Obituary: Charlotte I. (Spader) Niehus - Class of 1934

MADISON - Charlotte I. Niehus, age 87, died on Wednesday, April 16, 2003, at Meriter Health Care Center after an extended illness., She was born on Dec. 24, 1915, to Charles and Andrina Spader in Stoughton, Wis. Charlotte attended Doty School in her early years and graduated from Madison Central High School in 1934. On June 30, 1937, she married Henry Carl Niehus who died in an automobile accident on May 13, 1949. She was a lifelong member of St. John's Lutheran Church, Madison. She worked for 29 years for the Wisconsin Department of Health and Social Services, formerly the Wisconsin Department of Public Welfare, in the Division of Children and Youth Services retiring in December 1978. She is survived by two daughters, Shirley (Charles) Carlson, McFarland, and Nancy (Harry) Barker, Madison. She is further survived by two grandsons, James (Heather) Barker, Prior Lake, Minn., and Douglas (Cindy) Carlson, Mount Horeb; a granddaughter, Jennifer (Jack) VanKauwenbergh, Madison; a great-granddaughter, Ainsley Bryn Barker, Prior Lake, Minn.; a great-grandson, Jake Carlson, Mount Horeb; two step-great-grandsons, Mike and Matt Whitmore, Wausau; two sisters, Margaret Bass and Dorothy Smail, both of Madison; a sister-in-law, Pauline (Romie) Blankenheim, Portage; and a number of nieces and nephews. Besides her husband she was also predeceased by an infant son, Rodger, in 1946; her parents, Charles and Andrina Spader; three brothers, Edward, Donald and Charles (Buddy) Spader; and a sister Marion Smail. A special thanks to the staff at the Meriter Health Care Center for their loving care and support of our mother for the last seven and a half years. Funeral services will be conducted by the Rev. Ken Smith at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, 3610 Speedway Road, on Tuesday, April 22, 2003, at 11 a.m. Friends may call on the family from on Monday, April 21, 2003, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. prior to the funeral service., Memorials may be made to St. John's Lutheran Church. Cress Funeral Service 3610 Speedway Road (608) 238-3434

Originally published in the Wisconsin State Jouranl on April 19, 2003

Obituary: Chris Michie - Class of 1966

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. - Chris Michie, Bay Area musician and producer, died peacefully at home on Thursday, March 27, 2003, after living for six years with melanoma. Deborah, his wife of 35 years, and his daughter, Claire, were at his side. Chris was the son of Mary and the late Norman Michie of Madison, Wis., where Chris grew up and attended the University of Wisconsin. He and Deborah moved to San Francisco in 1969 with The Mendelbaum Blues Band. Over the years he played, recorded and toured the world with Van Morrison, The Pointer Sisters, Boz Scaggs, Maria Muldaur and many other San Francisco and Bay Area bands. During his 25-year partnership with the late Andy Kulberg Chris logged many hours in the studio creating music for TV, film and commercials as well as recording his own music and producing and playing on other musicians' tracks. He was a mentor to many musicians, young and old, and played in the Fete de la Musique in Paris with friends in 2001. He wrote and published a memoir of his music career entitled "Name Droppings or It's All About Me Isn't It?" and released several CDs of his own music. Chris' last project was the score for Judy Irving's film "The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill," of which he was extremely proud. In addition to his wife, Deborah Brown Michie, and their daughter, Claire, Chris is survived by his mother, Mary; brothers, Peter and Adam of Madison; a sister, Sarah Pressler of Colfax, Calif.; and was known and loved by hundreds of friends throughout the country and world. A Scottish wake will be held in his memory on Sunday, April 6, 2003. Check this website for more information: www.cmichie.com

Originally published in the Wisconsin State Journal on April 2, 2003