All Obituaries

     Rhea Gaynelle Sikes departed this Earthly life on November 5, 2019      A native of Greensboro, NC, she graduated from Greensboro High School (now Grimsley and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, majoring in Art, with a minor in Drama. She earned her master’s degree from Syracuse University in a new media called “Television”.      In 1955, Rhea joined the staff of WQED...

     After a startling and swift encounter with cancer, ending in a draw, Russell “Skip” Kaeske passed away, each participant going in the opposite direction on October 26, 2019.      Skip was born July 24, 1946 and was welcomed into the family of Louis and Ada (Froemming) Kaeske of Cedarburg. He attended school and graduated from Cedarburg High School in 1964. From a very early age, Skip knew he wanted to be a teacher. This led him to...

     Wallace “Wally” Hammerberg, the strongest man in the world (according to his nine grandchildren), passed away on Saturday, October 26. If you were lucky enough to have known him, you would have seen that he had a clever wit, a firm grip, and a warm heart. He was a man of few words, but each was carefully chosen.      Wally was born 97 years ago in Crandon, Wisconsin to Carl Eric and Beatrice Ethra Barker Hammerberg. He and his four...

     Robert Joseph Nikolai, 84, of Washington Island, passed away at home on Sunday morning, October 20, 2019.      He was born August 28, 1935 in Kenosha, son of the late Richard August and Roselyn Mary (Wyk) Nikolai. Bob graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Kenosha with the Class of 1953.  He then went on to study at Marquette University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1957. Bob worked at...

     Judith Sue Safranski, 67, of Sturgeon Bay, fell asleep in the loving arms of her husband, Michael, at home and awoke in the arms of the Lord, late Tuesday morning, October 15, 2019.      Judy was born January 13, 1952 in South Milwaukee, the daughter of Henry J. and Lillian J. (Jurci) Repa. She graduated from South Milwaukee High School in 1970 and went on to study at Evangelical Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing School. Following her graduation,...

     Keith Daniel “Dan” Noe, 82, of Sister Bay, passed away Tuesday, October 15, 2019 while at Angels Touch CBRF in De Pere, WI.      He was born August 28, 1937 in Edgerton, WY, the son of Daniel and Virginia (Kelso) Noe. Following high school, he served his country with the United States Navy.  Dan received his undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma in Secondary Education, majoring in Biology and...

     Merwin C. Nelson, 87, of Algoma, formerly Washington Island, died Tuesday evening, October 8, 2019 at Autumn’s Journey CBRF in Algoma with his wife, Hazel at his side.      He was born March 15, 1932 on Washington Island the son of the late Lester and Mildred (Boyce) Nelson. Mer graduated from Washington Island High School. He served on the USS Segundo Submarine during the Korean War stationed in the South Pacific and...

     Dorothy Eileen Smith, 89, of Sister Bay, passed away Thursday evening, October 3, 2019 at Good Samaritan Society-Scandia Village in Sister Bay.       She was born May 1, 1930 in Leicester, England, the daughter of Charles Pate Mackman Deacon and Edith (Newcombe) Deacon. Dorothy attended Mundella School in Leicester. She met Norman Kenneth Smith when she was 17, and they were married on Christmas Eve 1949...

     ***PLEASE NOTE THE MEMORIAL SERVICE DATE HAS CHANGED TO THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24TH.***      Richard (Dick) Arden Bierman passed away on September 27, 2019 in Sister Bay, WI. He was born in Milwaukee, WI, on February 5, 1933 to Richard H. Bierman, Architect, and Florence Sontag Bierman. Dick was a 1951 graduate of Custer High and attended the University of Wisconsin – Madison, graduating in 1956 with a degree in Geology. Dick was a member of the Kappa...

     God saw that Ruthie was getting tired, so He put his arms around her and whispered, “Come with Me.” Ruth passed away peacefully at home on Friday, September 20, 2019, surrounded by her children shortly after being diagnosed with cancer.      Ruth H. Stephan was born on May 9, 1935, in Valmy, Wisconsin to Louis and Amanda Sternard. On May 29, 1954, Ruth married Leon E. Stephan, Sr. at St. John Ev. Lutheran Church in...