Obituaries & Guestbook

Jamie M. Braun, 42, DePere, died suddenly of natural causes Monday morning, March 19, 2018.  He was born February 5, 1976 in Oconto Falls to Sherri Braun and Robert Konitzer.  Jamie grew up in Oconto Falls and Lena, graduating from Lena High School with the class of 1994. On April 4, 2009 he married Pattie Latvala in DePere, where the couple has made their home and raised their family.  Jamie was employed at Englewood Marketing Group for many years until [...]

OcontoFalls – Audrey A. (Kramer) Piper died on Friday evening, March 2, surrounded by her family. The youngest of 14 brothers and sisters, Audrey was born June 25, 1932, to Paul and Josephine (Matuzeski) Kramer at the family farm near Lena, WI and graduated from Lena High School. On June 23, 1951 she married Earl Piper at St. Charles (now St. Anne’s) Catholic Church in Lena. Audrey worked at the Oconto Falls High School cafeteria for six years and retired [...]

Ellen Mary Marguerite Kiley Lappen, 75, watercolour artist, believed flowers are like a beautiful ballet. Great-grandmother-to-be, devoted mother, grandmother and wife of 57 years, Ellen was called home by the Holy Spirit in the early morning hours of March 2, 2018. In Appleton, Wisconsin, she was born on June 23, 1942 to Dorothy (Van Gorp) and George W. Kiley, parents of six children. Ellen was the third born child and only girl. She attended Catholic grammar school and graduated from AppletonWestHigh School at the age of [...]

Myles H. Wellnitz, 60, Morgan, died Thursday evening, February 22, 2018 at home surrounded by his family following a hard fought battle with cancer.  He was born January 31, 1958 in Oconto Falls to Harvey and Betty (VanDenElzen) Wellnitz.  Myles attended Oconto Falls Public schools, graduating high school with the class of 1976.  Shortly after graduation, he went to work for Mid-Central Tool. On September 13, 1980 he married Dawn Gomber in Gillett.  The couple has lived in the Oconto [...]

Ruth O. Behnke, 97, Oconto Falls, died Tuesday afternoon, February 20, 2018.  She was born in the Town of Stiles to Ole and May (Erickson) Fredrickson.  Ruth grew up on the family farm, graduating from Lena High School with the class of 1938.  She graduated from Marinette County Normal in 1942 earning her teaching certificate and in 1966 earned her bachelors degree in elementary education at UW-Oshkosh.  Ruth taught school for 31 years, first in rural schools, then Lena Grade [...]

Karen Dumas, 79, Lena, died Monday afternoon, February 19, 2018 at Rennes East in Peshtigo.  She was born July 7, 1938 in Racine to Wilbur and Pearl (Sommerfeld) Jensen.  Karen graduated Oconto High School with the class of 1957. On May 1, 1959 she married Ronald P. Dumas in Arlington, VA.  The couple lived in the Town of Stiles for all of their married lives.  Karen was an avid reader who loved time spent with her family.  She was a [...]

Steven “Steve” C. Wirtz, 54, Oconto Falls, died suddenly Wednesday afternoon, February 7, 2018 at home following complications from a recently diagnosed illness.  The oldest of four children born to Chester “Chet” J. and Janice (Hansen) Wirtz was born May 22, 1963 in Oconto Falls.  Steve attended Oconto Falls Public Schools, graduating from high school with the class of 1982. On June 1, 1991 he married Joanne Taycher.  Steve was a self-employed farmer and for the past ten years employed [...]

Michael J. “Mike” Nelson, 69, Green Bay, formerly of Gillett, died comfortably Friday afternoon, February 2, 2018 at home.  He was born January 7, 1949 in Oconto Falls to Alfred “Swede” and Jeannette (Backhaus) Nelson.  Mike grew up on the family farm in the Town of Underhill and attended Gillett public schools, graduating from high school with the class of 1967.  Not long after graduation he was drafted into the US Army and proudly served in Vietnam. Mike lived in [...]

Ida Mae Messenger, 93, Lena, died Sunday morning, January 21, 2018 with family present.  She was born on January 23, 1924 in Oconto to Christopher and Grace (Baldwin) Follett.  She grew up in Oconto where she attended school, graduating from Oconto High School with the class of 1942.  On June 24, 1944 she married Harry J. Messenger at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Oconto.  Following their marriage the couple lived in Little Suamico for 29 years before moving to the [...]

Leslie Ann (Jossie) Suring, 74, Kelly Lake, died Monday evening, January 8, 2018 at home.  The only daughter of Clifford and Gladys (Anderson) Suring was born January 12, 1943 in Shawano.  Leslie graduated salutatorian of the class of 1961 from Suring High School.  Following graduation, she attended Lawrence College Conservatory of Music and earned her Bachelor of Science degree from UW-Madison while living at Kappa Delta sorority house.  She also earned her MSE from UW-Whitewater.  Leslie was a certified Reading [...]