All Obituaries

Kurt A. Schwalbe, 55 of Madison, passed away Monday, May 10, 2021 at Agrace Hospice in Madison. Funeral services will be private. He will be laid to rest at Natural Passage Cemetery in Verona. A complete obituary to follow.

Ada A. Bontrager, 64 of Dalton, passed away Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at her home. Funeral services will be held Friday, May 7 at 9 AM at the Erwin Bontrager residence in Dalton.

Bobby G. Butler, 69, of Lowell, passed away Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at Prairie Ridge Health in Columbus. He was born August 28, 1951 at St. Marys Hospital in Madison, the son of Howard and Margaret (Haefner) Butler. Bobby graduated from Rio High School in 1970. He went on to learn the ceramic tile trade with his father. He worked in that business eventually owning Tri County Ceramic Tile until retirement. After becoming very ill, his sister Tammy and his nieces Chelsea and Summer cared for...

Marlynn “Scotty" K. Scott, 82,  of Rio, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family, Saturday, May 1, 2021. He was born in Dane, WI February 27, 1939, the son of Edith and Earl Scott.  He served his country for a short time in the Army Reserves and then began working as a truck driver/parts at Wyocena Auto Salvage/Ken Schiller, retiring after 37 years.  After retiring, Scotty decided he would start his own Salvage and Implement business, Scotty’s...

Raymond (Ray) L. Bowdin, 85, of Rio passed away April 29, 2021 in Wyocena at the Columbia Health Care Center.  He was born in Kingsville, Ohio April 22, 1936 the son of Harvey and Olive (Griffin) Bowdin. The family moved back to the Otsego area of Wisconsin when Ray was 4 years old.  He was a 1955 graduate of Columbus High School.  He married Barbara Lee Cutsforth  October 20, 1956 at the First Presbyterian Church in Columbus.   Ray was a hard working...

Gerald Anthony Haag, 84, of Beaver Dam, passed away Tuesday, April 29, 2021 at the Beaver Dam Healthcare Center. He was born May 8, 1936 in Le Mars, IA, the son of John and Mildred Haag. Gerald went on to serve his country in the U.S. Navy after High School and was active on the USS Boxer. He was employed as a welding fabricator for most of his working career. Gerald loved to hunt and fish, enjoyed watching the Wisconsin professional sports teams, and dancing.  He was a lifelong member...

John Mickelson, 66, of Belleville, passed away April 27, 2021 at UW Hospital. He was born February 18, 1955, the son of Ruby and Warren Mickelson. John was a retired farmer and former business owner. He loved to go fishing and was a collector of toy tractors. His dream was to finish a collector’s book for Ford/New Holland toy tractors.  Survivors include daughters Stacey (Jeremy) Parker, Shana (James) Toombs, and Stephanie (Ryan) Baerwolf; grandchildren, Jackson Parker, Sophia...

Lorraine Lewison Adams died peacefully April 25, 2021 at the age of 89. She was born in Columbus in 1931.  After graduating from Rio High School in 1949, she attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa to study music. Before graduating she moved to Washington D. C. to work for the Navy. While living in Washington D.C. she met the love of her life Charlie Adams whom she married in 1952. They spent most of their married life in Birmingham, AL where Lorraine devoted much of her time to...

Beth Ann Laper, 57, of Pardeeville, formerly of Sherrard, Illinois, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family Friday, April 16, 2021. She was born in Moline, Illinois November 9, 1963, the daughter of Vernon and LaVon Rannow.  She was united in marriage to Dennis Laper June 21, 2016 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Beth enjoyed gardening, crafting and being outdoors. Survivors include her husband Dennis of Pardeeville; daughters Brittany (Marc) Stohl of Andover, Illinois and Stephanie...

Lyle G. Smith, 90, of rural Pardeeville, passed away Wednesday, April 14, 2021 at the Remington House. He was born November 15, 1930 in Viroqua, WI to Robert and Shirley (Williams) Smith. He served his country in the United States Army and was employed as a truck driver for many years. Survivors include, son Mark (Reva) Smith, and daughter Dawn Smith, and several grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, brother Buck Smith, and other relatives and friends. A...