Obituaries
Recent obituaries in Madison, WI
The obituaries in the Madison, WI Area reflect the region's diverse population, featuring individuals from a variety of ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. Some were pioneers in their fields, while others dedicated their lives to community service or philanthropy. Their stories serve as a reminder of the richness and complexity Madison's history and identity.
Violet Strnad-Pivo
May 9, 2026
Violet B. Strnad-Pivo of LaGrange Park, IL, and Middleton, WI, passed away May 9, 2026, in Madison, WI. She was born July 6, 1926, in Cicero, IL, the only child, of Joseph and Ruth Benes.
Vi has shared many stories of her years growing up. Our favorite is how she met our Dad, John Strnad. They grew up on the same...
Nola Ann DuPuis
May 23, 2026
Nola Ann DuPuis (Geisser), of Madison, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on May 23, 2026, at the age of 94.
Born on February 14, 1932, to Edward and Lucile Geisser in Baraboo, Wisconsin, Nola grew up surrounded by family and lifelong friends in the community she always held close to her heart. She graduated from Baraboo High School in 1950 and later...
Larry L. Olson
May 5, 2026
Larry LaDue Olson, 79, of Marshall passed away on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 at William S. Middleton Memorial Hospital in Madison.
Larry was born in Spring Grove, MN on September 22, 1946 to Arden and Silvia (Opsahl) Olson. He grew up in La Crosse, WI, where he attended Logan High School, enjoying summers on the farm with his beloved cousin Bobby...
Richard L. Wikander
May 17, 2026
Richard L. Wikander of Northampton, MA passed away on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at the age of 72 in Madison, WI. Richard was born in Brooklyn, NY to Lawrence and Anna Wikander. He was a long-term resident of Northampton, MA where he earned his master’s degree in biology in 1984 and PhD in Anthropology in 1991 at the University of...
Mary Ann Rehberg
May 19, 2026
Mary Ann Rehberg, age 93, passed away on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. She was born on August 4, 1932, in Tupelo, Mississippi, to Harvey and Mildred Tenpas.
Mary Ann received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and soon after married Richard Rehberg. They traveled extensively, both within the United States and throughout the world. Together, they settled...
Stephen "Steve" Marco Miller
May 20, 2026
Stephen "Steve" Marco Miller, a prolific writer, dedicated editor, and one of the nation’s foremost experts on wooden duck decoys, passed away peacefully on May 20, 2026, in Madison, Wisconsin. He was 86 years old.
Steve was born on August 18, 1939, in DePere, Wisconsin, to Marvin and Ruth Miller. Growing up along the Fox River, he developed a lifelong passion...
Anita Durst
May 19, 2026
Anita Durst, age 100, formerly of Fitchburg, passed away peacefully, Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at Complete Care at Maple Grove, Madison. Anita was born on November 25, 1925, to Frank and Clara Scheffer at the farm home near Humbird, WI.
She attended local grade school and high school and graduated as class valedictorian. Anita married Louis Durst on August 7, 1946,...
Terry Nicolai
May 17, 2026
Terry Nicolai, beloved husband, father and grandfather passed away on Sunday, May 17th, after a six-year battle with Dementia.
Terry was born on January 6th, 1949, in La Crosse, Wisconsin to Arnold and Evelyn (Bahr) Nicolai. He was the second of their 11 children and grew up on a dairy farm outside of Bangor, Wisconsin. Arnold and Evelyn had 24 grandchildren...
James R. Girard
May 18, 2026
James Robert Girard of Sun Prairie died Tuesday morning from complications of dementia.
He was a life-long Wisconsinite raised in Chippewa Falls and living in the Madison area after college. Jim worked in personnel at UW Extension for many years and enjoyed traveling the World with his wife, Pamela, after retirement.
Jim is survived by his wife Pam, his son Joel and...
Paul Werth
Apr 27, 2026
Dear Paul passed away on Monday, April 27, after 9 years with multiple myeloma cancer.
Paul was born on October 26, 1943 in Watertown, WI to Elmer and Dorothy (Mueller) Werth. He grew up in Oconomowoc, where he attended St. Matthew’s grade school and Oconomowoc High School.
In 1961 he moved to Madison to attend the UW, graduating in January 1968, majoring...
Bonna Robinson
Jan 20, 2026
Bonna A. Robinson (Hatfield) died January 20,2026 after a long illness. She is survived by her three children James (Jane) Robinson, Nancy Robinson (Eugene Washington) and Daniel (Marsha) Robinson. 10 Grandchildren Ian (Alissa) Robinson, Colin (Emma) Robinson, Kelly Robinson (Chase Johnson), Connie Washington (Antonio Colla), Sean (Valerie) Washington, Corey (Brandi) Washington, Keenan Washington (Nicole Morales), Erin Washington (Pete Panagos). Alton...
Tom Muckler
Aug 28, 2025
Thomas (Tom) Bryan Muckler, 70, passed away unexpectedly on August 28, 2025 in Mazomanie, WI.
Tom was born on September 19, 1954 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Carl Muckler, Jr. and Barbara Flinn Muckler. Affectionately known by his large group of friends as “Tommy” and “Muck”, he grew up on the Westside of Madison and attended Randall School and West High School...
Don Fornasiere
Apr 21, 2026
Road Work Notice: Emerald Terrace is under construction. Please use side streets to enter back entrance on premises, thank you.
Donald L. Fornasiere, born January 13, 1933, died April 21, 2026, at age 93 in DeForest, WI at the Parkside Village Assisted Living Facility.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John Fornasiere, Jr. and Clara Heiman Fornasiere Lehman, his wife...
John Francis Sullivan
May 12, 2026
John Francis Sullivan passed away peacefully, surrounded by the love of his family and a lifetime of treasured memories on Tuesday, May 12, 2026.
Born on August 20, 1937, in Chicago, Illinois, to John and Margaret Sullivan, John lived a life defined by faith, family, service, and generosity. He graduated from Austin High School in 1955 and proudly served his country...
Sarah Whelan Blake
Apr 22, 2026
Sarah Whelan Blake, 88, of Monona, Wisconsin was born on August 8, 1937 in Shreveport, Louisiana to Margaret and Augustine Whelan. She passed peacefully at home, surrounded by love, on April 22, 2026.
When asked, “What do you want your obituary to say?” she said, “They charge by the word, so just say ‘She had a good run. Google me’”. We...
Linda Ciofu Baumann
Apr 13, 2026
Dr. Linda Ciofu Baumann was a trailblazer in nursing, behavioral medicine, and interdisciplinary health education. She earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in nursing from the University of Michigan and a PhD in social psychology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Throughout her distinguished career, Dr. Baumann integrated clinical practice, research, and teaching to advance health equity and improve patient outcomes. As...
Richard V. Trameri
Apr 4, 2026
Richard V. Trameri, age 98, of Madison passed away peacefully at home on April 4, 2026. Richard was born January 29,1928 in Madison, WI to Carlo and Pierina (Praolini) Trameri.
Richard grew up in the Greenbush Neighborhood. He graduated from Central High School in 1945. In 1946 he enlisted in the army and was stationed at the Atomic Lab in Los...
Caryl F. Askins
May 22, 2026
Please check back later for a full obituary.
Please share your memories below in the online guestbook.
Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road Madison
(608) 238-3434
Joan "Jo" Kee Sparks
May 20, 2026
Joan (Jo) Kee Sparks, 89, was reunited with her lifelong partner and soulmate, Bob, on Wednesday, May 20, 2026. She passed peacefully at her Oakwood Village Prairie Ridge home in Madison, Wisconsin, graced by the warmth of family and the enduring presence of music.
She was born in 1937, the eldest child of Richard Franklin Kee, Sr. and Leah Jenetha (Denman)...
Loretta Martha (Wallace) Rusch
May 20, 2026
Loretta Rusch, age 101+, passed away on May 20th, 2026. Loretta was born on August 20, 1924 in Homestead, Iowa. The fifth of seven children born to Oscar and Martha Kamprath, she grew up in Williamsburg, Iowa, attending elementary and secondary school, where she met and married (January 29, 1944), William Wallace (Bill) after he offered to buy from her...
Subscribe
To Email Notifications
Subscribe to receive an email when we add new obituaries to our website. Your email will not be used for any other purpose and will not be shared. You may unsubscribe at any time.
365 Days of Grief Support
Sign up for one year of grief messages designed to offer hope and healing during difficult first year after a loss

HeartLight offers a variety of support groups, education, resources, and special programming related to grief and loss.