OBITUARIES
Duane Jacobson
Feb 7, 2021
Duane E. (Jake) Jacobson, 84, of Belvidere, Illinois, formerly of Decorah, Iowa, passed away Sunday, February 7, 2021 at Fairhaven Christian Retirement Center in Rockford, IL. A walk through visitation will be held at the Anderson Funeral and Cremation Services in Belvidere from 3:00 to 5:00 pm Thursday, February 11, 2021. A second walk through visitation will be held from...
Keith O. Lawrence
Feb 7, 2021
Keith O. Lawrence died February 7th, 2021, from COVID-19 while in hospice care at Aase Haugen in Decorah, Iowa. He was 95. Despite the quarantine, his daughters were at his side as he peacefully slipped away. Born April 7, 1925 in Mount Ayr, Iowa, to Fairy Belle and Conrad Lawrence, Keith and his older brother Richard were raised on a...
Paul "Coach" Schmitz
Feb 4, 2021
Paul “Coach” Schmitz, age 73, of Mabel, MN (Formerly of Festina, IA) died on Thursday, February 4, 2021, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, MN. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, February 9, 2021, at Our Lady of Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Festina, Iowa, with Rev. Donald Hertges officiating. Burial will be in the...
Grace Nockels
Feb 3, 2021
Grace Nockels, 94, of Mason City passed away peacefully of natural causes on February 3, 2021. She was laid to rest October 26,2022 next to her beloved husband Alvin at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church cemetery in Spillville, Iowa. Grace Rose was born July 23, 1926, to Stella and Alois Shevik in Spillville, Iowa. She grew up on the family farm...
Katherine Germann Johnson
Feb 1, 2021
Decorah native Katherine Germann Johnson died February 1, 2021 at her home in Austin, Texas. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, James and Sue Updegraff, her daughter, Margaret Updegraff Lalk; grandchildren, Geoffrey Lalk (Sarah), Kathryn Lalk Shults, Anne Updegraff and Sarah Updegraff (Steve Murray); by great grandchildren Alayna and Russell Armentrout, Cade, Jenna and Westen Murray, and Julia...
Barbara Mckenzie
Jan 31, 2021
Barbara Frances McKenzie, aged 79, passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 31, 2021, at Good Samaritan Society in Postville, Iowa. She was born September 9th, 1941 in Roswell, New Mexico to Kenneth Sexe and Violet (Jones) Sexe. She was a graduate of Pocahontas (IA) High School. Barbara married Jerome McKenzie on June 13th, 1962 at Trinity Lutheran Church in rural...
Fred Gerleman
Jan 31, 2021
Fred Gerleman, age 63, of Highlandville, IA, died on Sunday, January 31, 2021 at Methodist Hospital in Rochester, MN. Visitation will be from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 4, 2021 at the Schluter-Balik Funeral Home, 604 South Ave in Decorah. A private family graveside service will take place on Friday, February 5 with Rev. Donald Hertges presiding. Everyone...
Pauline Fossum
Jan 29, 2021
Pauline Fossum, age 95 of Decorah, Iowa passed away on Friday, January 29, 2021, at Wellington Place in Decorah. A private family service will be held at Big Canoe Lutheran Church with Pastor Stacey Nalean-Carlson officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Pauline was born on February 2, 1925, the daughter of Perry and Nora (Helgerson) Olson at the...
Theola Haugen
Jan 29, 2021
Theola Haugen, age 82, of Decorah, IA, died on Friday, January 29, 2021, at the Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah, IA. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, February 3, 2021, at the Decorah Lutheran Church, with Rev. Peter Kowitz presiding. Burial will be in the Lutheran Cemetery in the Spring. Visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m.,...
Lance Sbiral
Jan 25, 2021
Lance Sbiral, 76, of Spillville, IA, died on Monday, January 25, 2021 at his home outside of Spillville surrounded by his family. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 30, 2021 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Spillville, IA with Deacon Dan O’Brien presiding. Burial will be in the St. Wenceslaus Catholic Cemetery with full...
Frances Sullivan
Jan 22, 2021
Frances I. Sullivan, age 89, of Decorah, IA, went home to be with her Lord Friday morning, January 22, 2021. Frances Irene (Hull) Sullivan was born on January 15, 1932 to Leo and Agnes (Palmer) Hull in Russell, Iowa. She was raised on a farm there with brothers Howard and Carl, both deceased, and younger sister Pauline. She graduated from...
Donald O. Johnson
Jan 21, 2021
Donald O. Johnson, age 88, of Decorah, IA, died Thursday evening, January 21, 2021 at Wellington Place in Decorah. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, January 28, 2021 at Decorah Lutheran Church with Rev. Peter Kowitz officiating. Burial will be in the spring in Lutheran Cemetery in Decorah with Military Honors. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m....
Jean Corrigan
Jan 20, 2021
Jean Corrigan, age 87, of Decorah, IA, died on Wednesday, January 20, 2021, at the Barthell O.E.S Home in Decorah, IA. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, at St. Benedict Catholic Church, 307 West Main Street, Decorah, IA, with Rev. Donald Hertges presiding. Burial will be in St. Benedict Catholic Cemetery,...
Patricia "Pat" Fitch
Jan 20, 2021
Patricia Fitch, age 82, of Decorah, IA, died on Wednesday, January 20, 2021, at Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah, IA. A private family funeral service will be held at Big Canoe Lutheran Church with Rev. Kurt Bockoven presiding. Burial will be in the Big Canoe Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Winneshiek County Home Health and...
Phyllis Lechtenberg
Jan 19, 2021
Phyllis Lechtenberg, age 97, of Festina, Iowa, died on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, at the Ossian Senior Hospice in Ossian, IA. A private mass will be held at Our Lady of Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Festina, Iowa, with Rev. Robert Gross officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. In Lieu of flowers: Memorials may be made to the...
Shirley Arneson
Jan 14, 2021
Shirley J. Arneson, age 89, of Decorah, IA, died Thursday morning, January 14, 2021 at Barthell O.E.S. Home in Decorah. Private Family Services will be held at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah with Rev. Kurt Bockoven officiating. Burial will be in Big Canoe Lutheran Cemetery. Shirley June (Albertson) Arneson was born on January 22, 1931 to Herman and Ada (Hove)...
Dennis Frana
Jan 11, 2021
Dennis Frana, age 88, of Decorah, IA, died on Monday, January 11, 2021 at his home in Decorah, IA. A mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., on Saturday, January 16, 2021, at the St. Benedict Catholic Church in Decorah with Rev. Donald Hertges presiding. Burial will be in the church cemetery with full military honors. The...
Rev. Donald Berg
Jan 10, 2021
Rev. Donald L. Berg, age 86, of Decorah, Iowa, died Sunday morning, January 10, 2021, at Barthell O.E.S. Home in Decorah. Memorial Services will be held at 1:00 P.M. Saturday, June 19, 2021, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Decorah with Pastor Amy Larson officiating. Inurnment will be in Union Prairie Cemetery in rural Decorah. Pastor Donald LaVerne Berg was...
Alan Hovden
Jan 10, 2021
Alan Hovden, age 82, of Ridgeway, IA, died on Sunday, January 10, 2021 at his home outside of Ridgeway. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, January 14, 2021, at the Decorah Lutheran Church, 309 Winnebago Street, Decorah, IA, with Rev. Peter Kowitz presiding. Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. until the time of service on Thursday morning...
Joyce Ellingson
Jan 9, 2021
Joyce Elaine Ellingson, age 71, passed away on Saturday morning, January 9, 2021, in Charles City, Iowa, where she had been a long-term resident of Chautauqua Guest Home. Joyce was preceded in death by her parents Clifford T. Ellingson and Eleanor (Iverson) Ellingson, and by her brother-in-law Bruce Battles. Joyce is survived by her sisters and brother: Julie (Ron) Moore...
