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Bio: Arneson, Daughter of Mr./Mrs. Ary (Birth – 8 Oct 1959)

Transcriber: Stan

Surnames: Arneson, Steiger

----Source: Greenwood Gleaner (Greenwood, Clark Co., Wis.) 15 Oct 1959

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Ary Arneson, Spring Valley, on Thursday, October 8th, 1959, a baby girl. Mrs. Arneson will be remembered as Elsie Steiger

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Obit: Ebben, Lorraine Martha “Skelly” (1934 - 2024)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Ebben, Jelinski, Skaleski, Luzinski, Borneman, Ross

----Source: Cuddie Funeral Home (Thorp, Clark Co., WI) 4/8/2024

Ebben, Lorraine Martha “Skelly” (14 March 1934 – 5 April 2024)

Lorraine "Skelly" Ebben, age 90, of Thorp, passed away at home on Friday, April 5, 2024. A private service and burial for the immediate family will be held at a later date.

Lorraine Martha Skaleski was born on March 14, 1934, on the family farm in the Town of Roosevelt, rural Lublin, the daughter of Frank and Martha (Jelinski) Skaleski. At the age of 12, her mother moved the family to Thorp after the death of her father. Skelly graduated from Thorp High School in 1951. She was united in marriage on September 3, 1955, to Clayborne A. "Clay" Ebben at St. Bernard's Catholic Church in Thorp. She was a devoted and active member of the church continuing to grow in faith by meeting with her Bible study group.

They purchased a farm in the Town of Reseburg in 1958, where they raised their family. After Clay's death in 2004, she moved to the city of Thorp in 2007 and has resided there until her death.

Skelly had many interests. She loved spending time with her family. Seeing them play sports was always a highlight of her day as was watching Wisconsin college and pro teams. She and Clay spent hours fishing, camping and bird watching. A dog was always a big part of her life with “Pepper” being her latest and favorite.

She will be dearly missed by her children: Diane (Raymond) Luzinski of Thorp, Bob of Thorp, Bill (Bonnie) of Rochester, MN, Kathy (Mark) Borneman of Deerbrook, Karen of Hudson, Peter (Jose) of Wilton Manors, FL, Howard (Denise) of Athens, and Paul (Pam) of Chippewa Falls; 13 grandchildren: Craig (Courtney), Scott (Amy), Neal (Ashley), Jeni (Taylor), Kellie (Ryan), Kristan (Jay), Mike (Tierney), Krystle, Heather, Brittany, Amy (Shawn), Alison and Amber; 25 great grandchildren: Titus, Raleigh, Jones, Rilee, Clay, Regan, Nolen, Lakyn, Canden, Rhett, Muriel, Harold, Bryson, Mya, Daphnie, Ireland, England, Bristol, Roxanne, Sophia, Mateo, Elizabeth, Nicholas, Bennett, and Skylar; two great-great grandchildren: Xzilla and Levi; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and very special friends.

Skelly was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Clay; son-in-law, Julian Ebben-Ross; and eight brothers: John, Ben, Albert, Victor, Joe, Tony, Louis and Raymond Skaleski.

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Obit: Opelt, Dale Louis (1936 - 2024)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Opelt, Mack, Gates, Stalsberg, Boon, Marty, Gaier, Schutte, Urlaub, Gutenberger, Vornholt

----Source: Gesche Funeral Home (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 4/8/2024

Opelt, Dale Louis (16 January 1936 – 7 April 2024)

Dale Opelt, age 88, of Neillsville, died Sunday, April 7, 2024, at the Wells Nature View Assisted Living Facility in Marshfield.

Dale Louis Opelt was born on January 16, 1936, in Neillsville, the son of Carl and Permilla "Millie" (Mack) Opelt. He was united in marriage to Betty L. Gates on September 22, 1956, in Neillsville. Dale farmed for many years in the Town of Levis, and also worked for the family business, Opelt Sand & Gravel, until his retirement. Betty died March 23, 2023, and Dale moved to Marshfield in January of this year.

Dale was a member of the United Church of Christ, the Neillsville Men's Club, and the Neillsville Lion's Club. He enjoyed bowling, fishing, smelt fishing, spending time "Up North" with the family, traveling with friends, snowmobiling, hunting trips out west, and gatherings at Opelt's cabin during hunting season.

He is survived by six children, Rick (Martha) Opelt of Mankato, MN, Linda (John) Stalsberg of Neillsville, Brenda (Duane) Boon of Greenwood, Carla (Mickey) Marty of Neillsville, Roberta (Robert) Gaier of Neillsville, and Lisa Opelt of Three Lakes, 17 Grandchildren, 43 great grandchildren, a brother, Donnie Opelt of Greenwood, two sisters, Evelyn Schutte and Jennie (Ben) Urlaub both of Neillsville, and sisters-in-law, Janice Opelt, Mary Opelt and Terrie Opelt all of Neillsville.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty, his parents, Carl and Millie Opelt, and siblings, Robert (Dorothy) Opelt, Arnold (Delores) Opelt, Rudolph Opelt, Kenny (Ruth) Opelt, Bernie (Hanna) Opelt, William Opelt, Dorothy "Dottie" Gutenberger and Gordon "Butch" Opelt.

A Memorial Service for Dale will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, April 13, 2024, at the United Church of Christ. Pastor Sue Vornholt will officiate. Interment will be in the Town of Levis Cemetery. Visitation will be from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., Saturday, at the United Church of Christ.

Online Condolences may be made at www.geschefh.com.  Gesche Funeral Home and Cremation Service is assisting Dale's family with Funeral arrangements.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Dale Opelt, please visit our flower store.

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Obit: Opelt, Richard Lee (1949 - 2024)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Opelt, Lipkie, Salazar, Keller, Hornback, Eddy, Tews

----Source: Gesche Funeral Home (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 4/8/2024

Opelt, Richard Lee (17 March 1949 – 7 April 2024) With Flag

Richard L Opelt, 75, of Neillsville, WI died on Sunday, April 7, 2024, at the Clark County Health and Rehab Center in Owen.

Richard Lee Opelt was born on March 17, 1949, in Neillsville, the son of Rudolph Carl and Marcella Jean (Lipkie) Opelt He graduated from Neillsville High School in 1967 and was drafted into the U.S. Army. He served from 1967 to 1970. He lived in California for some time after his service where he was united in marriage to Carol Salazar. They later divorced. He moved back to Neillsville and worked construction with Scott Tews along with his brother, David. Richard enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Richard is survived by a son, Jonathon Opelt of Chicago, IL and daughters, Shannon Opelt and Yvonne Opelt both of CA. He is also survived by brothers, Bruce (Barb) Opelt of Neillsville, Randy (Michelle) Opelt of Eau Claire and sisters, Rosemary (Larry Keller) Opelt of Neillsville and Susie Hornback of Poynette.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Cheryl Eddy and a brother, David.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Online Condolences may be made at www.geschefh.com.  Gesche Funeral Home and Cremation Service is assisting Richard's family with funeral arrangements.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Richard Opelt, please visit our flower store.

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Bio: Conner, Jody – Clark County Press Editor Honored (1985)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Conner, Crawford, Johnson, Lepeska, Heath

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 12/26/1985

Conner, Jody – Clark County Press Editor Honored (1985)

Clark County Press News Editor Jody Conner has been honored for his writing efforts by the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB).

Conner was announced as a first place winner this week in the WASB’s 1985 writing contest. Conner entered two stories written over the past year in the contest’s new story division. One story, from March 21, 1985, issue of the Press, detailed Neillsville High School’s efforts to help marginal students graduate through tutoring. The other, which appeared in the November 15, 1984, issue, concepted the settlement of the 1984-85 teacher’s contract.

More than 200 articles from newspapers across the state were entered tin the 1985 contest which recognizes outstanding reporting about Wisconsin public education issues.

“There was lots of hope and lots of good news being reported. The articles showed that journalists are working for better education of the public about schools,” contest Judy Marjorie Crawford commented.

Articles were judged on their originality and creativity, as well as their handling of student teacher, and board cooperation.

Conner said he was honored that the WASB would choose his stories for special recognition. Credit should be given to members of the Neillsville School Board, administration, and faculty for being accessible and cooperative when contacted, he said.

The WASB will present all of the winners with awards at its convention banquet on January 23 in Milwaukee.

The judges of this year’s contest were Dean Rodney Johnson, school of education, University of Wisconsin Eau Claire; Marge Crawford, director of Fiscal and Management Services, CESA I, and Jane Lepeska, director of Information Services, Department of Public Instruction.

Also announced as a winner from this area was Marshfield News-Herald Editor William Heath, who received a first place in the editorial division for small daily newspapers.

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Bio: Foster, Gary Outstanding Young Man of America (1985)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Foster

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 12/5/1985

Foster, Gary – Outstanding Young Man of America (1985)

Former Neillsville resident Gary Foster, son of Dr. and Mrs. John Foster, 15 Clay St., Neillsville, was recently informed of his selection as an Outstanding Young Man of America for 1985. Along with other men selected across North America, Mr. Foster’s biography will appear in the Outstanding Young Men of America national publication.

This program recognizes the achievements and abilities of men between the ages of twenty-one and Thirty-six; and nominations are received from local, state, and federal government officials; college and university presidents and deans; as well as various civic organizations.

Foster, a biology graduate of UW-Eau Claire, has been serving with the United States Navy, as a corpsman, since May of 1983. Following appointment to officer’s candidate school in September of this year, he is currently in navigator training at Pensacola Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida. Sixteen months after receiving his commission, in January 1986, Foster will be eligible for his wings.

While a student at Neillsville High School, he was an Eagle Scout and member of the state championship football team.

Officer candidate Foster’s wife, Melodie, and sons Brady and Adam, reside in Neillsville, while he is attending school in Florida.

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Bio: Magnuson, Greg – Outstanding Young Farmer of the Year (1985)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Magnuson, Vine

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 12/26/1985

Magnuson, Greg – Outstanding Young Farmer of the Year (1985)

Greg Magnuson is optimistic that farming is a good occupation and that a farmer can still make a good living.

Perhaps that had some bearing on his selection as the Outstanding Young Farmer of the year by the O’Neill Jaycees. Magnuson owns and operates a farm on Highway 10 in the Town of Grant, just east of the Neillsville Airport. He was selected for the honor by a two-judge panel which found the decision a hard one, in consideration of the many farmers who took the time to fill out the OYF form, according to Jaycee officials.

Magnuson, 35, was not always as enthusiastic about a farm occupation. He entered farming in 1964 when he bought some cows from Gordon Vine. Four years late, Magnuson said, he turned the cows over to his father, bought a car, “and took off.” He began to work a series of factory jobs around the country. But by 1968 he had decided to go back to the family farm.

“It’s better than working in factories. I didn’t like taking orders from somebody else, that’s my problem. I just thought farming was nicer,” he recounted.

Magnuson and his father, Earl farmed in partnership until five years ago when the son bought the father out. Today Magnuson and his wife, Sharon, own 50 acres and rent another 200. They milk 70 cows with a total of 120 cattle on hand. Most of the cows are registered Holsteins.

Sharon has also been honored by the Jaycees, having been named farm wife of the year last May.

The couple is also raising two children; a girl, 12-year-old Stacey; and a boy, 9-year-old Scott. Magnuson said he would leave it to them whether or not they wanted to follow in their father’s occupation, and would encourage them to work off the farm after high school, before they make up their minds. That might be difficult since the son already has a great deal of interest in farming.

“Scotty, that’s all he talks about. But that’s all I talked about when I got to that age too,” noted his father.

Magnuson said he regarded himself as a successful farmer. He attributed it in part to careful spending, and in part to having one family on a large enough spread to support it.

“I still think you can get rich in farming. Sue, it’s more work than you need to do but you’re still your own boss. That’s what I like,” said Magnuson, who added that he hoped he could retire by the time he was 50.

A number of area businesses donated items which were awarded to the Magnuson family along with the OYF honor. The businesses were:

Cenex Supply, Binoculars; Grassland Vet Service, one free service and two boxes mastitis tubes; Kuehn Implement, leather gloves; Chili Milk Pool, one gallon blue guard; De-New Country View Farm, plaque; Lynn Dairy, dairy products; Gaier Sales and Service, drinking cup; Don Kaiser County Extension Office, two T-shirts; Beilke Feed Mill, 200 pounds milk protein; Chili Farm Service, 50 pounds calf mate; 1st National Bank, two fish fry dinners; ABS, five pints Seman; Harry’s Hardware, padlock set; WCCN, candy dish; A & W, four mugs; Tri-State Breeders, five units Seman; Triple F. Feeds, one bag mineral; Van Gorden Feed Mill, pair of gloves.

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News: Clark Co. – TRG Publisher Elected Pres. of Association (14 Mar 2024)

Transcriber: Stan

Surnames: O’Leary, Hunter

----Source: TRG (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wis.) 10 Apr 2024

Kris O’Leary, publisher of the (Abbotsford) Tribune-Phonograph, (Cornell) Courier Sentinel, (Edgar) Record-Review, (Loyal) Tribune Record Gleaner and The (Medford) Star News, has been elected president of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association (WNA).

O’Leary succeeds George Stanley, CEO of Wisconsin Watch, who becomes immediate past president.
Stanley passed the gavel to O’Leary during the WNA Board of Directors meeting on March 14 in Madison. The appointment became official during the association’s annual meeting the next day — following a motion made by her mother, Carol O’Leary, publisher of The Star News, Medford, and seconded by her husband, Kevin Flink, publisher of TP Printing.

“People still want local news. What we do matters to our communities,” O’Leary said to an audience of nearly 200 members during the annual Better Newspaper Contest Awards Banquet - “Being a watchdog for local government being a cheerleader for community events, letting people share their opinions, strong local editorials to encourage community or government action.”

“The people in this room get it. You understand the assignment. We need to get the message out that newspapers aren’t dying, they are changing and evolving from print, to online, to nonprofit. But newspapers are still one of our most valuable community resources. And the people in this room who investigate, cover meetings, write features, shoot sports, design ads and pages and print the papers are the heart and soul of those pages.”

Julia Hunter, Wisconsin Newspaper Association

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Bio: Langfeldt, Herb – Honored as a Longtime Community Volunteer

Transcriber: Stan

Surnames: Langfeldt, Thomas, Koepsell, Esselman, Geier

----Source: TRG (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wis.) 10 Apr 2024

The Loyal Fire Department recently put up its sign at the fire station on Wolf Street in memory of Herb Langfeldt, who passed away in 2015. Herb served with the fire department for 34 years, including as chief for 11 years. After Herb’s passing, Donna made a donation to the fire department in his honor. Involved in the event were: Herb’s children Mike Langfeldt and Mandi Koepsell, Herb’s wife Donna, and Loyal Fire Department First Captain Dave Esselman and Second Lieutenant Dave Geier.

CHEYENNE THOMAS/STAFF PHOTO