Year in Review

TRUTH JOUR THROUGH NALISM VOL. 4, WK. 1 THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2020 $1.00 20 YEAR IN REVIEW 20 19 A recap of local events featured in the Star News in 2019 20 by JOE BLOCK Gasser lived a rich and varied 23 years … I would have done alive and was transported to a the village’s mapped floodplain. gust. While I agree with the Editor life. anything for him. Even my hus- local hospital, where she later Highway 78 saw flooding, and moderate [flood stage] descrip- Her artwork first appeared band doesn’t understand that. died. Amenda Road in the town of tion, I feel that we were on the In Memoriam in the former Sauk Prairie But [Curt] would do anything Mazomanie was impassable. cusp of severe.” Star in 1954. Eventually she for you.” More flooding The day before the flooding In Prairie du Sac, an area sur- The area saw several promi- wrote a column, and chronicled Kou Her drowned after res- and severe weather Black Earth Creek at Mazo- rounded by Lueders Road, Lin- nent residents pass away in the lives of local residents. cuing his children below the manie was at four feet. By mid- coln Street, Broadway Street 2019, as well as a few local Litscher-Gasser continued Prairie du Sac dam this sum- Moderate rain and warm night it had risen to just under and 12th Street flooded. tragedies. submitting artwork to the Star mer. Her rescued his three chil- temperatures led to exceptional 11 feet, into minor flood stage. According to Village Ad- Denman G. Kramer, “The News up until her death. dren and wife. runoff over frozen ground Mazomanie Fire and Mazo- ministrator Alan Wildman, Balloon Man,” passed away Curt Mueller, founder of The Wisconsin River was across the area in late winter. manie Public Works led an ef- “The volume of water from the at the age of 100. Kramer was Mueller Sports Medicine, re- high that day, flowing at double Mazomanie and Prairie du Sac fort that also included around rapidly melting snow and rain the long-time superintendent cently passed away as well. its normal rate. were particularly affected by 20 volunteers. The group filled coming from the fields north of the Prairie du Sac dam. A Mueller gave back to his com- Donald and Colleen Soper flooding. Temperatures reached around 5000 sandbags, and and west of the above area was founding member of the Sauk munity, and was known for his died after getting lost a few 60, with just under a half inch placed sandbags at six locations more than the two retention Prairie Optimist Club, Kramer unconventional lifestyle. All the days after Thanksgiving. The of rain falling. Area snowpack that were prioritized. Many ponds could handle. The ponds was very active in the commu- while he built Mueller Sports elderly couple was visiting fam- was deep and cold winter tem- other residents picked up sand- were designed to handle water nity, particularly as “Dynamo” Medicine into a successful ily in the Town of Black Earth. peratures left the ground frozen. bags as needed. from the streets and develop- the clown. His balloon animals business. Former long-time em- The couple became lost, even- Mazomanie residents re- Mazomanie Public works ment around them, not from the were known to all in the com- ployee Wyttenbach Gavol said tually driving onto a secluded ported flooding on State St/ director Mark Geisler reported farm fields. Just for perspec- munity. “He’s a colorful personality; woodland trail in the Town of County Highway Y, north of a few wet basements, but no tive, 12 inches of snow on 40 The community lost Doris he is out-of-the-box. He didn’t Vermont, where authorities dis- the Black Earth Creek bridge. widespread flooding to resi- acres of land is approximately Litscher-Gasser, a prolific sto- care what people thought. And covered them following an ex- Within a few hours the road dences. He had the following to 1,300,000 gallons of water.” ryteller and historian of the whether right or wrong, some haustive three-day search of the was impassable. Cramer, Hud- say about the flood event: “In According to Wildman, three Sauk Prairie area. She compiled of his personal decisions I area. When first responders did son, Finch, Curtiss and Bridge my 25 years in Mazomanie I homes had water in their base- over 5,000 pages of local lore, maybe didn’t agree with, but I arrive, they found Mr. Soper Street in Mazomanie were have seen similar events three ment. One was very substan- bound in countless volumes at wouldn’t have worked here for had died. Mrs. Soper was still closed. These areas lie within times, not including last Au- the Tripp Museum. Litscher- SEE YEAR, PAGE 6 Now you can ﬁ nd us on Facebook and Instagram! www.facebook.com/ WiscStarNews Wisc_Star_News Left, the 4th of July fireworks at Mazomanie. Top, State Street in Mazomanie was under water again this year. Above, the kid’s throw at Cow Chip. FILE PHOTOS PAGE 2 STAR NEWS THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2020 OBITUARIES MY NEIGHBOR Fulfilled: Serving the Sauk Prairie area My Neighbor In Need, a www.myneighborinneed.org • 608-644-0504 Ellen F. the farm that she later built three boys; Raymond, Michael IN NEED woman in need of a bed set, has with her own blood, sweat and and Timothy and then a grand- received the bed set and is very Henning My Neighbor In Need has a provide winter clothing for stu- tears into a well-respected dairy daughter, Amanda, who shared appreciative. website along with this news dents in need. farm with which she received in many of her farm adventures. My Neighbor In Need, a sin- article, which connects those many milk quality production Later in life she was blessed gle father, whose teenage chil- who have a need with those Current Needs: awards. Along with running again by more grandchildren to dren had recently moved to his who wish to fulfill this need. a successful dairy farm, Ellen share her love with; Jade, Ivory home, was in need of a bed set, For those in need check website My Neighbors In Need are also worked at Maplewood in and Christopher Blankenship. his need has been fulfilled and at saukprairiemyneighborin- two disabled, low income men Sauk Prairie for four years and Ellen is survived by her three he is very appreciative. did home health for two years, sons- Raymond (Janis Shauger) need.org, or call My Neighbor who have no transportation. In Need at 644-0504-ext.18 to The men said they have more helping people as she loved to Henning of Sauk City, Michael Donations: do. Along with that, she also and Timothy Henning of Prairie request a need-leave a name, of a need for a washer and sold Avon for many years. She du Sac; grandchildren Amanda address, and phone number and dryer than the bicycles. MNIN MNIN is thankful for all the had a huge heart and love for (Mark Schlimgen) Henning of a volunteer will call back. would like to obtain the washer recent donations. Because of her family and her friends was Mazomanie, Ivory, Jade and My Neighbor In Need serves and dryer for them. The cost these donations, MNIN will be expressed in everything she Christopher Blankenship of the greater Sauk Prairie Area would be $800.00. Any dona- able to help many clients. did. She loved music in many Sauk City; a sister, Emily Fuchs and surrounding communities tion toward the cost would be If you would like to donate forms, especially singing in the of Prairie du Sac; a cousin, Jo- of Black Earth, Black Hawk, appreciated. funds to help cover the cost of In loving memory of Ellen F. church choir or even around the seph Matoushek of Greendale, Denzer, Leland, Lodi, Mazo- My Neighbor In Need is a posted needs, visit the website Henning, 83, of Prairie du Sac, farm. She also loved animals, multiple nieces and nephews, manie, Merrimac, Plain, Prairie disabled woman in need of a at:myneighborinneed.org/loca- Wisconsin. Ellen passed away particularly the larger ones many other family and friends du Sac, Roxbury, Sauk City, lift chair to aid her in getting up like cattle and horses and es- and by her beloved German tions/sauk-prairie or call 608- peacefully on Saturday, De- Spring Green, and Witwen. from a chair. The cost of a chair pecially loved her herd of dairy Shepherd, Nikki. Ellen was 644-0504 ext18 or mail a check cember 21 after a long and rig- Since the program started in would be $1200.00. If anyone Holsteins, and until her very preceded in death by both of to: My Neighbor In Need, c/o orous battle with cancer. Ellen 2012, MNIN has processed would have a like chair to do- last day loved sharing stories her parents, her beloved uncles: St. Vincent de Paul Resource was born in Prairie du Sac, 872 requests from these com- nate or any monetary assistance Wisconsin on February 1, 1936 of the antics of her pet cows. Ferdinand, Stanley and Joseph Center, 1906 North St., Prairie munities. Through generous toward a chair would be most to Frank and Anna (Sevcik) Ellen’s family was everything Matoushek; her sister Marianna du Sac, WI 53578. donations, MNIN has provided appreciated. Matoushek and was raised on to her, she was blessed with Regier; brothers-in-law Samuel Regier, Lyle Kleinert and Wil- $87,003 for the needs of people We are still accepting dona- Star News lard “Bill” Fuchs; nephew in these communities.

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