News Center newsletter

Robert J. Potempa, 75, of Las Vegas, NV, died Wednesday, October 27, 2021 at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas, NV. He was reunited with Mary, his wife of over 40 years. Joint graveside services for him and Mary will be held Wednesday, December 1 at 11 a.m. at Oakland Cemetery in Waukon with Pastor Bryan Robertson officiating. Martin – Grau Funeral Home in Waukon assisted the family with local arrangements.

Robert J. Potempa was born April 10, 1946, the son of Bruno F. and Julia (Karas) Potempa on the south side of Chicago, IL. He attended St. Turibius Elementary School and De LaSalle High School. He married Mary Lou Burgess December 14, 1974.

Bob’s career in sales took him to Denver, CO and Las Vegas, NV, where he and his wife, Mary, lived for 30 years after he retired. Bob enjoyed traveling, attending church and playing golf.

James “Jim” F. Rossi, 95, of Lansing died Sunday, November 28, 2021 at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, La Crosse, WI. Funeral services will be held at a later date at Immaculate Conception Church, 648 Main Street, Lansing.

Online condolences may be made at www.blaschkeschneider.com.
 

Wayne W. Duvel, age 86, of Richland Center, WI passed away Monday, November 22, 2021 at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, WI. Upon Wayne’s wishes no formal funeral services will be held. No flowers are requested. Memorials can be made to Lakeland University Building Fund, Sheboygan, WI.

He was born in Waukon May 29, 1935, the son of Wesley and Ellen (Vangen) Duvel. June 18, 1960, he married Mary Jane Dhein. Wayne graduated from Lakeland College and earned his Masters in Education at UW-Superior. He worked for 35 years at Racine Unified School District and three years previous in Algoma, WI.

by Brittney Snitker, Pharm.D., BCPS, CDE, Pharmacist and Certified Diabetic Educator, Veterans Memorial Hospital

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. If you have diabetes, you are twice as likely to have heart disease or a stroke than someone who does not have diabetes.  There are many things you can do to lower your risk of heart disease. Diet and exercise are most important but when these are not enough, there are a few other medications that can help lower cardiovascular risk.

Veterans Memorial Hospital will be offering the next recertification course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for health care providers (those working in health related fields such as physicians, nurses, EMS, etc.) Thursday, December 2, beginning at 5 p.m. This “Health Care Professional” CPR class will be held in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of the hospital.

There is a small fee to attend this class and all registrants should bring along their own pocket mask, if they have one. Upon successful completion of the class, the participant will receive an electronic card certifying them as a BLS Healthcare Provider for a two-year period.

Pre-registration plus a minimum of three participants is required for the class to be held. All participants will be screened at the entrance, required to physically distance during the class and wear a mask.

Veterans Memorial Hospital has offered Babysitting classes for area youth for years and will now begin to offer Grandparenting classes as well.

Corinne Cook, RN, Babysitting Class instructor, is going to begin to offer Grandparenting Classes Saturday, December 4 at 9:30 a.m. 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.

During the winter months, blood donations are especially needed to help prevent a critical blood shortage. Local hospital patients rely on life-saving blood donations from volunteer blood donors. Help is needed to guarantee an adequate blood supply is available at all times.

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Monday, December 6 from 12-5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon. Blood drives are held monthly in Waukon to allow for more donors to give. The LifeServe Blood Center supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital with their blood and blood products. Here are some interesting blood facts from the LifeServe Blood Center:

Veterans Memorial Hospital will hold a Prepared Childbirth Education class (formerly called Lamaze) Saturday, December 18, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Large Conference Room.

The Prepared Childbirth Education classes at Veterans Memorial Hospital are offered in one half-day session. Tours of the OB Department are available with these sessions as well. There is a small fee per session for the Prepared Childbirth Education classes that are offered every three months at Veterans Memorial Hospital.

Preregistration is necessary, as seats are limited. To register, email childbirth@vmhospital.com or contact Jayne McCormick, RN, Nursing and OB Manger at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Shirley Elliott by Dave and Karen Mathis, Cindy Barness, Angeline Schulte, Chuck and Lois Votsmier, Ron and Nancy Brandt, Mary Ann Hager, Thomas and Judy Kemp, and Pat Pettingill.

Memorials were also received in memory of Eleanor O’Neill by Jerry and Linda Siegrist, Sandra Williams, Mary Axmear, Kay Carter, Kathy Clark, Nan Grangaard, Jim and Jill Kiesau, Roger and Rita Ludwig, Dave and Laurie Martin, Dale and Rita Mathis, Don and Connie Nagel, Sigurd and Barb Ness, Diane Regan, Gary and Janis Schulte, Larry and Nancy Straate, Terry and Laurie Welch, Barb White, and Chuck and Lois Votsmier.

In addition, the Foundation received memorial donations from Albin Massman in memory of Verna Massman, by Jeff Moe and Mary Ann Hager in memory of Dominick Damiano, and by Carol Paus and Richard and Sue Schulte in memory of Willard Meyer.

Lisa and Erik Hagen of Waterville announce the birth of their son, Matthew William Hagen, born October 20, 2021 at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, WI. He weighed 7 lbs. 3 ozs. and measured 19-1/2 inches in length at the time of his birth. He joins siblings, Michael Hagen (19), Katherine Hagen (15), Hannah Hagen (13) and Mark Hagen (6).

Grandparents are Elmo and Sheri Hagen of Waterville and the late Willard and Marsha Bieber of Waukon. The late Viola Moen of Waukon is a great-grandparent.