Obituaries

Mar 2, 2021

Karen Joann Mero, age 76, of Eau Claire, passed away Tuesday, March 2, 2021, at her home. Karen was born April 20, 1944 in Minneapolis, MN, to the late Peter and Margit (Underland) Mellom. She graduated from West High School with the Class of 1962. Karen received her Bachelors of Science from the University of Minnesota, School of Nursing...

Mar 1, 2021

Stanley H. Kohlhepp, age 82, of Eau Claire, passed away Monday, March 1, 2021, at Dove Healthcare Hospice Reflections with his family by his side. Stanley was born August 14, 1938, in Fall Creek, WI, to the late Harry and Esther (Baumbach) Kohlhepp. He graduated from Eau Claire High School with the Class of 1956. After high school, Stanley...

Mar 1, 2021

George A. Risler, 85, of Eau Claire, passed away on Monday, March 1, 2021, at his home. George was born on December 6, 1935, in Rock Falls, WI, to Charles and Anna (Pichler) Risler. He enlisted in the US Navy and honorably served his country. George worked at Pope & Talbot paper mill as a pipe fitter for 30+...

Feb 26, 2021

John Phillip Kircher was born on August 6, 1939, in Pepin, Wisconsin to Gerald and Goldie (Kidd) Kircher, the third child of eight. He died peacefully on February 26, 2021 at home surrounded by his family.

John grew up in Pepin and at the end of his life he longed for his childhood home and his family...

Feb 24, 2021

Margaret Diane (Kubina) Reichenbach, age 86, of Eau Claire, died on February 24th, 2021, at Grace Woodlands Assisted Living Facility, Eau Claire, after a courageous battle of Alzheimer's. Margaret was born on April 15th, 1934 in Snow Creek, near Black River Falls, Wisconsin to John and Helen (Halverson) Kubina. She grew up on a farm as well as working...

Feb 19, 2021

James "Sonny" Melhus, 98, of Cameron Park, CA, passed away peacefully on February 17, 2021. James was born August 9, 1922, in Eau Claire, WI, to the late Arthur and Myrtle (Gray) Melhus. James graduated from Logan High School with the Class of 1941. He later joined the US Army, 101 ST Airborne 506TH Headquarters Company, serving in WWII...

Feb 16, 2021

Enid M. Cota, 96, passed away on February 16th, 2021 of natural causes. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Born on May 30th, 1924, in Southport, England, to William and Amelia Slater, Enid grew up in Preston, England, along with her brother and two sisters. After graduating from St. Luke's Girls School, she was employed at...

Feb 16, 2021

Hal Lemmage passed away on February 16, 2021. He was 67 years old. Hal was born on July 28, 1953, to Harpo and Verdell Lemmage in Buffalo, Minnesota. When he was in grade school his family moved to Eau Claire. He graduated from Memorial High School. He had a few jobs before he became a Heavy Equipment Operator until...

Feb 14, 2021

James "Jim" Chmelik died unexpectedly at Sacred Heart Hospital on February 14th, 2021 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin at the age of 75. Jim was born on October 3rd, 1945 in Chippewa Falls, WI to Albert and Edith Chmelik.  He graduated from UW-Eau Claire in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science degree.  He married Twila Strickler, his college sweetheart, on...

Feb 13, 2021

William "Bill" L. Hays, 89, of Eau Claire passed away on February 13, 2021 at Dove Healthcare West in Eau Claire.

Bill was born in Eau Claire on January 7, 1932 to Leo and Ida (Raschke) Hays.

He was a self-taught, self-employed skilled mechanic. Bill loved working in his auto shop on older vehicles and...

Feb 10, 2021

Mark L. Brantner, 89, of Eau Claire passed away Wed, February 10th, at Grace Woodlands with family by his side.  He was born March 26, 1931 to Leopold and Theresa (Pichler) Brantner in rural Pepin County.  He attended and graduated from Sacred Heart School at Lima and then helped on the family farm and hauled milk part time until...

Feb 10, 2021

Marilyn Ruth Loechler, 96, of Eau Claire, passed away on Wednesday, February 10, 2021, at The Classic at Hillcrest Greens in Altoona, under the care of her sister, who loved her dearly, friends and Mayo Clinic Home Health and Hospice. She was born on January 12, 1925 in Eau Claire, WI, the daughter of Charles and Caroline (Lassek) Loechler. She...

Feb 8, 2021

Leland "Lee" James Mathson, 83, of Eau Claire, WI passed away peacefully at his home on February 8th, 2021, surrounded by his loving family. Lee was born to Lee and Alma Mathson on February 18, 1937 in Blair, WI. He graduated from Blair High School in 1955. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and was stationed in Coronado, CA....

Feb 7, 2021

Susan J. Svoma passed away Sunday February 7, 2021 at Sacred Heart Hospital. She has joined the ancestors she discovered through her passion for genealogy, along with her beloved childhood pets, Becky and Butch. Susan Jane Sherman was born on April 8, 1941, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin to Clemeth and Phyllis (Burce) Sherman. She attended schools in the Eau Claire...

Feb 7, 2021

JoAnne Marie Nunke, 52, of Eau Claire, passed peacefully in her sleep on February 7, 2021. JoAnne gained her angel wings due to underlying issues with hypertension; her heart was just too big. JoAnne had a great love for cooking and sharing recipes with the people she loved and cared about. She took people into her heart and her...

Feb 3, 2021

Herbert F. Sakalaucks, Sr., 92, of Eau Claire, passed away peacefully of natural causes on Wednesday, February 3, 2021, at Azura Memory Care, Eau Claire.

Herb was born September 5, 1928, in Paterson, NJ, to the late Antony and Antanette (Latvis) Sakalaucks. Herb grew up and attended Eastside High School in his hometown. He went on to...

Jan 29, 2021

Randy Scott Johnson, 50, of Bloomer, WI passed away Friday, January 29th, 2021 at his home. Randy was born in Eau Claire, WI on January 24th, 1971, to Eugene and Karen (Bronkema) Johnson. Most would consider Randy a jack of all trades, he spent his childhood reconstructing anything he could get his hands on to mastering his mechanical abilities. Randy's...

Jan 28, 2021

Leonard "Lenny" Arthur Drescher, 69, of Eau Claire, peacefully passed away at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Rochester, MN, on Thursday, January 28, 2021, from an extremely rare and aggressive salivary duct cancer. Lenny was born on November 27, 1951, in Baraboo, WI, to Mary (Mullaley) and Leonard P. Drescher. He was born during a blizzard. His mother had to...

Jan 28, 2021

Former Wisconsin resident Moua Pao Xiong, 38, died January 28, 2021, at his home in Eau Claire, Wisconsin to cancer. He was first diagnosed with nasopharynx cancer September of 2018 and beat cancer in May 2019. May 22, 2020 the cancer returned and traveled to the spine, blood, and bones. A memorial service will be held, Saturday February 6th through...

Jan 22, 2021

On Friday, January 22, 2021, Avis Elaine (Hegge) Grambo was taken home to Heaven by her Lord and Savior after suffering a devastating stroke. She is now reunited with her son Michael and husband "Pug" who promised her in his final words, "I will be waiting for you." She was born on May 11, 1933 in Frenchville, Wisconsin, the...