Tomah Journal - Obituaries

Stephen L. Chambers, Martha R. Degner, Raymond “Red” Larrabee, LaVerne “Doc” McCaskey

Stephen L. Chambers

Stephen L. Chambers, age 58, of Warrens, WI, passed away on Friday, Feb. 8, 2008, at his home. He was born to Basil and Helen (Wood) Chambers on Oct. 28, 1949, in Sparta, WI.

Steve married Samie Baumeister on Jan. 30, 1982, in Bowman, ND. Steve and Samie have three children, Chad (Ambur) of Lovelock, NV, Ryan (Karee Cocking) of Wyeville, WI, and Stephanie (Mike Hyer) of Elroy, WI. The family is also blessed with a son and brother of their heart, Hannes (Nicole) Stieg.

Steve enjoyed the life he lived. He enjoyed spending time with his wife, Samie. They spent much of their time camping, water skiing, gardening and creating projects for one another. Steve liked to hunt and fish, and he taught his sons how to do the sports he loves so much, along with the skills they would use to be successful in life. Steve loved many things, like his wife and kids, tinkering around in his garage, and going to work at the township of Byron. He probably liked work so much because he could get a little catnap in the backhoe. Steve was a very physically and mentally strong person. That may be the single most valuable trait that he passed onto his kids. He did, however, have one weakness and that was his precious little girl. His daughter, Stephanie, could always make daddy see things her way. Even when Stephanie got older and learned how to tick her dad off, there was nothing he wouldn’t do for his cute little girl. Steve was also a very loving grandfather. His grandchildren brought him a great deal of joy. He watched them grow, spoiled them rotten and sent them back home to mommy and daddy, and there wasn’t a thing they could do about it. It’s hard to sum up a great man’s life, a life that meant so much to so many. The only thing to say is “greatness”; he was a great husband, a great father, and a great grandfather.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, children and father, Basil of Camp Douglas, WI; three brothers, Basil (Kay) of Minneapolis, MN, Terry (Shelley) of Great Falls, MT, and Darrell (Billi) of Sparta, WI; two sisters, Vickie (Kevin) Blount of Valley Junction, WI, and Dawn (Bob) Smith of Sparta, WI; five grandchildren, Kassie, Cole, Layne and Kaden Chambers of Lovelock, NV, and Ella Hyer of Elroy, WI, and many other relatives and friends.

Steve was preceded in death by his mother, Helen Chambers; three nephews and one niece.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, Feb. 12, at 11a.m. at the Torkelson Funeral Home in Tomah. Burial took place in the Wood Cemetery, Tomah, WI. Family and friends called on Monday, Feb. 11, from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Torkelson Funeral Home in Tomah.

Martha R. Degner

Martha R. Degner, at the age of 86 years, left this earthly state for her heavenly home on Feb. 12, 2008. She was born July 1, 1921, to Anton and Anna (Haugh) Rott in Greenwood Township, Vernon County, WI.

She was united in marriage to Arthur Degner on Sept. 27, 1941, at Wonewoc. She was a wonderful homemaker who was very devoted to her family and her church. She had a relentless desire to provide the best quality food and care for her husband and family. She was a faithful and active member of St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church in Hillsboro and faithfully served as a teacher and superintendent of the Sunday School for over 40 years. She also served as a member of the church choir and the Ladies Aid for 40 years. She was a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

She is survived by three sons, Dennis (Bonnie) of Overland Park, KS, Terry of Tomah, and Stewart of Loveland, CO; five grandchildren, Timothy (Julie), Jennifer, Gina (Jamie) Gnewikow, Kevin and Cameron; two great-grandchildren, Cody and Cooper, and a sister, Julie Eder of Elroy. In addition to her parents and husband of 58 years, she was preceded in death by three brothers Bill, Rudy and Victor Rott, and three sisters, Agnes Degner, Victoria Rott and Pauline Bird.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Feb. 16, at 2 p.m. at St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church, Hillsboro. Pastor Conrad Prell will officiate. Burial will be in Mount Vernon Cemetery in Hillsboro. Relatives and friends are invited to call at the church on Saturday from 1 p.m. until the time of the service. The family requests in lieu of flowers memorials be given to St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church, 579 Lake St., Hillsboro, WI 54634. The Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Raymond “Red” Larrabee

The United States has lost another WWII veteran. Raymond “Red” Keith Larrabee, 87, of Tomah, died Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008, at Rolling Hills Nursing Home, Sparta, WI, after an extended illness, with his family at his side.

Red was born Feb. 17, 1920, at New Lisbon, the son of Lawrence J. and Grace (Waterman) Larrabee. He attended Tomah High School and graduated in 1938 where he was an accomplished athlete in football, basketball and baseball. After graduating from high school, he was mustered into the National Guard of the United States, Co. D. 107th Quartermaster Truck C. and shipped to Camp Beauregard, LA, for training. In May 1942, he was shipped overseas to New Zealand for combat against the Japanese army during WWII. His places of duty included the Fiji Islands, Green Island, New Caledonia, Bouganville Island and the Northern Solomon Islands, which was one of the forces serving in the South Pacific under Gen. Douglas McArthur.

He was married to Evelyn Smith, Feb. 20, 1946, at Bethany Lutheran Church, San Jose, CA. They returned to Tomah in 1947, where they raised three daughters.

Red worked at the Tomah Post Office until retiring as an Assistant Postmaster after 32 years of service. He was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, where he served on the council and sang in the choir for many years. He was a Past Commander and life member of Curtiss-McNutt VFW Post #1382 and a lifetime member of Grassman-Sowle-Larsen-Senz American Legion Post #201. Red was an active volunteer and held many offices for organizations such as the Warren Mills Cemetery, where he proudly served as president.

His love for his family was first and foremost a priority with him. He supported his daughters in all their life’s adventures. Red enjoyed attending his grandchildren’s athletic events and was their most dedicated fan and sideline coach. He enjoyed teaching them his love for hunting and fishing. Many summer visits to Grandma and Grandpa’s included fishing trips to Lake Tomah.

He was a loyal friend and looked forward to the reunions with his classmates and Army buddies.

Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Evelyn; three daughters, Sandra (Gary) Garlie of Superior, Linda Ornes of Montello, and Susan (John) Aeschlimann of Mazomanie; four grandchildren, David (Maria) Garlie of Eau Claire, Dawn (Fred) Paine of Superior, Mathew (Kris) Aeschlimann of Mount Horeb, and Jeffrey Aeschlimann of Madison; six great-grandchildren, Bailey, Hunter, Brooklyn Paine of Superior, Garin and Gracen Garlie of Eau Claire, and Owen Aeschlimann of Mount Horeb; one brother, Harold Larrabee of Tomah; a sister Beverly Davis of Sparta; sisters-in-law, Betty Schilhabel of Tomah, and Marge Larrabee of Phoenix, AZ, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Grace Larrabee; four brothers, Lawrence, Frank, Ernest and Ralph; three sisters, Maude Linder, Edith Krause and Marie Day; five brother-in-laws, Walt Linder, Harry Day, Richard Krause, Glen Pergande and Bill Schilhabel; two sisters-in-law, Pat Larrabee and Gertrude Larrabee .

Funeral services will be on Saturday, Feb. 16, at 10:30 a.m. at St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 525 Superior Ave. Pastor Donald Buch will officiate. Burial will be at the Warren Mills Cemetery, Warrens, with military honors by Curtiss-McNutt VFW Post #1382.

Relatives and friends are invited to call on Friday at the Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home from 4 to 8 p.m. and also on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Luther High Scholarship Fund, or St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church, or St. Paul Ev.Lutheran School.

LaVerne “Doc” McCaskey

LaVerne “Doc” McCaskey, 85, of Sturtevant, WI, formerly of Kendall, passed away Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008, at Harmony Commons. She was born to Theodore K. and Eunice K. (nee: Orchard) Eberdt and grew up in Star Valley, Warrens, WI. She graduated from Tomah High School in 1939.

On July 6, 1940, she married Joseph Jerome “Jerry” McCaskey at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tomah, WI. LaVerne worked at F&M Bank, Kendall, from 1970-1989. Jerry and LaVerne celebrated their 50th anniversary July 6, 1990, in Kendall, and moved in October 1990 to Franksville, WI. Jerry passed away Jan. 23, 1992. LaVerne later moved to Sturtevant. She was active at St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church, Sturtevant, just as she was at St. Joseph’s at Kendall. She loved sewing, gardening, biking, Red Hat events and spending time with her family and friends. She was very proud of her family. Her faith was an inspiration to all who knew her. She will be sadly missed by all those whose lives she touched.

She is survived by her children: Joe (LaWanda) McCaskey of Bartlett, TN, Betty (Bob) Kovacs of Holland, MI, Mary (Marv) Lee of Fountain Inn, SC, Dr. Pat (Becky) McCaskey of Bogart, GA, Alice (Tom) Zastoupil of Tomah, Peggy (Mike) Lena of Kansasville, Kathy (John) Kouba of Hales Corners, Jenny McCaskey of Orange Beach, AL, Marty (Dr. Lee) Witt of Portage, MI; 23 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; sister, June Ross of Tucson, AZ; sister-in-law, Pat Heinrich of Sturgeon Bay; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry; granddaughter, Lisa McCaskey; grandson, Robert Anthony Kovacs, Jr.; parents, Ted K. and Eunice Eberdt; sister, Charlotte (Chic) Goodman; and brother, Ted Eberdt.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church, 3126 95th St., Sturtevant, Wednesday, Feb. 13, at 11 a.m. with Rev. James Kendzlerski officiating. A family burial service will be held at a later date in Kendall. Relatives and friends met with the family at the church on Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m. (Rosary recited at 6:45 p.m.) and Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. until time of the Mass. Memorials may be made to St. Sebastian Catholic Church, 3126 95th St., Sturtevant, WI 53177, or St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 301 Spring St., Kendall, WI 54638. The Maresh-Meredith & Acklam Funeral Home, 803 Main St., Racine, WI 53403, (262) 634-7888, assisted the family with arrangements.