Obituary: Alice O'Neill Dean - Class of 1924

MADISON/ PEORIA, ARIZ. - Alice O'Neill Dean, age 99, died Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2005, in Peoria, Ariz. She was born and raised on East Wilson Street, Madison, on Aug. 5, 1906, to Michael O'Neill and Margaret Foy O'Neill. She attended Madison High and graduated from the University of Wisconsin, ready to teach French to high school students. The admiring love of her life, Joseph Charles Dean, convinced her to marry and follow him to Philadelphia, Pa., where he finished medical training. She later admitted it was a smart turn. Alice and Joe moved back to Madison as Dr. Joe joined his father, Dr. Joseph Dean, as a surgeon at the Dean Clinic. Her children grew with love, direction and the added benefit of her dynamic personality, beauty, hard work and humor. Alice could shovel snow, mow lawns, garden, drive a car like a NASCAR racer, cook, sew, hug, dance, laugh, play bridge, golf, tell stories and be there for friends and family when needed. She raised their four rascals alone while Dr. Joe was saving and repairing sailors and marines in the Pacific. The love of her life left her Dec. 24, 1959, but before he died, she promised him to continue to be her positive, giving, forward-looking self. She succeeded: married and buried Ralph Immell, Rollie Barnum and spent many years with Charles McGinnis before his death, all interesting and wonderful gentlemen. Alice had been a longtime member of the Red Cross, the Attic Angel Association, Maple Bluff Country Club and the Sun City Country Club, Ariz., and a resident of Freedom Plaza in Peoria, Ariz. Alice is survived by her three sons, Joseph C. (Marian) Dean, Michael (Peggy) Dean and Timothy (Peggy) Dean; daughter, Diana Dean; 13 grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; and three humorous siblings, Ed O'Neill, Frank O'Neill and June (Sister Clarita) O'Neill. A family memorial gathering will be held at a later date. Not many people live and experience such a long and wonderful life, with devoted family and friends. She played golf and bridge, was an imaginative cook and delightful hostess until just recently. We are thankful to have shared in her remarkable life. We will always love her and cherish her memory.

Originally published in the Wisconsin State Journal on September 22, 2005

Note: Alice O'Neill Dean's class year is based on information in the 1924 Tychoberhan, where she is pictured among the graduating seniors.

Obituary: Margaret A. Lalor - Class of 1930

TOWN OF DUNN - Margaret A. Lalor, age 94, a retired Madison teacher and local political activist who was a lifelong resident of the Town of Dunn, died on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2005, at the Don and Marilyn Anderson HospiceCare Center. She had suffered a stroke Monday. Miss Lalor taught first grade in the Madison public schools for 43 years starting in 1934. She spent her entire teaching career in the same room at the same school, Room 107 at Lowell Elementary on the city's east side. She estimated that about 1350 children had been her students and she was particularly proud of having taught so many youngsters to read, considering that her greatest achievement. Even after mandatory retirement age forced her to give up teaching she continued to go back to the school for more than ten years to read to the children as a volunteer. She also returned to lead the school's annual Halloween Parade. Miss Lalor was born July 4, 1911, on her family's 160 acre farm between Madison and Oregon, the youngest of the four children of James H. and Anna Keeley Lalor. Her grandfather, an Irish immigrant, staked his claim on the land in 1847, after noticing a productive spring. As a girl, Miss Lalor went to the rural Swan Creek School until it closed, finishing grade school in Oregon. After graduating from Madison Central High and Milwaukee State Teacher's College, she began her job at Lowell School. Later in her career she became active in the Madison Teachers Inc., serving on the union's negotiating committee and speaking out forcefully on key issues that led to the 1976 strike against the school district. After retirement she volunteered with Meals on Wheels, the Oregon Council on Aging and became extremely active in local politics in the Town of Dunn. Cal DeWitt, a University of Wisconsin professor who was then town chairman, appointed her as one of the original members of the town's Planning Commission. She continued to serve until moving to the Attic Angel Place Health Care Center in 2002. She attended countless meetings, often sparring heatedly with real estate developers and their attorneys. Once at a legislative hearing in the State Capitol, she spoke out from the gallery, taking a prominent lobbyist to task for his testimony about a proposed landfill. She exclaimed "How can you say those things when you know you are wrong? That's not the way I taught you in the first grade, and I'm ashamed of you." In preparing to deal with encroaching real estate development pressure, the town first declared a two-year moratorium while it drafted a development plan designed to keep growth orderly, gradual and controlled. The plan won public acceptance and has since become a model for communities throughout the country. Most recently the town established a conservation easement program in cooperation with the Dane County Natural Heritage Foundation, and Miss Lalor was among the first participants, selling development rights to her property while retaining ownership of the land. Miss Lalor's three siblings preceded her in death, George Lalor in 1970, Phil Lalor in 1978, and Lucille Lalor Curran in 1989. Her survivors are her nephew, Timothy Lalor Curran (Kathy) of Overland Park, Kan.; three great-nephews, Dan Curran (Lisa) of Wauwatosa, Nick Curran of Washington, D.C., and Brendan Curran (Casey) of Shawnee, Kan.; a great great- nephew, Frank Curran of Shawnee, Kan.; a great great- niece, Allison Curran of Wauwatosa; and her first cousins and dear friends, Ellen Green and Kathleen Harty, both of Fitchburg. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2005, at 10:30 a.m. at HOLY MOTHER OF CONSOLATION CATHOLIC CHURCH, 651 N. Main St., Oregon with Father Bill Connell presiding. Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery, Oregon. Visitation will be held on Monday, Sept. 19, 2005, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the church. Memorials are suggested to the Attic Angel Association, 640 Junction Rd., Madison, Wis. 53717, or the University of Wisconsin Arboretum. Gunderson Oregon Funeral & Cremation Centers 431 Soden Drive (608) 835-3515

Originally published in the Wisconsin State Journal on September 19, 2005

Note: Margaret Lalor's graduating class is based on information in the 1930 Tychoberahn.

Obituary: Robert V. "Sully" Sullivan

MIDDLETON - Robert V. "Sully" Sullivan, age 75, passed away on Monday, Sept. 12, 2005, at St. Marys Hospital, Madison. He was born on May 26, 1930, in Madison, the son of Vincent and Irene (Linde) Sullivan and was a graduate of Madison Central High School. Sully was a U.S. Navy veteran, having served from 1950 to 1954. He was united in marriage to Clara Sanrope Carnes in 1972. Sully worked as a painter for St. Marys Hospital for more than 26 years, retiring in 1992. He was a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church of Madison. Sully had a variety of interests and especially loved fishing, photography and all things Irish. In addition to his wife, Clara, Sully is survived by his sister, Mary (Ira) Reese, of Madison; two daughters from a previous marriage, Tracy Sullivan, of Prairie du Chien, and Kelly Johnsrud, of Madison; a step-daughter, Donna (Jim Gray) Carnes, of San Francisco, Calif.; five grandchildren, Missy, Cody, Christopher, Jeremy and Jason; a great-grandchild, Elexis; two step-grandchildren, Tiranie (Aaron) Carnes Teschner and Angela Wohlferd; two step-great-grandchildren, Rhiannon and Cecilia Teschner; and many nieces, nephews and friends. He was preceded in death by his step-son, Terry Carnes. Funeral services will be held at the GUNDERSON WEST FUNERAL HOME, 7435 University Ave., (near Parmenter St.) Middleton, at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 16, 2005. Burial will be in Sunset Memory Gardens. Family and friends may call from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2005, at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the St. Marys Dialysis Center.Gunderson West Funeral & Cremation Centers 7435 University Ave. (608) 831-6761

Originally published on the Wisconsin State Journal on September 13, 2005

Obituary: Robert C. "Bob" Haessig

DELLWOOD/ MADISON - Robert C. "Bob" Haessig, age 70, of Dellwood, passed away on Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2005. He was born on Sept. 29, 1934, in Madison, the son of Wilfred and Etola (Edmunds) Haessig. Bob was a graduate of Central High School and Madison Business College. He served his country honorably in the U.S. Army. Bob worked as a salesman for Chambers and Owen until his retirement. He was also a lifelong coach of all sports in the Madison area. Bob is survived by his mother, Toni Haessig-Matz; brother, Ron (Audrey) Haessig; sister, Karen (Jerry) Ulrich; niece, Mya Haessig; nephew, Bill (Sarah) Haessig; niece, Ronda (Kevin) Kelly; nephew, Scot (Jolie) Ulrich; niece, Krista Ulrich; special friend, Betty Veith and family; along with many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his father; and close friend, Buddy Veith. Funeral services will be held at ST. DENNIS CATHOLIC CHURCH, 505 Dempsey Road, Madison, at noon on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2005, with Monsignor Douglas Dushack and Father Brian Wilk presiding. Burial will be in Blooming Grove Cemetery. Visitation will be at the church from 11 a.m. until the time of the service on Tuesday. Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Centers 5203 Monona Drive (608) 221-5420

Originally published in the Wisconsin State Journal on September 2, 2005

Obituary: David V. Voll - Class of 1969

MADISON - David V. Voll passed away at age 54 on Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2005, after an extended illness. He was born June 1, 1952, in Madison the son of Marie and Vernon Voll. David lived his entire life in Madison, a city he loved. He graduated from Central High School and attended Edgewood College to pursue a degree in accounting. He was a member of the National Guard and served for several years. David was employed in his early years by Coyle's Carpet, was a manager with AAMCO Transmission, and worked for some years with Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing as a sales representative. He later worked for the University of Wisconsin hospital system. David particularly enjoyed photography, music, writing letters, the summer months of the year, bicycling when his health was good, and movies of which he had an extensive collection. He will be missed by family and friends. He is survived by his brother, Thomas (Laura) C. Voll of Verona; a sister, Judith C. Toland; and nephew, Michael J. Toland of Reno, Nev. He was preceded in death by his mother, Marie B. Voll; and his father, Vernon L. Voll. Private services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or to A.A. All Faiths Funeral & Cremation Services Madison (608) 442-0477

Originally published in the Wisconsin State Journal on September 1, 2005