Obituaries

In Loving Memory of Patrick "Pat" Brown Patrick J. Brown born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on November 27th, 1957, passed away on August 30th, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the age of 67. Family is not sharing service information at this time. Please keep them in your thoughts. May he rest in peace.

Gordon Dean "Gordy" Shogren Jr. 1973 - 2025 Gordon Dean "Gordy" Shogren, Jr., age 52, of Fox Lake, Illinois, passed away on August 21, 2025, at St Luke's Hospital in Milwaukee, WI. Born on March 28, 1973, in Waukegan, Illinois, Gordy lived a life marked by compassion, humor, and unwavering generosity. A devoted husband and father, Gordy is lovingly remembered by his wife Lauren Shogren; his children Carter Shogren, Avery Shogren, Abigail (Elijah) Goodwin, Faith Sobyra, Lillian Sobyra, and Caleb Chrzanowski; his mother Kathleen (Diehl) Harju; sisters Christine Bolz-Hott, Jennifer Fera, and Anessa Kaul; and a large extended family. He was preceded in death by his father Gordon Shogren, Sr., and his stepfather William Harju. Gordy was a Christ-follower who lived out his faith through everyday acts of kindness. Whether pulling over to help a stranger on the side of the road or offering the shirt off his back to someone in need, he embodied the love and compassion that he believed Jesus had for all people. His actions spoke volumes about the depth of his character and the sincerity of his beliefs. Known for his sharp wit and smart aleck remarks-often delivered with a twinkle in his eye-Gordy brought laughter wherever he went. His sarcasm was legendary among those who knew him best, but it was always paired with a warm heart and an open hand. Gordy found joy in simple pleasures and shared them generously with others. He enjoyed playing card and board games-especially cribbage and Monopoly-and could often be found immersed in role-playing games, enjoying sports, or at the pool table. While he loved to teach his children how to play games, he reveled in beating them at those games even more. He shared his love for golf and disc golf with Carter and his obsession with estate sales and thrift stores with Abby. Gordy was his children's biggest cheerleader, and he attended every game, match, concert, and performance he could, even if it meant watching on his phone. One of his favorite pastimes was attending rock concerts with Lauren; music brought them closer together and created cherished memories they carried throughout their marriage. Gordy was also a huge movie fan, from classic westerns to superhero movies to action and yes, even sappy rom coms. He enjoyed seeing movies with his family, but his favorite thing was to see movies with his movie group. Meeting at the theater, ranking movies, and discussing their rankings was a treasured pastime. Gordy grew up in Winthrop Harbor, Illinois, where he attended Zion-Benton High School. He then attended Taylor University, Mississippi State University, and Christian Brothers University. He worked at the Zion Park District and Windyke Country Club in Memphis, TN before working at Abbott Laboratories. After the passing of his father in 2014, Gordy took over his business, Stateline Storage, with his friend and business partner Steve Hollister. In 2017, Gordy received a second chance at life through a kidney and pancreas transplant-a gift that extended not only his years but also deepened his gratitude for every moment. In honor of this life-changing gift, donations may be made to his Donate Life America fundraiser at https://www.classy.org/fundraiser/6586418. Gordy's legacy lives on through the lives he touched with kindness, laughter, and love. May his memory bring comfort to all who knew him. A Celebration of Life will be held on September 6, 2025, at 10:00 AM at Johnny'z Pour House 10936 Sheridan Rd, Pleasant Prairie Wisconsin. There will be a Memorial service followed by open-ended time to share stories and honor the amazing man that Gordy was. His mother and sisters have also planned a service at Grace Missionary Church 1415 27th St. Zion, IL. at 4pm with time beforehand to greet them.

In Loving Memory of Roger Edward Schmechel 1936 - 2025 Roger Edward Schmechel passed away peacefully on August 15, 2025, surrounded by family, at the age of 89 after a terminal battle with blood cancer. Roger was the loving, fun and always present uncle of Laura Vandeloo (Doug), Karen Grasso (Mark), Susan Freiberg (Kris) and figural grandfather of Jonathan Norton and Jessica Norton. He is further survived by three great-nephews, Matthew Grasso, Tyler Freiberg and Kenneth Freiberg, in addition to his beloved cat, Lucy Loo. He was preceded in death by his mother, Flora Werner, his father, Edward Schmechel and his brother, Thomas Schmechel. Although Roger was born with many physical disabilities, he refused to let that stop him from living a full and independent life. He refused to live on anyone else's terms or be told he could not accomplish anything he set out to do. He was born in Milwaukee in June of 1936. As a young man, he worked at a bank and shortly thereafter realized he wanted to be in business for himself and started his own janitorial service, "Star Bright Cleaning Service." He enjoyed working and conversing with his customers until his cancer diagnosis in January of 2025, many of whom were 20+ year customers. He always said, keeping busy and having a purpose is what kept him going. One of his favorite lines while on the job was, "There is a right way, a wrong way and a 'Star Bright' way." He believed in that saying for his own endeavors as well. Roger studied hard and received his pilot's license in the 1970s, taking great pride in flying family and friends on various flights. Roger had a great love for all things outdoors, whether it be driving, fishing, hunting, hiking and whatever else got him up in the early hour and kept him outside for much of the day. He loved the calmness and natural beauty of the Wisconsin State and County Parks during his free time. He also had a great love for dogs, owning many throughout his lifetime. Two of his favorites were "Trucker" and "Angel." Those who surrounded Roger knew him to have an endearing, witty and sometimes sarcastic sense of humor. He had faith in the Lord throughout his lifetime and knew upon leaving this world he was going to be with the Lord and at peace. In life, he was very family oriented, fun-filled, independent, kind and helpful, leaving behind a legacy of great stories and memories. He was always willing to lend a hand to help and would never accept anything in return. He was always present in life and will always be in present our hearts. He will be deeply missed by those who knew and loved him. Special thanks go out to Dr. Karen-Sue Carlson and the amazing staff at the Froedtert Moorland Reserve Cancer Center, who took incredible care of Roger throughout his final year with us. They truly do the work of angels every day. Services will be private, but please consider memorial donations to Froedtert Moorland Reserve Cancer Center or the Wisconsin Humane Society in Roger's honor. God saw you getting tired and a cure was not to be, so he put his arms around you and whispered, “Come to Me.” With tearful eyes we watched you suffer and slowly fade away. Although we loved you dearly, we could not make you stay. A golden heart stopped beating, hardworking hands put to rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us, he only takes the best.

Gregory Kotarski Obituary: He promised not to leave us, but God knew of his 47 years working at GE Medical and recruited him to heaven for his Quality Engineer expertise. Gregory made his transition with his loving family surrounding him. During his years at GE, he traveled over half a million miles around the country and world but still was always present for his beloved children and grandkids and never missed their events. He loved dancing and singing to Neil Diamond songs and was a fan of Westerns and all the DC and Marvel movies. He enjoyed sports of all kinds and loved fishing. Lunkers Love Night Crawlers was a honeymoon read... and he caught his dream musky in 1986. After that, he focused on golf and constantly practiced perfecting his swing. He also enjoyed collecting watches and vintage jackets. He adored his wife and kids, grandkids, grand-dogs, and his own precious pups, Raven, Guinevere, and his beloved Matilda. A very private person, he hid much of his pain and suffering from all as he was fighting courageously through 42 chemo treatments during this 32-month battle against neuroendocrine carcinoma. He founded the Boys Tech Math Club, attended UW Madison, and received an Associate Degree in Business from Bryant and Stratton College. He will be dearly missed by his caring and devoted wife of 53 years, Rosemary; his five loving children: John (Ozlem), Brian (Michelle), Beth (Erick Leider), Adam, and Natalie (Scott Shelnutt); and his four cherished grandchildren Lilith (Lilly), Maxwell, Ariana and Ronan. He is also survived by his brother, Dean, and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Dorothy (Langer) Kotarski. Family and friends are invited to join us in honoring Gregory’s life at a Celebration of Life on Sunday, September 7, at 1:00 p.m. in the Community Room on the first floor at Hawthorne Terrace, 7700 Portland Avenue, Wauwatosa, WI 53213.

In Loving Memory of Kalvin Martinez Butler Kalvin Martinez Butler born on February 10th, 1996 in Chicago, Illinois, passed away on August 12th, 2025 at the age of 29 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Family is not sharing service information at this time, please keep them in your thoughts. May he rest in peace.

In Loving Memory of Albert Mason Jr. October 16th, 1932-August 7th, 2025 God, in His infinite wisdom, called anther warrior home. Albert Mason Jr. was born on October 16, 1932, in Milan, Tennessee, to the union of Albert Mason Sr. and Clander Middlebrook Mason. Albert Jr. was an industrious and responsible child. He made drugstore deliveries and brought water to workers in the fields. He never walked past a penny on the ground, saving them up for special trips to the movies. Albert Jr. graduated from Gibson County Training (High) School in 1951, and soon after enlisted in the Army, where he served as a Field Wireman from 1953 to 1955. After taking courses at Historically Black Lane College in Tennessee, Albert Jr. joined many of his siblings and moved North to Chicago. There, he met Barbara Jean Pass, and they married in 1959. From their union came Janet and Darren. When his young wife passed away, Albert Jr. surrounded his kids with aunts, uncles, and cousins, to help raise them. In 1976, Albert married Rosa Marie Garrett, and the family blended with children Nelvin and Sherri. Albert Jr. was grounded in faith, family, work, service, and baseball. He owned Spot Guard Dry Cleaners in the 1970s, and then worked until well into his 70s for companies such as Dow Chemical and Sherwin Williams. He was an active member of Holy Cross Parish and then St. Helena of the Cross Parish, where he often attended daily morning mass with just him and the priest. He was a generous neighbor, beautifying the whole block with his landscaping talents. He was a lifelong Dodgers fan and an expert on baseball history and stats. And Albert Jr. opened his home to generations of extended family, including his mother-in-law, siblings, and grandchildren. Albert Jr. made his transition peacefully on August 7, 2025. He was preceded in death by his parents Albert Sr. and Clander Mason; first wife Barbara Jean and second wife Rosa Marie; sisters Wilbi (Wilma Jean) and Johnnie Mae, and brothers L.B., Johnson Lee, and Welton; stepchildren Nelvin and Sherri; and his son Darren. He is survived by his loving daughter Janet, and an abundance of nieces (especially Terri Campbell), nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

In Loving Memory of Gerald "Jerry" Smith 1941 - 2025 Gerald “Jerry” Smith passed on to glory on Sunday, August 3rd, 2025, surrounded by his loved ones at his home in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. Born September 28th, 1941, he passed away peacefully at the age of 83. He is survived by his two children Jeff & Michelle Smith, daughter-in-law Betty (Broecker) Smith, one sibling, Joyce Smith, a nephew, Tim Smith, and six grandchildren, Tyler & Abi Hummel, Kristin, Natalie & Kyle Smith and Nicole (Smith) Klassy. Jerry was a devoted Christian, a loving husband and father, an honorable Marine, a teacher, a passionate fisherman, a skilled gardener, a handyman and a Proud American. At 17 he joined the Marine Corp and served his country proudly. After honorable discharge, he became the 1st person in his family to earn a college degree which led him to the field of teaching. Jerry became a passionate educator who taught elementary education in Aurora, Illinois for four decades. He married Ruthi Hyllberg and moved into their family home in Montgomery, IL where they raised their two children and become dedicated members and volunteers at Central Bible Church in Aurora. Jerry eventually retired from teaching and dedicated the remainder of his energy to fishing, spoiling his grandkids and caring for his wife, who would pass in November 2019. He made his final move to Wisconsin in 2022 to be near his family. Jerry will be remembered as a giving, compassionate, Godly, and funny man who never hesitated to help others. He was a blessing to everyone he met. His celebration of life will take place at Berean Baptist, 5626 Safford Rd, Rockford, IL, on Saturday, September 6th, 2025, with visitation at 10:00 a.m. and a service to follow at 11:00 a.m.

In Loving Memory of Mark Edward Klumb 1955 - 2025 Mark E Klumb, age 70, passed away unexpectedly on 8/01/25. Mark was a beloved son, father, sibling, grandfather, and friend, whose kindness touched many. His love he had for the Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee Brewers were unmatched. He cherished Saturday nights at the local dirt tracks, surrounded by family, the roar of engines, and the thrill of good racing. Lastly, he loved nothing more than enjoying long rides on his Harley, finding freedom on the open road. A private ceremony will be held with immediate family In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honor to his grandchildren; Ava and Deklan Biel's college funds. Donations can be mailed to: Cayla Biel at W8733 Niblick Rd Beaver Dam, WI 53916

In Loving Memory of Robert Wayne Lange 1944-2025 Robert Wayne Lange born on September 7th, 1944 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, passed away on July 30th, 2025 at the age of 81. Family is not sharing service information at this time, please keep them in your thoughts. May he rest in peace.