Tomah Journal - Obituaries

Hilory Russell “Dick” Cole, Jason F. Eckdahl, Edward H. Spohn

Hilory Russell “Dick” Cole

Hilory Russell “Dick” Cole, 79, of Tomah, died Saturday, Feb. 2, 2008, at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse. He was born Dec. 19, 1928, to Richard and Margaret (Koehler) Cole on the family farm near Clifton. He was baptized and attended St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran School, where he was confirmed into the Lutheran faith and remained a firm Christian all his life. He was united in marriage to Nancy Halverson on March 6, 1954, at Evangelical Lutheran Church in Milwaukee. He drove truck for his father’s trucking company, Dick Cole Transfer, until he joined the U.S. Army. After the war, he drove truck for Hennepin. In 1961, he moved his family to Hudson, WI, where he raised his family and continued driving for Hennepin, Mid-America, and then Gross. He drove for Gross until his retirement in 1985. He was a proud union steward of the Teamsters for 35 years. He enjoyed a long retirement of 22 years and spent every day with his wife. During his retirement, Hilory and Nancy designed, built, and sold 10 beautiful houses in the Hudson area, and one in Ladysmith, where they lived for 11 years on the Flambeau River before moving back to Tomah in 2005.

Also during his retirement, Hilory and Nancy spent several winters crossing the southern states in their 5th-wheel camper, and recently bought a park model home in Mission, TX. He was a U.S. Army veteran, Signal Corps, and served during the Korean War, and a member of the American Legion. In addition to St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church, he had been an active member of Trinity Lutheran, Hudson and of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Ladysmith. Recently he and his wife became members of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Tomah. Most important to Hilory was his family. He enjoyed spending summer weekends camping, boating and water skiing on Castle Rock, and innertubing the Apple River as well as snowmobiling in the winter. He was a devoted husband and loving father, grandfather and brother.

In addition to his wife Nancy of 53 years, he is survived by his three children: Mark (Laurie) Cole of Somerset, Renee (Jim) McCoy of Menomonee Falls and Richard (Kathy) Cole of Hudson; nine grandchildren: Brandon Cole of Alexandria, VA, Corey, Megan and Brian Cole of Somerset, Ross McCoy, Cole McCoy and Morgan McCoy of Menomonee Falls, Todd and Casey Cole of Hudson; two great-grandchildren: Taylor and Ava Cole of Somerset; a sister, Darlene (Ralph) Parkinson of Tomah; a brother, Darrel (Shirley) Cole of Tomah; two brothers-in-law, Bob (Inga) Halverson of Gulfport, MS, and Wayne Halverson of West Allis; three sisters-in-law, Audrey (Sid) Kailler of Illinois, Mary Wagner of Edina, MN, and Kathy Halverson of Green Bay; nieces, nephews and other relatives and many friends.

He was preceded in death by parents; an infant sister, Beverly Wilma Cole; an infant brother, Richard Pierce Cole, Jr.; three sisters-in-law, Kathy Eiche, Dawn Halverson and Barbara Halverson, and a brother-in-law, Dale Halverson.

A funeral service was held today (Thursday), Feb. 7, at 11 a.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1221 LaGrange Ave. Pastor Mark Benning officiated. Burial was in the Clifton Cemetery with military honors by Grassman-Sowle-Larsen-Senz American Legion Post #201.

Relatives and friends called at the Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home, 801 E. Monowau St., on Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. and at the church today from 10 a.m. until the time of the service.

Jason F. Eckdahl

Jason Frederick Eckdahl, 26, of Tomah, died Jan. 31, 2008. He was born in Tomah on Sept. 25, 1981, to Frederick and Linda (Richer) Eckdahl. He attended Tomah area schools. Jason was employed as a construction worker and drove cab for Ace Cab. Jason also worked in the oil fields in Louisiana and as a crewman on fishing boats in California. He was a devoted and loving father. He also enjoyed cooking, traveling and fishing with his boys.

He is survived by his three sons, Benjamin, Joshua and Nicholas; his mother, Linda (Richard) Myer, all of Tomah; maternal grandparents Ben (Helen) Richer of Mather; two brothers, Edwin Youngs and Aaron (Danielle) Youngs, all of Lafayette, LA; four sisters, Tina Youngs of Tomah, Nancy (Tom) Barnes and Debbie Dobbs, all of Minnesota, and Tammy (Lynn) Laurent of Texas; two step-sisters, Tina Murphy (fiancé David Delaney) and Jennifer Myer, all of Tomah. He is also survived by many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Frederick; a sister, Theresa Eckdahl; his maternal grandparents, Violet (Roy) Schlosser, and an uncle, James Richer.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, Feb. 5, at 11 a.m. at the Church of the Nazarene, 25481 Co. Hwy. ET, Tomah. Pastor James Leston officiated. Burial was in the Warren Mills Cemetery at Warrens.

Pallbearers were Brian Richardson of Lafayette, LA, Cole Tubbs of Oakdale, Eric Cronick of Parsons, KS, Mark Richer of Tomah, Christopher Richer of Camp Douglas and Cody Harmon of Sheboygan.

Relatives and friends called at the Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home, 801 E. Monowau St., Tomah, on Monday from 4 until 8 p.m. and at the church on Tuesday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service.

Edward H. Spohn

Edward Hugh Spohn, 74, of Camp Douglas, WI/Mission, TX, died Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008, at the Don and Marilyn Anderson HospiceCare Center, Madison. He was born on the family farm near Maytown, IL, on May 11, 1933, to Louis J. and Gertrude S. (Stein) Spohn. He was united in marriage to Myrna D. Moore on Feb. 19, 1955, in Hammond, IN. Ed owned and operated his own businesses: Spohn Heating, Badger Tree Service, Spohn Assessing, and also farmed. He was a U.S. Navy Korean War veteran.

Ed gave freely of his time. He was a long-standing member and former Commander of Camp Douglas Post 133 of the American Legion, a member of the elite Forty et Eight, the Knights of Columbus in Tomah, and a member of the VFW in Oregon, IL. He also was the president of the El Valle Del Sol community bike club and organized the annual Salvation Army bell ringers, both in Mission, TX. Ed also volunteered at an orphanage in Mexico and volunteered his services transporting ill children from Mexico to hospitals in the United States.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 53 years, Myrna. His children, Alice (Mike) Hodges of Madison, Judy (Bill) Graf of Black River Falls, Debbie (Jerry) Mason of Sun Prairie, Joan (friend Bill) Reynolds of Cataract, Tim (Christine) of Camp Douglas, Linda (Chris) Squires of Wyeville, Paul (Joan) of Tomah, and Dan of Camp Douglas. He is also survived by his dear sister, Virginia (John) Doherty of Normal, IL; 19 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, other relatives and his many, many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Bob, Andy and Don, and granddaughters Rhesa Spohn and Sara Spohn.

A Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, Feb. 9, at 11 a.m. at St. James the Less Catholic Church, Camp Douglas. Rev. John Ofori-Domah will officiate.

Relatives and friends are invited to call Friday, Feb. 8, at the Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home, 801 E. Monowau St., Tomah from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m.

Prayer services will be held Friday at the funeral home at 8 p.m.