Robert W. Stroetz, age 90, died Saturday, Mar. 1 at Saint Marys Hospital.

Robert William Stroetz was born in Neenah, Wis. Aug. 7, 1917 to William and Clara Stroetz. He spent his early years in Neenah, Weyauwega and Appleton, Wis. As a child, he assisted his father by delivering groceries and working in the family’s grocery store.

Music was his life-long passion. After graduation from high school in 1934, he traveled throughout the midwest with several big bands including the Tom Temple Society Band and the Freddy Slack Band. He studied trombone with the masters, Jerry Chimera in Chicago, Robert Marstellar in Los Angeles, and studied jazz with Bobby Byrne.

He graduated from Lawrence University Conservatory of Music and received his Bachelor of Music degree in 1942. Immediately after graduation, he enlisted and became a pilot in the Army Air Corps and played lead trombone in the Air Force jazz band.

After the war, he moved to Los Angeles, Calif., and toured with Les Brown and his Band of Renown. He also played with Skinny Ennis, was a member of the NBC Orchestra in Hollywood, and played for Columbia Motion Picture Studios. He then moved to New York, taught music and played with Ray Noble on the Edgar Bergen/Charlie McCarthy Show.

On Nov. 29, 1946, he married Nina Hancock in Neenah, Wis. She died on December 25, 2002.

In 1946, he also began a lifelong career in music education. He received the Master of Music degree from the University of Southern California and, in later years, the Education Specialist degree from the University of Minnesota. He began teaching at the University of New York- Freedonia in 1946, followed by the University of Montana-Missoula, high schools in Galesville, Wis. and Caledonia, Minn. He moved to Rochester, Minn. in 1965, when he was hired as the first band teacher for Mayo High School and taught for the Rochester School District until he retired in 1985. He was principal trombone with the Rochester Symphony from 1956 until 1998 and never missed a concert or a rehearsal. During his career, he played with Victor Borge, Jack Benny, Doc Severinson and The Moody Blues. He continued to give private lessons until December 2007.

He was a charter member of  The Turkey River All-Stars, a local Dixieland jazz band, and played a multitude of venues, both locally and nationally. He has performed with them on the Delta Queen paddleboat in Branson, Mo., and at jazz festivals in New Orleans, as well as for four U.S. presidents.

He is survived by his sons: Philip (Vicky), Stacy, Minn.; and Randy (Lucinda) of Rochester; a stepson, C. Vincent (Kay) Baker, Tucson, Ariz.; two granddaughters; a sister, Caroline Giglia, Fort Thomas, Ky. He was preceded in death by his wife, one brother, and four sisters.

The funeral was at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Mar. 4 at Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester. Interment was at Grandview Memorial Cemetery mausoleum. A visitation was held Monday, Mar. 3, from 6 - 8 p.m. at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes and one hour prior to the service on Tuesday at the church.

Paul Edgar Wiegrefe, 83, of Amery, Wis., died Friday, Feb. 22, 2008 at Amery Regional Medical Center.

Paul was born Aug. 19, 1924 in Caledonia, Minn. to William and Emma (Fruechte) Wiegrefe. He graduated from Caledonia High School and received his Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Minnesota, St. Paul. He retired in 1986 after 33 years as C.E.O. of Production Credit Association in Faribault, Minn.

Survivors include his wife Gwen (Hogstad) Wiegrefe of Amery; his daughters: Carol Wiegrefe, Rosemount, Minn.; Dr. Susan Wiegrefe, River Falls, Wis.; Linda (Ken) Erickson, Dublin, Ohio; and Karen (Jeff) Blackmer, Ankeny, Iowa; four grandchildren; and sister Mildred and brother-in-law Charles Albee, Caledonia.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Marvin and Harold.

There will be no burial or memorial services at this time since his body has been donated to Mayo Medical Center in Rochester, Minn.

Ruben A. Herman, 88, of Eitzen, Minn., and formerly of New Albin, Iowa, died Monday, Feb. 25, 2008 at Franciscan Skemp Medical Center, La Crosse.

Ruben was born Feb. 11, 1920, in Ludlow township, rural Waukon, Iowa to Elmer and Mary (Grotegut) Herman. On Dec. 10, 1940, he married Helen Luettchens at St. John’s United Church of Christ (Wheatland), rural New Albin, Iowa. Ruben farmed in the Wheatland area all of his life. Ruben and Helen moved to Eitzen, Minn., in 1975 where they lived until Helen’s death in 1996. Ruben had recently moved to Caledonia Care and Rehab.

Survivors include one daughter, Dorothy (Don) Stewart, Esko, Minn.; one son, Eugene (Donna) Herman, New Albin, Iowa; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; one brother, Nyles (Ruby) Herman, Waukon, Iowa; and two sisters, Marian (Hanley) Jenkins, Des Moines, Iowa and Vernell (Jan) Esch, Strawberry Point, Iowa.

Ruben was preceded in death by his wife.

Funeral services will be 11a.m., Friday, Feb. 29, 2008 at St. John’s United Church of Christ, (Wheatland Church), rural New Albin, Iowa. Rev. Paul Burgess will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call from 5. p.m. until 8. p.m., Thursday at Haugen-Roble-Jandt Funeral Home,  Caledonia, and from 10 a.m. until the time of service, Friday at the church.

Nadine Sue Smerud (Jones), 59, of Tomball, Texas died at her home on Thursday, Feb. 21 of leukemia.

Nadine was born on Jan. 11, 1949 in Rochester to Kenneth (“Jake”) and Dorothy Jones (Hayden).

She was very active in her church community, and despite her terminal illness, was influential in starting a children’s choir and an instrumental ensemble at North Houston Seventh Day Adventist Church. She helped organize the Military Family Readiness Group, which supported family members of deployed soldiers.

She is survived by her husband, David of Tomball, Texas, mother, Dorothy Jones of Rochester, Minn., two children, Melissa (Sean) Bauckham of Buffalo Lake, Minn., and Jeffrey (Sheila) Naustdal of Litchfield, Minn., two grandchildren, three brothers, Stan (Deanna) Jones of Sioux City, Iowa, Ron Jones of Keene, Texas, and Kenneth (Linda) Jones of Hope, Minn.

She was preceded in death by her father, Kenneth (“Jake”) Jones.

A wake will be held Wednesday, February 27 from 4 p. m. to 7 p. m. at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home in Rochester.  Funeral service will be held Thursday, Feb. 28 at Seventh Day Adventist Church in Rochester, Minn. with viewing from 10 a. m. to 11 a. m. and service beginning at 11 am officiated by Pastor Wayne Morrison.  Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery in Rochester.