Obituaries

Charles Ray Prise

Charles Ray Prise

Jul 29, 2026

Charles Ray Prise of La Crosse, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully at the age of 98 on July 29th, 2026, at his home surrounded by his loving daughters.

Charles was born on August 25th, 1927, in La Crosse to John and Emma Prise. Charles graduated from Logan High School. In 1944 at the age of 17, he enlisted in the Navy on...

Linda Claire Peterson

Linda Claire Peterson

Jul 28, 2026

Linda Claire (Schmidt) Peterson, 83, of La Crosse passed away at home on July 28th, 2026. She was a lifelong resident of La Crosse - and if you’ve spent enough time in the city, chances are you’ve crossed paths in one way or another.

She was incredibly involved with her community throughout her life – always ready to be a friend...

David Alan Smith

David Alan Smith

Jul 27, 2026

David Alan Smith

July 2, 1955-July 27, 2026

David Alan Smith, age 71, went home to be with the Lord in early morning hours of July 27, 2026, at Gundersen Tri-County Hospital, Whitehall. At the time he was a resident of Trempealeau County Healthcare Center where he had lived for two years. He previously lived for many years at Lakeview Health Center...

Lillian (Lil) Malzacher

Lillian (Lil) Malzacher

Jul 25, 2026

Lillian (Lil) Malzacher (Knudtson), 94, of La Crosse, passed away peacefully in hospice care on July 25th.

Lil was born on September 11th, 1931 in Bangor, WI. She was the third-born of 8 daughters of Lester and Cora (Weinke) Knudtson.

Lil was a quintessential dairy farmer’s daughter. She recalled milking cows by hand, hauling hay, growing and canning fruits & vegetables from...

John J. Bower

John J. Bower

Jul 24, 2026

John J Bower, 84, of La Crosse passed away peacefully on 7/24/2026 at his temporary home in the Lighthouse at Riverside Transitional Care. He married the love of his life, Paulita (Lita) Severson, on August 19, 1963. His early work life was in the restaurant industry. When their family grew, he started a 32-year career with the La Crosse Municipal...

Virgil W. Hegenbart

Virgil W. Hegenbart

Jul 21, 2026

Virgil W. Hegenbart, 88, of La Crosse, died on Tuesday, July 21, 2026 at Benedictine Manor in La Crosse. He was born on December 8, 1937 in Rockland, WI to William and Doris (Dolan) Hegenbart. Virgil was a 1955 graduate of Cashton High School. He married Sharon Lind on December 28, 1957 in Sparta, WI. Virgil owned and operated Hegenbart...

Sharon H. Graw

Sharon H. Graw

Jul 21, 2026

Sharon H. (Hohlfeld) Graw, 82, of Onalaska, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on July 21, 2026, at Caretta Senior Living in Holmen, Wisconsin. She was born on May 5, 1944, in Trempealeau, Wisconsin, to William and Florence (Brom) Hohlfeld.

A devoted wife to Ron, loving mother of two, cherished grandmother of four, and the second youngest of seven children, Sharon will be...

Mary L. Schaller

Mary L. Schaller

Jul 20, 2026

Mary Schaller, 84, passed away peacefully on Monday, July 20, 2026, at Mulder Health Care Facility in West Salem, Wisconsin.

She was born Mary Louise Sieger on April 15, 1942, in Madison, Wisconsin, to Raymond and Romelda Sieger. She spent her childhood in Madison with her parents and younger brother, Joe, until tragedy struck when she was orphaned at the age...

(Dale) Scott Koblitz

(Dale) Scott Koblitz

Jul 18, 2026

Dale Scott Koblitz, 49, of La Crosse, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at his home. He was born on December 22, 1976, to Scott Koblitz and Katherine McLain. Though his given name was Dale, everyone knew him as Scott.

On September 1, 2001, Scott married Darcey Stevenson. They welcomed their daughter, Hayley, before later divorcing. On May 26,...

Jean D. Herlitzka

Jean D. Herlitzka

Jul 18, 2026

Jean Herlitzka, 90, of Onalaska, passed away peacefully on July 18, 2026, at Eagle Crest Senior Living Facility North. Jean was born May 11, 1936, to Wallace and Arline Keily of West Salem. She grew up in La Crosse and graduated from Central High School in 1953. On July 30, 1955, she was united in marriage to Richard (Dick) Herlitzka...

Marilyn J. Williams

Marilyn J. Williams

Jul 16, 2026

Marilyn J. (Wilder) Williams, 91, of La Crosse, died on Thursday, July 16, 2026 at Benedictine Manor in La Crosse. She was born on October 5, 1934 in La Crosse to Elmer and Eleanor (Hase) Wilder. She married William “Bill” Williams on February 21, 1953 in Veedersburg, IN. Marilyn spent 25 years working as a housekeeper at Bethany Riverside in...

Doris A. Witmer

Doris A. Witmer

Jul 16, 2026

Doris Ann Witmer (Theis) died on July 16, 2026, at her home in La Crosse. She was born in Milwaukee, WI on December 24, 1932, to Alvin R. and Irene Theis. Doris graduated from Shawano High School in 1951 and attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison and Milwaukee, earning a library certificate. She worked on the Shawano County Bookmobile for...

Michael "Mike" James Kohnert

Michael "Mike" James Kohnert

Jul 16, 2026

Michael James Kohnert, 79, of La Crosse, passed away on Thursday, July 16, 2026 at the Gundersen Health System. He was born on May 21, 1947 to Curt and Corrine (Kabat) Kohnert in La Crosse. Mike graduated from Logan High School in 1965 and then joined the Air Force. He was a Vietnam veteran. Returning home, he then attended UW-La...

Lanny D. Powlek

Lanny D. Powlek

Jul 15, 2026

Lanny D. Powlek, 74 of Onalaska passed away at his home on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. He will laid to rest, next to his wife, Christine, at Oak Grove Cemetery in La Crosse on Friday, August 21, 2026 at 10:00 am.

Sandra K. Bjorkman

Sandra K. Bjorkman

Jul 14, 2026

Sandra “Sandy” K. Bjorkman, 77, of Holmen, WI, peacefully passed away on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse. She was born in La Crosse, WI, on August 24, 1948, to Donald and Mary Anderson (nee Pervisky).

While staying local her whole life, Sandy worked many jobs serving her community. After graduating from Logan High School in...

Richard G. Nimmo

Richard G. Nimmo

Jul 12, 2026

Richard “Dick” Gail Nimmo, 89, of Trempealeau, passed away peacefully at home on July 12, 2026, following a brief illness, surrounded by his wife, Gloria Nimmo, and his granddaughter-in-law, Kendra Deschaine. Born on July 4, 1937, Dick lived a long and meaningful life centered on hard work and love for his family.

Dick and Gloria were united in marriage on May...

Michael W. Riendl

Michael W. Riendl

Jul 12, 2026

Michael Wells Riendl, 62, of Onalaska passed away on Sunday, July 12, 2026 at UW Health University Hospital in Madison, WI with his wife by his side after a short ten month, hard-fought battle with cancer. He was born September 4, 1963 in Viroqua to Tom and Julaine (Leahy) Riendl. He graduated from Westby High School in 1981 and later...

Betty M. Haas

Betty M. Haas

Jul 11, 2026

Betty Marie (Johnson) Haas, age 98, passed away on July 11, 2026. She was born on September 17, 1927, in La Crosse, Wisconsin. She graduated from Logan High School in 1945. Betty was married to Robert Haas for 63 years and had two daughters.

Throughout her life, Betty was an avid reader, loved animals -especially dogs, dancing, and loved sharing her...

Sherry A. Churchill

Sherry A. Churchill

Jul 9, 2026

Sherry A. Churchill, 89, of La Crosse passed away on Thursday, July 9, 2026 after a battle with cancer.

Sherry is survived by her husband, Lawrence “Larry” Churchill; children, Steve (Julie), Kevin (Amy), and Debbie (Ron Atkisson); grandchildren, Stephanie (Bryant) Neises, Nathan (Leonard Escalante), Jordan (Christine), and Kayla (Paul) Beron; and great grandchildren, Cohen and Colbi Beron.

Funeral services will be held...

Judith "Judy" Ann Hansen

Judith "Judy" Ann Hansen

Jul 8, 2026

Judith "Judy" Ann (Baumgartner) Hansen, 81, entered her eternal paradise on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. Born to Susan (Hafner) and Ambrose Baumgartner, Judy was the second of fourteen children. She grew up on the family farm in Bush Valley, rural La Crescent, where she learned the values of hard work and the importance of family—qualities that would define her for...