1936-2023 Marge had been a resident of Ridgecrest since 1998, moving here from Phoenix, Ariz.; living there for approximately 20 years. Prior to that she lived in northern Wisconsin. She passed away peacefully at home due to natural causes at the age of 86. Most of her life Marge was self-employed, with her belated husband she owned and operated several beer/family taverns located in Price and Taylor counties in northern Wisconsin. Marge was a hard-working lady always asking if she could help. Her hard-working ethic began when she was born on the family farm in Phillips. There were always plenty of chores to attend to. In her late teens she joined other family members in the Milwaukee area where she found factory employment working at Oster & Abbott Laboratories. Then she went on to work at a Supper Club where she met her husband Lyle, who worked there as a chef. They were married in 1956. Moving away from the cities, in 1960 they bought their first tavern on Main Street in Phillips. The Beer Hut was the beginning of a pattern of business ownership and building up successful businesses. Marge and her husband had a way to build a fun loving, family-oriented customer base. Softball and billiard teams offered socialization, hosting local bands and even beach parties. Always supporting local communities. Many customers became dear friends. The final business of five was a tavern in Stetsonville, Lyle & Marge’s. The customers were a more diverse age group, and enjoyment was had by all. Marge handled many of the business details with tavern ownership. She made it all look so effortless. After about 6 years she & Lyle “sold” the business to move to the southwest for health reasons. When they settled in Phoenix, Lyle went back to being a chef, Marge became part sous chef, part checkout clerk, part fill-in as needed. Marge remained in Phoenix for several years after her husband passed away in 1983. She also started working at a drug store and began cleaning apartments after construction and homes. Near the mid ‘80s Marge’s world turned upside down! The Stetsonville tavern had been “sold” under a land contract. The bank was prepared to foreclose the contract. Marge needed to return to Wisconsin and take over the business herself. The tavern now also had a kitchen and could serve food. With the help of family and some friends she cleaned the place up and once again built up a successful business, Marge’s Bar. Lunches were served Mon-Fri, as was a limited all day menu. Her days & nights were terribly long, she was fortunate to get 1 day a week off. This eight-month stint was physically demanding, yet Marge came out of the ordeal strong with some long-lasting & dear friendships. Returning to Phoenix Marge went back to cleaning homes for her customers. Then Marge moved to Ridgecrest to be closer to family. Once in Ridgecrest, Marge soon again, built up a strong clientele for cleaning homes, still working into her mid-70s. Initially she moved in with Joni & Jim to first get the lay of the Ridgecrest land while she looked for an apartment. Jim and Joni offered her the option to stay with them and she accepted. They became a close family along with any puppy dogs that were there at the time. Originally NOT a dog lover, it did not take long for the various dogs to win over Marge’s heart. It was a wonderful 24+ years together! Business ownership did not lend itself to providing opportunities for Marge to have any hobbies. In her early years she bowled and played softball. Once in Ridgecrest she enjoyed gardening, cooking, reading, and “her” puppies. She often joked about being the proud “owner” (one share) of the Green Bay Packers. All through her life, Marge always made time for her many brothers and sisters. Family visits and phone calls filled Marge with joy and her face would light up just talking about them. Survived by her daughter, Joni Pentony (Wangemann); and son-in-law, James Wangemann both of Ridgecrest, Calif. Her remaining brother and sisters are residents of Wisconsin, Anthony (Tony) (Dottie) Turicek of Waukesha, and two sisters, Ms. Helen Pass of Waukesha, Mrs. Pete (Pep) Stachowiak of Racine. She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Anna Turicik; her husband, Lyle Pentony; brothers, Joseph Turicik, Steve, Andy, and John Turicek; and sisters, Agnes Turicik, Veronica Donavan, Marion Masters. Marge enjoyed family, friends, wine, and life. She was a person who brought out enjoyment to those whom she interacted with. Truly a remarkable, touching, memorable lady. Marge was an awesome Mother, Sister & Aunt! At her request there will be no services, with a private internment arranged through Holland & Lyons Mortuary. Paid Obituary 138682

1928-2023 Willis A. Couillard, 94 of Gilman, passed away on Thursday, May 11, 2023. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 29, 2023 at Zion Lutheran Church-Gilman with Pastor Brian Beardsley officiating. Interment will follow in the Donald Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to service on Saturday. Plombon Funeral Service assisted the family with arrangements. He was born on Dec. 15, 1928 at his family’s home in the Town of Pershing; Taylor County. He grew up in the Donald area. He married Catherine Creaser on May 29, 1950 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sheldon. Willis and Catherine moved to Round Lake Beach, Ill. in 1950 and began to raise their family. Willis worked as a machinist at McLean Fogg for many years in Illinois before moving the family back to Wisconsin in 1977. Once back, he became the Head Custodian for the Gilman School District where he served in that role until his retirement in 1995. Not a man to sit idle, when not at work, you could usually find him tinkering around the house fixing things. A patient man, there was not much that he couldn’t find a way to fix. His patience also served him well in another thing he loved to do: fish. Either from shore or from a boat, Willis could be found with a line in the water when time allowed. Before the passing of Catherine, you also could find them often looking for a place to square dance. When not fishing or fixing something around the house, Willis could often be found playing pretty much any card game someone would play with him. Although, that someone was often hard to find as he would rarely lose. As he aged, Willis found a passion in doing puzzles, especially the 3D type, which he proudly displayed at Romig’s Hardware Store in Gilman. Willis is survived by his children, Kathy Johnson of Columbia, Ky., Duane (Sherry) of Olympia, Wash., Craig (Sarah) of Third Lake, Ill., Jeffrey (Doreen) of Tenino, Wash., and Chris (Nikki) of Pewaukee; 14 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, one greatgreat grandchild and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Catherine; his parents, a grandson, Michael Clark; his brothers, Harold, Dorwin, George, Raymond “Pete,” Leo “Jack,” and Gerald; and his sisters, Mae Utegaard, Nathail “Dolly” Gorsenger, and Edna Hinkel. Paid Obituary 138612

1965-2023 Wayne P. Dahl, 57, of Medford, passed away unexpectedly of natural causes on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 at Marshfield Medical Center, Park Falls. He was working for Frances Melvin Companies at the time. A funeral mass for Wayne will take place at 12 p.m. on Thursday, June 29, 2023 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, with Father Michael Hayden officiating. Visitation will take place at Holy Rosary Catholic Church on Thursday, June 29, 2023 from 10 a.m. until the time of service at 12 p.m. Wayne was born on Oct. 27, 1965 to Elroy and Diane Dahl. His graduation took place from Medford Senior High School with the Class of 1984. On Feb. 9, 1996 he married Danielle “Molly” Dassow at Holy Rosary Catholic Church. He is survived by his wife, Molly and their dog “Jackpot”; his mother Diane; brothers, Rodney (Wendy) Dahl, Jeffrey (Lisa) Dahl, David (Michele) Dahl, sister, Barb (Forrest) Tappe all of Medford; father and mother-in-law, Delmar and Helen Dassow of Stetsonville; brothers-in-law, Dan (Lori) Dassow of Medford, Tom Dassow of Jim Falls, and sister-in-law, Tammy Dassow of Marathon. He is further survived by nieces and nephews, Ashley (Chad) Allen, Alex (Carson) Dahl, Makenna (Cody) Miller, Garrett Dahl, Dakota (Carlie Rau) Dahl, Alex Tappe, Jake (Shelly) Tappe, and Maddie Marcott, Michael, Gabriel, and Sydney Dassow; as well as great nieces, nephews, more family, and many friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Elroy Dahl on Dec. 24, 2021. Wayne worked for Balciar Bulldozing, Central Sand and Gravel, both of Medford and for the past 26 years, Frances Melvin Companies of Abbotsford. He had a great work ethic and believed in finishing a job once he started. He loved to be outdoors, be it fishing, hunting, gardening, yard work, motorcycling, snowmobiling, auctions, flea markets, or garage sales. He loved tinkering with anything that had a motor. He took pride in his yard and garden, and had a soft spot for Beagles. He would go out of his way to give a helping hand to anyone. Wayne was known by his nieces and nephews as “Uncle Nut”. The nickname fit him to a tee. He was always joking around, pulling pranks, teasing and making people laugh. He loved to laugh and smile and pray he is doing so now from above. Hemer-Pickerign Funeral & Cremation Services of Medford and Rib Lake is serving the family. Online condolences can be left at www. hemerfuneralservice.com. Paid Obituary 138675

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Life’s Circle Learning and growing Changing Hope my circle touched yours And Made a difference - Priscilla “Sally” Anne Kovacik The world lost a beloved wife, mother, mother- in-law, grandma, sister, teacher, and friend, Priscilla “Sally” Anne Kovacik, on May 30, 2023. Sally was born to Art and Lucille Gelhaus in Medford, on Feb. 8, 1942, and a mighty and bright light came into the world. Sally was a wonderful wife and companion to her husband, Tony Kovacik of Green Bay, for 52 years. Sally was a loving and dedicated mother to Peter Kovacik (Karla) of Green Bay, and Paul Kovacik (Carol) of Dunedin, Fla. Sally was a loving, caring, fun, and playful grandmother to Yahya Kovacik (4) and Ilyas Gilliam (23) both of Green Bay. She was a wife, mother, and grandmother who would go to endless lengths to ensure the happiness and well-being of her family. Sally graduated from Cardinal Stritch University in 1964, and went on to earn three master’s degrees, which shaped her forty-year career as a Reading Specialist with a primary focus on children’s learning. She coordinated reading curricula for one of the state’s most prestigious school districts, Mequon/ Thiensville, and spent her final twenty years of teaching at Arbor Vitae-Woodruff Elementary 1942-2023 School in Minocqua. Her students and colleagues knew her as a kind, loving, and giving soul, always willing to cheer kids up with hugs. Aside from her family, teaching was a passion that brought happiness to Sally’s life. Sally battled cancer for over 40 years all while giving in every way she could, making the world a better place, and living a full and beautiful life. From adopting and raising two children (Peter and Paul), being the best Grandma ever, regularly giving to charities, teaching children to read, and helping people understand the importance of protecting our environment, Sally never missed an opportunity to help, give, and love. Sally passed peacefully in Green Bay, while holding the hand of her eldest son, Peter, and with her brother, Bob, by her side. The second oldest of twelve children, Sally is survived by her siblings, Carol (Roland) Gelhaus, Laura (Dennis) Zuleger, Susan (Lyle) Murphy Jones, Peter (Jeanine) Gelhaus, Charles (Linda) Gelhaus, Donna (Steve) Smitala, Mark (Linda) Gelhaus, and Robert (Rhonda) Gelhaus. Three siblings preceded her in death, Nicholas Gelhaus, Mary Gelhaus, and Jane (Tom) Leischer. Sally was laid to rest near her beloved mother, Lucille, at the Holy Rosary Cemetery in Medford. Please remember, Sally would like everyone to protect the environment and take a bit of time to understand its importance – a reusable bag wouldn’t hurt. In lieu of flowers, donations to Heifer International can be made to honor Sally’s memory. This will help to end world hunger and poverty, one of Sally’s many missions. Paid Obituary 138423

Douglas Harold Damm, age 74, of Roseville, Minn., formerly of Stetsonville, passed into Eternal Life on Sunday, June 18, 2023, after a long hospitalization. A visitation will be held at 10 a.m. and a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 28 at St. Charles Borromeo, 2739 NE Stinson Blvd, Minneapolis, MN 55418. In lieu of flowers memorials to the family are preferred. Doug was known for his generosity, patience, cheerful spirit, loyalty, thoughtfulness, having a great sense of humor, being a dedicated hard worker and his faith in God. 1948-2023 He is survived by his four children, Stephanie (Scott) Witzel, Greg (Sarah) Damm, Jeff (Janet) Damm and Angela (David) Babish; grandchildren Kaile (Ari), Adaline, Charlie, Ruby, Freddy, Anna, Olivia, Lucia, Veronica, Luke, Joseph, Elliot, Micah, Ben, Bernadette, and Miriam; siblings, Sharon (Gene) Thiedi, Sheila (Don) Hamann and Dorine Damm (Bryan Johnson). The mother of his children, Teddi Walters also survives Doug as well as nieces, nephews, extended relatives, friends, special friend Mary Wojtowicz and her children and grandchildren. Doug was preceded in death by his parents, Evelyn Louise (née Marti) and Harold Frank Damm. A special thank you to the ICU staff at St. John’s Hospital in Maplewood, Minn. and Bethesda Hospital in St. Paul for their care for Doug and kindness to our family. Full obituary will be featured later in the week at https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/ douglas-damm-obituary?id=52277038. Paid Obituary 138473