Obituaries

Lena

Violet Altenbern, 98

Violet Altenbern passed away at the age of 98, on Friday, March 29, 2024. She was born at Willow, on August 15, 1925 to Arthur and Edna (Thompson) Buchenau. She married Marvin Altenbern on September 19, 1942 in Lena, he passed away on December 2, 1994. They farmed in the Lena area. After they retired from farming, they moved into Lena where Violet volunteered at the Lena Nursing Home for 20 years. She was known for baking lots of cookies for the treat after Bingo at the nursing home. She loved helping with the older people. For seven years she and Marvin would take the Northwest Farmer newspaper to Belvidere to get it printed. She cleaned the office there, helping to get the paper ready to be sent out.

Violet was a strong lady, as she lived through two house fires, one on the farm with Marvin and one in town alone.

Violet was surrounded by many nieces and nephews, and a very good friend Pat Edler, who was like a daughter to her.

Preceding her in death is her parents, her husband Marvin, one brother Melvin Buchenau, one sister Bernice Katzenberger, a good friend Nancy (Noller) Farrington and a good friend Bud Ethridge.

Funeral services were held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at the Zion Community Church in Pearl City. A visitation was from 9:00 AM until the time of services at the church on Tuesday, April 2, 2024.

Burial will be at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Freeport.

Wayne Fischer and Chip Sohl officiated the services. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established in Violet’s memory.

Condolences may be sent to the family at http://www.leamonfh.com.

Elsie Lobdell, 92

Elsie Lobdell passed away at the age of 92 at home in Lena. She was born on September 30, 1931 to Grover and Orpha (Wiley) Shippee. She married Donald Lobdell on October 19, 1951. She was a lifelong member of Lena United Methodist Church. After they moved from the farm, she worked in the school cafeteria, Lena Continental Manor and later in life at the Leamon Funeral Home as a funeral service associate. She enjoyed attending her grandchildren’s activities, hosting family gatherings, and visiting with friends.

She is survived by her daughters: Nancy Diddens of Genoa City, WI, Karen (Monty) Stabenow of Rockford, Kathy (Greg) Edler of Lena, and Mary Hudson of McKinney, TX, five grandchildren; Christy (Steve) Feller, Jennie Diddens Carrie Stabenow, Katie (Jason) Taylor, Jamie (Trisha) Hudson, and nine great-grandchildren. She is also survived by a brother-in-law Kenneth (Donna) Lobdell.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Don, two brothers, six sisters, son-in-law Jim Hudson, and grandson Michael Hudson.

Funeral services will be private. Burial will be at Salem-Shippee Cemetery in McConnell, IL.

A memorial has been established in her name for FHN Hospice. Condolences may be sent to the family at http://www.leamonfh.com.

Apple River

Keith Sincox, 84

William Keith Sincox, 84, of Apple River, IL, passed away Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024 at the Lafayette County Manor in Darlington, WI. Keith was born in Apple River, Illinois on October 29, 1939. He met Shirely Ann (Kuehl) Sincox and they wed on August 31, 1958 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Elizabeth, IL. They would go on to move around southwestern Wisconsin while having three children, settling in Ridgeway for 30 years before “retiring” to Apple River to run his personal business Mount Sumner Shoppe, just down the road from where he grew up. (We all know Keith tried retiring multiple times...he never could quite get it to stick!)

He spent much of his working years with Feed-O-Matic, traveling miles and miles across Wisconsin and Illinois working to build grain bins and auger systems on farms and getting to know just about every farmer in southern Wisconsin! Keith loved his many customers and they loved him! He was very proud to work on building the largest organic chicken farm in the state of Texas. Keith was also proud of the houses he designed and built with his own hands from the ground up.

Keith loved traveling with friends, especially Fern and Buster Stadel, Joanne and Virgil Martin, and Lillian and Leroy Beyer. Keith and Shirley traveled around the country and world on bus tours and cruises all throughout their lives. He was a fixture in the Ridgeway community for many years, serving on the Fire Department, Snowmobile club, Village Board, Military Ridge State Trail Committee, and Ridgeway Advancement, as one of the original organizers of Ridgeway’s Labor Day celebration (where he was The Ghost for a number of them!) He will be missed for his hard-working nature and sly smile!

Keith is survived by two children: son Kevin (Julie) Sincox and daughter Kris (Steve) Olson; only granddaughter Erin Sincox and fiancé Paul Gomanne; brothers Howard (Debbie) Sincox and John (Karen) Sincox; sister Marlene Burge; sisters-in-law Esther Schlichting (Wayne) Wand and Doreen Kuehl; brother-in-law Dean (Darlene) Kuehl; and his many nieces and nephews whom he loved very much. In addition to his wife of 64 years Shirley (Kuehl) Sincox and parents B’ella (Rowe) and Norman Sincox,

He is preceded in death by his daughter Kathy Durst; sister Elaine Crom; brothesr-in-law Dietrich “Dick” (Hulda) Kuehl, Walter (Ada) Kuehl, Otto Kuehl, and John Schlicting; sisters-in-law Mina (Bill) Gotham, Elsie (Melvin) Kunz, Dorothy (Norman) Kolasch, Adela (Milton) Burk and Jan Kuehl.

A visitation and memorial service were held at the Apple River United Methodist Church in Apple River, IL on Saturday, April 6, 2024. Visitation was from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. with a memorial service beginning at 11:30 a.m. A graveside service at Elmwood Cemetery in Warren, IL followed the memorial with a meal at the Apple River UMC afterward for family and friends to celebrate his memories.

A memorial has been established in his memory. Condolences may be sent to the family at http://www.leamonfh.com.

Scales Mound

Cendra M. Wills, 53

Cendra M. Wills, age 53 of Mineral Point, WI, formerly of Scales Mound, IL passed away with her family by her side, on Monday, April 1, 2024 after a brief illness. Cendra was born on December 31, 1970 in Freeport, IL to Susan Schmidt.

In Cendra’s younger years, she grew up on the farm in rural Apple Canyon Lake. She enjoyed horseback riding on the waterfall dam, riding her pet cow Big Red, swimming and diving at the pool and the beach, and being the social butterfly at her grandpa’s campground. When you couldn’t find Cendra, if you listened closely, you would hear her infectious giggle and know exactly where she was.

Cendra attended Stockton High School, and she graduated from the Chicago School of Massage Therapy.

Cendra was a massage therapist, traveling wherever anyone needed her. She was always willing to lend anyone a helping hand. She was extremely proud of her current job as a welder at Cummins in Mineral Point, WI. Cendra enjoyed thrifting and crafting. She was a collector of all things. Cendra loved listening to music, always saw the good in people, loved everyone unconditionally, but most of all, loved her family.

Cendra is survived by her daughter; Tonya (Mike) Nolan of Stockton, IL, son; Carter Wills of Mineral Point, WI, grandchildren; Karmon, Emma, Cora, and Koy, her mother; Susan Kriebs of Apple River, IL, grandmother; Juliette Schmidt of Elizabeth, IL, her siblings; Christene (Bill) Blair, Cathy (Frank) Radaszewski, Renee (Brian) VanRaalte, Michael (Cassi) Kriebs, uncles, Richard (Terry) Schmidt, and Ronald Schmidt, several cousins, nieces, and nephews, and her beloved dog Pickles.

She was preceded in death by her grandfather Ernest Schmidt.

A celebration of Cendra’s life will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2024 at the Warren Community Building in Warren. A visitation will be from 11:00 AM until 12:00 Noon, with a memorial service at noon, lunch and fellowship to follow the service. Cremation rites have been accorded.

The family wishes to extend a special thanks to the first responders in Mineral Point, and all the staff at Upland Hills Health and University of Wisconsin Madison Hospital, especially her nurse Maura, for all their care and compassion Cendra received, and to Cassandra and family for taking care of Pickles.

A memorial has been established in her memory. Condolences may be sent to the family at http://www.leamonfh.com.