be directed to Good Samaritan Society or Veterans Memorial Hospital, both in Waukon. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements.

LeOtia “Lee” Edna Flage was born January 31, 1934 in French Creek Township, rural Lansing, the daughter of Walter and Selma (Ashbacher) Ebner. She was baptized, confirmed and later married at French Creek Methodist Church. After graduating from Waukon High School, LeOtia was the school secretary before moving to the big city of Chicago, IL with some friends for a year to work.

February 28, 2022, William “Bill” Downing was called home by our Heavenly Father. Please join us June 25, 2022 when we celebrate his life at Smithfield Cemetery, Monona.

Bill was born in Waukon October 15, 1932 to Vern and Bernice Downing. He was one of six children. He had four brothers: Dean, who currently resides in Postville, and Robert, Neale and Gary, who all preceded him in death. One sister, the apple of their eyes, Darlene Kadera, also preceded him in death.

After serving in the United States Navy, he moved to Monrovia, CA with his then wife, Evie, to work with his brother, Bob. His three children, Bill Jr., Susan Bernice and David John, were born there. He later moved to Ventura, CA, where he worked for McFarland Trailer Center.

John Albert Ashbacher, age 91, formerly of Waukon, went home to be with the Lord Friday, March 11, 2022. Funeral service will be held at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Evansville, WI Wednesday, March 16 at 1 p.m. A visitation will be held at the church one hour prior to the funeral service. A graveside service will be held at Oakland Cemetery in Waukon March 17 at 1 p.m.

John was born December 9, 1930 in the French Creek area of rural Lansing, the son of Harold and Louise (Scharping) Ashbacher. He attended a one-room country school through eighth grade. He played football, basketball and baseball for Waukon High School before graduating in 1948.

Don (Donald) “Duck” Anthony Manning, age 71, of Lansing passed away March 10, 2022 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Honoring Don’s wishes, he will be cremated, and there will be no visitation, funeral or memorial service. Memorials may be directed to the family.

Don was born June 2, 1950, the fourth child of Cyril and Vi (Augedahl) Manning of Lansing. He graduated from Kee High School, Lansing in 1968. Don married Rose Mary Marti August 28, 1969 in Crystal Falls, MI.

Don worked as a body man for the Ford Garage and for Dave Moritz at Crash Control, Lansing. In 1973, he began as a machine operator for LaVern Christoffer. In 1975, Don went to work for Mueller Pipeline as a union machine operator. In 1984, Don began working as an operator for Dave Christoffer, until his early retirement.

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Business and Community Solutions will be offering an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course in Waukon beginning March 28. This 138-hour course will conclude the end of July. This will be an in-person class held locally in Waukon, which is a huge advantage to students attending versus taking an online class.  NICC has received a grant to cover 70% of the tuition for this course so generous tuition assistance is available, keeping the class costs under $400.

Bethany Stock of Waukon is a new graduate and obtained her EMT license just this month. She works in Decorah during the day, but plans to help with ambulance call some evenings and weekends.

by Jill Fleming, MS, RD/LD, Veterans Memorial Hospital

You may have heard about green smoothies, but have you ever tasted one?  If not, you may want to reconsider.  Here is a short list of why you will gladly add a green smoothie to your daily diet. We have provided two recipes for you to try.  Feel free to substitute any of your favorite fruits or vegetables.

To Lose Weight: When I work with weight loss patients, one of the easiest ways for them to start losing weight is to add more fruit,  vegetables and water to their daily diets. My most successful weight loss clients are now eating a total of 8-10 servings of fruit or vegetables daily. To easily reach this goal; eat more vegetable-based soups, make omelets loaded with vegetables and drink green smoothies often.

Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care/Allamakee County Public Health will continue to offer walk-in clinics for all doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, each Friday afternoon, continuing through the entire month of March, from 1:30-3:45 p.m. in the ICN Conference Room located on the southeast side of the hospital. Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will be available.

Parking is available by the orange cones along the golf course for easy access to the vaccine location. Flu shots will also be available and can be safely administered at the same time as the COVID-19 vaccine.   Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Be sure to wear a mask and bring your insurance card and vaccination card if you are coming for your second or booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Both Hartig Drug and Nightingale Pharmacy in Waukon have vaccine available for ages 12 and older. Parental/guardian consent is required. Call them ahead to schedule an appointment.

Veterans Memorial Hospital will be offering the Grandparenting Classes again this spring.  Corinne Cook, RN, Babysitting Class instructor, will be instructing the next Grandparenting Class Saturday, April 2 from 9:30 a.m. until Noon. The class will be held in the hospital’s ICN Conference Room on the east side of the hospital, next to Gundersen Clinic.  Signs will be posted to mark the location.

In these classes, new or soon-to-be grandparents will learn all the new protocols to use when caring for their new grandchild. Some topics covered will include basic baby care, car seat safety, Tylenol/Ibuprofen dosing charts, home safety, poison control information, infant/child CPR, choking and other emergency medical information, as well as tips to support parents such as handling the baby blues and postpartum depression.  Free-will donations will be accepted to cover the costs of the class.