Tomah Journal - Printable Version

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Published - Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Obituaries for February 18

Garth Paul Beske, Phyllis Oestreich

Garth Paul Beske

Garth Paul Beske, age 81, of Warrens, WI, passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008, at Tomah Memorial Hospital. He was born on April 4, 1926, to Gustave and Florence (Billings) Beske in Marshfield. He was raised in Stratford and was a 1944 graduate Stratford High School. Garth served in the United States Army in WWII.

Following his discharge, he moved to Alaska, where he was a gold miner for a couple of years. He then moved to Wyoming, where he worked on a big ranch for a few years before moving to Wisconsin and attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Garth raced cars and at one time was designing a car in attempts to land the speed record.

He was united in marriage to Kathryne Kahl on Nov. 15, 1952, in Markesan. Together they lived in Pardeeville and Markesan. They later moved to Madison, where he worked for Findorf Construction and Joe Daniels Construction. In 1974, they moved to Warrens, where they have resided since.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Kathryne of Warrens; his children, Virginia Dukes of Lancaster, OH, Paul G. Beske of Madison, Michael Beske of Warrens, and Loretta (Larry) Peplow of Boise, ID; grandchildren, David Dukes, Gage and Sarah Beske, and Rusty and Ryan Peplow; a sister, Joan Bradley and a niece, Stephanie Bishop and her son, Cole; other relatives and many friends.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, Feb. 16, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. The Very Rev. Steven J. Kachel will officiate. Family and friends are invited for visitation on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service with a rosary at 10 a.m. led by the parishioners of St. Andrew’s Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Warrens.

The Torkelson Funeral Home of Tomah is assisting the family with arrangements.

Online condolences are available at www.torkelsonfuneralhome.com.

Phyllis Oestreich

Phyllis Oestreich, 84, of Tomah, died Feb. 14, 2008, at Tomah Memorial Hospital. She was born May 8, 1923, to Carl and Dagmar (Jorgensen) Christensen on the family farm in the town of Byron near Shennington, WI.

Phyllis was baptized and confirmed at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Shennington. She was a member of the Tomah High School Class of 1940. After graduation she was employed in Chicago, IL, for several years.

In 1945 she was united in marriage to Paul Oestreich at St. Nicholai Lutheran Church in Chicago. To this marriage four children were born. Phyllis and Paul raised their children in a stable, loving home. Among the many gifts they gave those children were a great sense of humor and an easy laugh.

Phyllis was a lifelong active member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, and a tireless supporter of its many missions. She loved to try new things, and therefore dabbled in watercolor painting, piano playing and various other crafts, but her beautiful handmade quilts were and are her lasting legacy.

Phyllis leaves to cherish her memory her children: Dennis (Merry) Oestreich of Raleigh, NC; Michael (Cheryl) Oestreich, Peoria, AZ; Morris (LuAnn) Oestreich, Verona, WI; and Cheryl (Larry) Dietzman, of Tomah, WI; nine grandchildren: Jeffrey (Lori) Oestreich and Richard Oestreich, both of Raleigh, NC; Tina (Chris) Nation of Flagstaff, AZ; Christopher Oestreich and Andy (Aimee) Oestreich, both of Peoria, AZ; Erin Oestreich and Katie Oestreich, both of Verona, WI; Lindsey Dietzman and Matthew Dietzman, both of Tomah, WI; six great-grandchildren: Elizabeth Oestreich, Michelle Oestreich, Nicholas Nation, Michaela Nation, Jared Nation, and Andrew Brian Oestreich; a sister, Rose Litkea, and many loving nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul; an infant sister Joyce, and brother-in-law, Carl Litkea.

Funeral services were held today (Monday), Feb. 18, at 11 a.m. at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Shennington. Rev. Jeffrey J. Reutten officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery.

Relatives and friends called on Sunday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home, Tomah, and at the church today from 10 a.m. until the time of the service.