Elma Jean Nichols, 87 of Friendship, Wisconsin passed away peacefully in her sleep on Friday, July 19, 2024.

Elma was born October 22, 1936 in Coloma, WI to Arnold and Margaret (Lyon) Sorenson. She attended Adams-Friendship High School graduating in 1954. Elma married the love of her life, Charles Nichols, on December 4, 1954 in Coloma, WI. From this beautiful union the Lord gave them four daughters; Patricia, Peggy, Norma, and Nancy.

Charles built their home in Adams County in 1959 where they enjoyed country living. Elma’s work history included bookkeeper for the Farmers Union Cooperative, sales clerk and bookkeeper at Murph’s Department Store, school bus driver for Adams-Friendship School District, and bookkeeper for Grand Marsh State Bank.

She enjoyed raising her four daughters to know and love the Lord. She delighted in visiting with family and friends and corresponded with many by letters.

Her family knew Elma for her insightful advice and wonderful hugs. She had some notable sayings throughout her years also. The most famous and beloved one of her children and grandchildren is: “Why are there fourteen people in my kitchen?”

Some of her favorite things were car rides with Charles to see the countryside; vegetable and flower gardening; daisies, daffodils, and yellow pansies; quiet times with Charles viewing nature out their large kitchen table window; regularly attending Grace Bible Conferences to strengthen her walk with the Lord; listening to her beloved husband sing classical and gospel songs; reading her variety of books; and listening to gospel music with the dearest one to her heart being: “Complete in Thee.”

Elma was preceded in death by her parents Arnold and Margaret Sorenson; Aunts and Uncles: Bethel (Robert) Hazeltine, Mildred (Marvin) Neuman, Vinetta Hollers; and son-in-law, Dave Dowden.

Survivors include her husband Charles of 69 years. Daughters: Patricia (Leslie) Landon of Friendship, Peggy (Scott) Willis of De Pere, Norma (Rick) Abbott of Whiting, and Nancy Dowden of Adams. Grandchildren: Cynthia (Royce) Hazel of Wisconsin Rapids, Peter (Jessica) Landon of Friendship, Michael Landon of Friendship, David (Megan) Willis of Green Bay, Amy (Nick) Darnick of De Pere, Benjamin (Kate) Abbott of St. Francis, Daniel Abbott of Nekoosa, Emily Abbott of Stevens Point, Ashley (Joe) Noelke of La Crosse, and Amanda (Aaron) Johnson of DeForest. Great grandchildren, Gavin Hazel, Zoe Hazel, Hannah (Aaron) Tully, Riley Landon, Jadyn Landon, Logan Landon, Crispin Landon, Haiden Landon, Desiree Landon, Korbin Landon, Jackson Willis, Sawyer Willis, Breleigh Darnick, Matthew Darnick, Sophie Korbal, Brooklyn Korbal-Abbott, Vincent Noelke, Charles “Charlie” Noelke, Alexia Johnson, and Aiden Johnson.

Donations in memory of Elma can be made to Berean Bible Institute of West Bend, WI; Milwaukee Rescue Mission, Milwaukee, WI; or the Adams County chapter of the Salvation Army.

A private celebration of life will follow at a later date.

The family of Elma thanks the staff of Rosebrooke Assisted Living Center and Heartland Hospice for their wonderful care.

Roseberry’s Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.

John Gilbert Whitteberry, age 91, passed from his earthly life to his heavenly life on Monday, July 22, 2024 in Mauston, Wisconsin.  He leaves behind a legacy of humor, strength, love, and a creative mindset to his family, community, and all those he encountered. 

He was born on March 5, 1933 in Lafayette, Indiana to Lawrence Benjamin and Faye Marie (Fetterhoff) Whitteberry.  He married his childhood sweetheart, Mary Almeda Conner of Fort Wayne, Indiana on October 11, 1953 and they enjoyed 65 beautiful years of marriage together.  John and Mary had six children:  Joan (David) Jarvis of Houston, Texas; John Douglas (Carrie) Whitteberry of Dallas, Texas; Deborah (Jim) Wilson of Graham, North Carolina; Timothy (Joao) Whitteberry of Paraiba, Brazil; David (Ronie) Whitteberry of Cedar City, Utah; and Sandra (Mark) Kallian of Mauston, Wisconsin. 

John was active from his youth in the church and was a long time member and an integral part of the leadership at the Mauston Church of the Nazarene.  He served many years as Chairman of the Board, Sunday School Superintendent, Trustee, and Adult Sunday School teacher. Faith and time spent with God in the Word every morning was an essential part of his Christian Walk. 

John served in the Navy Seabees, Petty Officer 1st Class for six years, primarily stationed in the Philippines during the Korean War.  Both international and domestic travel continued to be an important part of his life while raising a family of six children. 

As a well-loved 6th grade teacher in the Mauston School District, John taught for 30 years, including time spent as a negotiator with the teacher’s labor union.  Previous students often greeted him with affection on the streets right up until the time of his passing. 

John was a creative provider for his family, teaching his children a strong work ethic.  They remember fondly and not so fondly many daily hours of chores as they helped grow and sell acres of cucumbers, muskmelon, sweet corn, and other crops on his 190-acre farm.  His children “enjoyed” chasing pigs, raising chickens, milking cows, riding horses, and a myriad of other animals and chores. John also established and built an efficient firewood business, cutting, drying and delivering 250 facecord to Chicago each year, powered by family muscle and a wood-splitter of his own creation.

After Mary’s passing, and at the age of 89, John sprightly walked down the aisle, to the delight of his children and church community, to join hands in marriage with Karon Jean Smyth of Frankfort, Kentucky.  Both John and Karon felt that God was the Architect that brought them together.  Their youth-like romantic union of over two years elated everyone around them.  

He is survived by his wife, Karon, his six children, eight grandchildren, one great grandchild, and sister-in-law, MaryEllen Whitteberry.  He was preceeded in death by his parents, his first wife, Mary and his siblings: Paul Whitteberry, Irene Hasenleder, David Whitteberry, and James Whitteberry.  

A Celebration of Life was  held on Saturday, July 27 ^th at 1:00 p.m. at the Church of the Nazarene in Mauston, Wisconsin, officiated by Pastor Michael Postell. 

Mary Ann Jones, 99, of Friendship, Wisconsin, passed away on Sunday, July 21, 2024, at Villa Pines Living Center in Friendship, Wisconsin, after a brief illness.

As per Mary Ann’s wishes, she will be cremated, and her ashes will be interred next to her husband Bill at Northwoods National Cemetery in Harshaw, Wisconsin.

Mary Ann was born on July 4, 1925, in Waukesha, Wisconsin, to Harry Foss and Margaret Behan. She grew up in Waukesha and graduated from high school there. A proud veteran of WWII, Mary Ann served in the Marine Corps in Washington D.C., doing payroll for the soldiers until the War ended. On April 10, 1948, she married William O. Jones in Waukesha. The family lived in Waukesha before locating to Oshkosh, Wisconsin in the 1950’s. They raised their 7 children there and then when the children were all in school she began working at Sears Department Store in the catalog department. Upon their retirement, they first moved to Florida, but eventually returned to Wisconsin and settled in Rhinelander, where they enjoyed many years of retirement. They shared 64 years together, till Bill’s passing in 2012. Shortly afterward, Mary Ann moved to Friendship where she had her own apartment until poor health led to her moving to Villa Pines Living Center.

Mary Ann was an excellent seamstress and an avid fan of the Green Bay Packers and the Milwaukee Brewers. She and Bill became Packers season ticket holders after Bill won the tickets in a raffle and the family still holds the tickets today. Mary Ann often talked of attending the Ice Bowl in 1967.

Mary Ann was also a valued member of the Rhinelander VFW.

Mary Ann is preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Margaret; her husband, Bill; her sons, Bobby, Michael and Tommy; her son-in-law, Todd; her daughter-in-law, Judy; her four brothers: Bob, Dick, Jack and Terry; sisters-in-law, Ginny, Marge, Marian, Pat, and Harriet; mother-in- law, Isabelle; father-in-law, Lloyd; and brother-in-law, Johnny.

She is survived by her daughter, Patty (Greg) Kobs; her sons, Dan Jones and Peter (Leigh) Jones; her daughter, Peggy (Scott) Tomczyk and her daughter-in-law, Mary Jones. Her grandchildren, Isabela (Derek) Fagen, Alex Kobs, Andy Jones, Kristin Jones, Arrin (Adam) Richter, Sarah (Paul) Selin, Jacie Jones, Jenna, Ross (DeLaney) Tomczyk, Ali (Mike) Shaw, Gary Wood, and Lynn Kutz. Her great-grandchildren, Eileen Tomczyk, James Tomczyk, Everly Richter, Eloise Richter, Charlie Richter, Makia Shaw and new baby Shaw, William Selin, Victor Wood, Maggie Wood, and Lee Kutz. Her sisters-in-law, Sue Foss and Barbara Foss and many nieces and nephews.

The family will gather at a later date at Northwoods National Cemetery in Harshaw, Wisconsin, where her ashes will be interred with military honors.

The family would like to thank the entire staff at Villa Pines Living Center for the wonderful care that Mary Ann was given. During her last years there she often referred to everyone at Villa Pines as her “family.” Many of the staff called her “Grandma” and they made her 99th birthday on this past July 4th a special time for her.

Lavonne G. Noth, 79, of Mauston, passed away peacefully with family at Our Senior Home Memory Care home on Monday evening, July 15, 2024. She was born on December 29, 1944, to Robert and Beverly Rediske, in Tomah, Wisconsin. She was united in marriage to Dean H. Noth, on August 28, 1965, in Tomah, Wisconsin.

She is survived by their six children, 14 grandchildren, 2 step grandchildren, and three great grandchildren; two sisters and a sister-in-law; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins, son Robert (Ligaya) Noth and children Emmanuel and Alana; daughter Becky Noth; daughter Jeanne (Mark) Berg and children, Megan (Mike) Oppriecht and great grandchildren Audrey and Oliver, Brittany Berg, Natasha (Jacob Benson) Berg, and Isaac Berg; daughter Tammy (Daniel) Remington and children, Austin Remington, Jessica Kramer, Adam (Alora) Kramer and great grandson Weston, Crystal Cafferty, Jacob Cafferty, and Camron Cafferty; son Charles (Ruth) Noth and his children Kate-Lynn (Josh) Wrezinski, Savannah (Calvin) Pender, Mackenzie Noth, and Aiden Noth; and son John (Jill Frohmader) Noth; sister, Karen (Sydney) Jerome; sister Diane (Jerome) Scharrer; and sister-in-law, Carol Anne Noth.

She was predeceased by her husband, her parents, a niece Laura Antony, and granddaughter Kylee Noth, as well as many aunts and uncles.

Lavonne, nicknamed Bonnie, spent countless hours in the kitchen cooking and baking for her family which she loved to do and excelled. Many of the ingredients came for their expansive gardens and orchard where all sorts of berries, fruits and vegetables grew under their care. But most loved by Lavonne were the flower beds which circled the house and the songbirds that she faithfully fed throughout the year. She knew them all by name and passed that knowledge on to her children. She enjoyed traveling with a special liking for the deserts of the southwest states. She had a gift to gab which lent well to her profession of waitressing for many years, and later as she sold tickets for the Ducks and other attractions in the Wisconsin Dells. She liked to be where the action was and would be the first out on the dance floor at every opportunity that came along. She loved people and served others doing hospice for a while and assisted handicap people on traveling tours by bus. She lived a very full life and had a strong faith in God.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 27, 2024, at the Bethany Lutheran Church, 701 Grove Street, Mauston, Wisconsin, with visitation from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. followed by a brief service and a light meal and fellowship.