Obituaries

MIDDLETON–Arlene Mae (Guck) Warren, 92, of Middleton, passed away on Nov. 23, 2022, at St. Mary's Care Center. She was born in in her grandparents’ big farm home in Ferryville, to Bernard and Agnes (Moldrem) Guck on April 12, 1930. She was baptized at Utica Lutheran Church and confirmed at the Viroqua Lutheran Church.

ARLINGTON–JoAnn F. Wagner, 80, of N1290 County Road Q, Arlington, passed away on October 24, 2022 at the Homestead Living memory care center in Waunakee. She spent the last several months of her life holding the hand of her husband Bill, the love of her life, and in the company of her children and grandchildren.

She was born JoAnn Frances Diederich in Middleton on May 4, 1942 to Anthony P. and Edna Marie (Mani) Diederich. In 1960, she graduated from Middleton High School where she was a member of Future Homemakers of America (FHA), Girls Athletic Association (GAA), chorus, and the girl's glee club. The inscription next to her senior portrait in the yearbook said, "A real live-wire with plenty of go."

HARSHAW–Former Black Earth and Cross Plains resident Dale Raymond Statz, 62, of rural Harshaw in Oneida County, passed away on Oct. 12, 2022, with his loving family by his side after a tenacious battle with cancer.

He was born on Sept. 10, 1960 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison to Edward John Statz and his wife Donna Ray (Hanson) Statz, who were married on July 23, 1955 in Cross Plains.

Dale was a 1979 graduate of Middleton High School where he was on the junior varsity and varsity basketball and football teams all during his high school years. He earned second team all-conference honors in football at UW-La Crosse. Dale continued to live and work in the Cross Plains and Madison area.

MIDDLETON–Joanne Theresa (Dwyer) Shannon of Milton, MA passed away peacefully surrounded by the love of her family. Jody is survived by her loving husband Jerry, her two sons Patrick and Tom Shannon along with their wives India and Katie Shannon. She is also survived by her two incredibly bright and beautiful granddaughters Claire and Lyla the daughters of Tom and Katie.

Jody is the daughter of the late Roger and Constance Dwyer, sisters Judith Ebbs, Jean Enos and brother Roger Dwyer and proceeded in death her sister Mary Jane Williams.

A celebration of life will be held in Boston, MA in the spring of 2023.

Please share your memories at cressfuneralservice.com.

MIDDLETON–Virginia L. Pfotenhauer, 95, of Middleton, passed away on August 14, 2022. She was born in Sheboygan, WI to John and Evelyn (Luhman) Watson. 

Virginia graduated from Sheboygan North High School and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, from which she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in English Education (1950) and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction (1965). Her teaching experience included secondary schools in Oconto Falls, and Howards Grove; and middle and elementary schools in Sheboygan and Middleton.

She married Milton G. Pfotenhauer in Sheboygan, (1951) who preceded her in death (1996).

Virginia attended Middleton Community Church. She was a member of PDK (education) Fraternity, Middleton-Cross Plains Educators Group and the Middleton Historical Society. She previously volunteered at Middleton Outreach Ministry (MOM), where she worked in the food and clothing distribution center.

MADISON/CROSS PLAINS-Emily Mari Oyan, 43, of Cross Plains, passed away unexpectedly of a brain aneurysm on Oct. 12, 2022, at St. Mary's Hospital in Madison. She was able to give the gift of life by being an organ donor.

Emily, known as "Em", was born in Madison on Aug. 29, 1979, the daughter of Mark and Diann (Rostermundt) Oyan. She graduated from Madison East High School in 1998 and from UW-Stout in Menomonie, Wisconsin in 2003. Em was employed in patient services for Girlie's Manor nursing home in Cross Plains. She worked very hard over the years to provide a good life for her son, Jack.

ROXBURY–James W. Frey, 87, passed away peacefully at Maplewood of Sauk Prairie Health and Rehabilitation Center in Sauk City on Oct. 15, 2022. 

He was born in Roxbury on Feb. 4, 1935 to George J. Frey and his wife Anna R. (Lochner) Frey, who were married on May 23, 1929. James graduated in 1953 from Sauk City High School, where he participated in baseball, basketball, football, and was on the sophomore year homecoming and junior year prom courts.

James served in the United States Army at Fort Rucker in Daleville, Alabama where he was a crew chief responsible for testing helicopters, which were experimental at the time. After his military service, he was proud to have operated road construction equipment building new roads and airport runways across Wisconsin in the 1960s. James was employed at Ace Hardware and later at Dischler Heating and Cooling in Prairie du Sac for 50 years as a heating and air conditioning technician where he retired in 1997.

MADISON–Former Middleton and McFarland resident Grace Marie Forsmo, 78, passed away on Oct. 8, 2022. She was born on Dec. 4, 1943, the daughter of Arley W. and Linda J. (Kemmer) Nesson.

In 1961, she graduated from Middleton High School where she was a member of Future Homemakers of America (FHA), Girls Athletic Association (GAA), chorus, and the girl's glee club.

On May 15, 1965, Grace married Gordon Clair Forsmo at Saint Bernard Church in Middleton. At the time of their marriage, she was employed at the Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles, while Gordon worked at Gateway Sporting Goods.

MIDDLETON–Beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother and godmother for many, Clara Tyler passed away on Nov. 5, 2022, at age 97. Born to Julia and Joseph Sweeney, she was preceded in death by her parents, and brothers, Joseph, Quentin, Vincent and Jerome.

Clare is survived by her children, Christine, Stephen (Juanita), Mark (Karen), Maureen (Nataraj Hauser) and Marilyn (Joseph Lustek); grandchildren, Lauren and Tyler Lustek; sister, Terri Corbett; and many nieces and nephews.

Clare was a graduate of Aquinas High School and St. Francis School of Nursing in La Crosse, Wis. She was married to William Tyler, a science teacher at Middleton High School, until his death at age 45.

She loved being a nurse and was patient and generous with her expertise when called upon by neighbors for advice. She worked at St. Mary’s Hospital, Madison, and as a nurse clinician for the UW Student Health Center, where she made many friends and retired from at age 67.

CROSS PLAINS–Jeffrey A. Bankes, 59, of Cross Plains, passed away on Nov 8, 2022, at UW Hospital in Madison. He was born on Sept. 17, 1963, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, the son of Melvern L. Bankes and JoAnn (Lynch) Bankes.

Jeff served in both the US Army and the Wisconsin National Guard. He worked as a coast-to-coast furniture mover and in the building repair and construction industries. He loved animals and took pleasure in helping others. In his free time, he loved being outdoors in nature–camping, kayaking, hunting and bicycle riding. He was able to fix most anything mechanical. Jeff was an accomplished cook, both in the kitchen or on his favorite charcoal grill.