Obituaries

JANESVILLE–James A. “Jimmy” Brown, 59, passed away on Nov. 8, 2021, at Mercyhealth Hospital & Trauma Center. He was born in Madison on June 26, 1962, the son of Lawrence and Mary (Schmidt) Brown. He attended Middleton High School. Jimmy ran his own Tile Setting business. He was very proud of his sobriety after losing his way for many years. The Gifts Men’s Shelter was an integral part of helping him on his way to sobriety. His fellowship with Gifts and his sobriety led him to reconcile with his family with whom he had been estranged from for over 11 years.

Jimmy is survived by his brothers, Larry Brown and Jerry Brown; extended family, Tim and Michelle Borowski, and Bill McMullin; many nieces and nephews, cousins, aunts, and uncles; and many other friends. He was preceded in death by his parents.

MIDDLETON–Elizabeth Kofua Rowell, 28, of Sun Prairie, passed away on Sept. 9, 2021, at UW Health and Clinics in Madison. She was born on May 24, 1993, in Ghana, the daughter of Richard Rowell and Christina (Appiah) Rowell.

She graduated from Middleton High School in 2011 and attended Penn State University and the University of UW-Milwaukee.

Elizabeth is survived by her parents, Richard and Christina Rowell; a brother, Richard Rowell Jr.; and a sister, Doreen Rowell Tetteh.

A memorial service was held at Asbury United Methodist Church, 6101 University Ave., Madison, at 2 p.m. on Sept. 17, 2021. 

Interment was held at Middleton Junction Cemetery on Isaac Drive. Gunderson West Funeral Home, 7435 University Avenue in Middleton served the family during their time of grief.

MIDDLETON–Evan Thomas Kratochwill, 18, of Middleton, passed away from a double vehicle crash in the Town of Middleton on Saturday evening, Oct. 2, 2021.  

Evan’s last day with us on earth included spending time that day with his parents, Jennifer and Jason Thomas Kratochwill, at his cross-country meet.  

He loved time up at the cabin, and especially enjoyed the winter and was a skilled cross-country skier and snowboarder. 

Evan, who was a senior at Middleton High School, will be forever loved by his parents, Jennifer and Jason Kratochwill; his sister, Peyton Kratochwill; grandparents Richard and Sharle Graul, Tom and LuAnn Kratochwill, and Danita Doyle and Rob Benada; his aunts and uncles, Julie and Joe Warstler, Joseph Doyle and Joanne Broe, Chris Graul, and Mark and Patty Graul; and his cousins Taylor, Taryn, Hensley, Kacie, Hailey, Zackery, Abby, Quentin and Preston.  

MADISON–Simon De Dôdi Bilessi, 17, of Madison passed away tragically in the Town of Middleton, when he and two of his best friends, Evan Kratochwill and Jack Miller, were killed upon impact in a fiery car accident after being struck by another vehicle late Saturday night, on Oct. 2, 2021. They were pronounced dead on Oct. 3.

Though words cannot describe the pain we feel for the loss of these three young lives, we are grateful that Simon was not alone when he died. He was with people he loved and that loved him. Born on January 30, 2004, in Paris, France, Simon was the firstborn son of Aimé Franklin Bilessi and Alice Biyenga. He was the strength and hope for everything to his parents. At the age of 10, Simon left his family in France to live with his aunt and uncle and their three children in Raleigh, NC. 

MIDDLETON–Patricia Acker Dean died Oct. 6, 2021, at her home in Middleton. Patty was born in Madison on April 4, 1960, to Vincent F. and Theresa M. Acker. She and her future husband, Michael J. Dean, met in the hallway of Middleton High School in the fall of 1975. With a surname that filled two homerooms, Patty became interested in the boy from Madison’s east side who was unlikely to be a relation. That boy promptly asked her to homecoming. Patty and Mike were wed on Oct. 5, 1984, and moved shortly thereafter to Dallas, TX, to start their respective careers in contract hospitality sales and commercial real estate. After a further stint in Massachusetts, they moved back to Middleton in 1995, where they raised their three children.

MIDDLETON–Ronald F. “Ron” Gehin, 83, of Middleton, passed away on Oct. 6, 2021, at Agrace HospiceCare. He was born on Feb. 5, 1938, in Madison, the son of Emil Gehin and Monica (Schoepp) Gehin. Ron graduated from Middleton High School, and he married Nancy Schwandt on March 30, 1968, in Middleton. He served in the US Army National Guard of Wisconsin and was honorably discharged in August of 1965.

Ron owned E. Gehin & Son Landscaping with his father for 21 years and then developed an owner/operator over-the-road trucking business for 17 years. During retirement, he enjoyed driving a school bus for the Middleton/Cross Plains school district and Badger Bus.

MADISON–Joanne R. “Jo” Conger, 88, of Madison, passed away at home on Sept. 20, 2021. She was born on Aug. 15, 1933, in Rockford, IL, the daughter of Rev. Clarence and Rosa Anderzon. She married Duane Conger in 1967 in Madison.

Jo graduated from East Rockford High School in 1951, Augustana Hospital School of Nursing in Chicago, IL in 1955, Augustana College in Rock Island, IL, in 1957 (BSN), and Syracuse University in Syracuse, NY in 1964 (MSN). She went on to teach nursing students at the Swedish American Hospital School of Nursing in Rockford, IL, and was a clinical associate professor at UW-Madison School of Nursing from 1964-1991.

MIDDLETON–John Leonard Riesch, 94, of Middleton, passed away peacefully at home on Sept. 19, 2021. He was born on March 13, 1927, in Alma, the son of John and Anna (Florin) Riesch. The primary cause of death was too many birthdays.

John served in the US Army from 1945 to 1947. Upon discharge, he attended Winona State University where he met the love of his life, Violet Irene Jensen. John and Violet shared a love of fishing, hunting and spent many evenings playing cards and scrabble together. They celebrated 63 years of marriage before Violet passed in 2015.

John was a social studies teacher in Arcadia for 10 years, before moving his growing family to Middleton, where he purchased and owned Riesch Insurance Agency until his retirement.

MIDDLETON–Jeffrey Curtis “Jeff” Nolden, age 54, of Middleton, passed away unexpectedly on Sept. 18, 2021. He was born on Sept. 3, 1967, in Sauk City, the oldest of four children to Donald L. and Mary (Curtis) Nolden.

Jeffrey graduated from Middleton High School in 1986 and received his bachelor’s degree from the UW-Madison. He worked for Pitney Bowes for his entire career. 

CROSS PLAINS–James “Blue” Billmeyer, 72, passed away peacefully at home on Sept. 17, 2021, one day before his 39th wedding anniversary with Mary Frances.

He was born on Feb. 27, 1949, in Dubuque, IA, the son of Richard and Ruth (Mulligan) Billmeyer. He was united in marriage to Mary Frances (Pertzborn) on Sept. 18, 1982, in West Middleton.

Blue received his associates degree in civil engineering at MATC and worked as a survey crew chief for the Wisconsin DOT until he retired and kept himself busy with work as a mailman, crossing guard and a groundskeeper at St. Francis Xavier.