2025 at University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison                 Bruce was born August 28 He graduated from Bloomer High School in 1974 and worked for 3M for 25 years before retiring in 2016                 On June 17                 Bruce enjoyed hunting riding his motorcycle and loved spending time with his family friends and going to his grandchildren’s sporting events and working hard to make sure his family was taken care of                 Bruce is survived by his loving wife Nathan Bowe and Brandon (Chelsie) Bowe both of Chippewa Falls; one daughter Nicole (Dave) Miller of Menomonie; six brothers Russ (Darla) Bowe and Rod (Lora) Bowe both of Chippewa Falls; two sisters Pam Wedward of Alabama and Gerilynn (Dave) Mahder of Colorado; 7 grandchildren                 Bruce was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers                 A Memorial Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m Gorman will be celebrant of the Memorial Mass Inurnment will be in Hope Mausoleum in Chippewa Falls at a later date                 Visitation will be held from 4 p.m May 13 at the Horan Funeral Home in Chippewa Falls                  Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Sandra "Sandy" "Sassy" Adams Sandra “Sandy” “Sassy” Adams surrounded by her loved ones after a courageous battle with breast cancer who were at the center of everything she did Sandy grew up with a strong sense of family and a joyful spirit that carried through her entire life and together they built a life filled with adventure and support for each other that never wavered Her happiest moments were spent with her grandchildren She enjoyed spending her free time gardening delighting in the birds that visited her feeder - although she always wished there were more Summers at the camper surrounded by family and friends She also loved decorating her home and rearranging the furniture Her nails were always polished and her jewelry always perfectly chosen - reflecting the pride she took in herself and in life’s little details Sandy was a thoughtful woman with a generous heart Sandy had a special way of making others feel cared for and seen Chantel (Kurt) Erickson and Joseph (Jordyn) Adams; her treasured grandchildren Her family is proud of the strength and grace with which she fought her illness and they will carry her memory in their hearts forever A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12:00 PM on Tuesday Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Chippewa Falls Visitation will be held from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM on Tuesday at the church Private family burial will be held at a later date All who knew and loved Sandy are welcome to attend and celebrate her remarkable life the family asks that you honor Sandy by stopping to smell the flowers and enjoy life’s most simple pleasures The family would like to send a special thank you to all the nurses and doctors at Mayo Clinic Health Systems Critical Care Unit and Cancer Center in Eau Claire Olson Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Bloomer is assisting the family with arrangements please visit www.olsonfuneralhomebloomer.com Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Read through the obituaries published in The Chippewa Herald Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account A regional health cooperative in the Chippewa Valley region is working to reopen one of the hospitals that was abruptly closed by Hospital Sisters Health System this spring The Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative signed a letter of intent with HSHS to purchase and reopen St. Joseph’s hospital in Chippewa Falls. The nonprofit group announced their plans at a public meeting Monday HSHS closed the facility on March 22 two months after the health system announced they were exiting western Wisconsin The rapid shutdown shocked the community and left hundreds of people scrambling to find new health care providers and new jobs The nonprofit group is working to build a new hospital facility in Lake Hallie a Chippewa County community between Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls lead advisor to the cooperative and former hospital CEO the group saw it as a way to offer health care services as soon as possible “The new hospital won’t be available until at least late 2027 which is a ways out for people waiting for care,” Sanders said “We’re optimistic that if the St Sanders said the cooperative will begin evaluating whether reopening the facility is financially possible early next year and plans to make a final decision in April he said the cooperative could start hiring staff in summer and reopen next fall The facility would include an emergency department Twenty-five hospital beds would be available The cooperative also said they would reopen the morgue which was previously used by the county coroner Chippewa County Administrator Randy Scholz said the news was “the biggest surprise” for community members at Monday’s meeting Joseph’s has been devastating for many residents “Last night really helped people to see that we are going to get through this,’” Scholz said on Tuesday “There is a light at the end of the tunnel and we’re going to move forward and have very high quality health care.” Scholz said the biggest impacts have been to emergency medical services in the area He said a call that used to take an ambulance crew an hour to deliver a patient to St Joseph’s can now take three to four hours because of the extra travel time to Eau Claire or other communities Last month, Aspirus Health from Wausau announced they are moving forward with plans to build a new emergency department and clinic in Chippewa Falls The facility could open as early as spring of 2026 Scholz said having two new facilities will give residents more choice in where they receive care and help fill unmet health care needs in the area Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board passed away in the early morning hours of Saturday leaving an indelible mark on those who had the privilege of knowing her 1951 to Frank and Donna Kenedy in Birmingham she grew up alongside her four siblings and attended Marion High School She attended Eastern Michigan University for two years and completed her education degree at the University of Alaska Washington and Colorado prior to settling down in Chippewa Falls Suzanne’s love for learning led her to a lifelong career in education She began teaching in 1974 and excelled in this role Her students often gave her small trinkets and notes to show they cared Suzanne’s students were special to her as well She enjoyed sharing stories of classroom antics with her family Although she didn’t share the struggles of her students it was obvious that she thought about them and how to support them long after school let out each day Suzanne cherished spending her winters in Florida Suzanne had a deep and genuine love for her family always putting them at the center of her world She had a special way of making people feel seen and cherished She was the kind of person who could instantly make you feel supported in a difficult moment and she was always happiest with a good book in hand She was a devoted grandmother who delighted in teaching and spoiling her grandchildren Whether through her years in the classroom her volunteer work on the hospital charity board or simply the way she loved those around her her presence lives on in the lessons she taught at Notre Dame Church in Chippewa Falls for those who wish to honor her life Visitation begins at 9:30am and the funeral mass is at 11am followed by a celebration of life lunch donations may be made to the Chippewa Falls Humane Society in her memory we find comfort in the words of one of her favorite songs: April 5 at Notre Dame Church in Chippewa Falls Jesse Burish was celebrant of the Memorial Mass assisted by Mass server Inurnment was in Hope Mausoleum in Chippewa Falls Music during the Mass was provided by Beth Martinek and Sue Van de Loo                 Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCHIPPEWA FALLS (WEAU) -A longtime bar and restaurant that’s been in operation since 1979 is closing its doors in Chippewa Falls saying there will be one final farewell celebration on March 15 that will be open to the public followed by the official closing on March 25 A person with Grace Baptist Fellowship confirmed with WEAU that they have purchased the building and will operate it as a church just without the beer." She also says all gift cards donations and coupons must be redeemed before the close of business on March 15 and if you have a Pizza for a Year coupon you are welcome to use any remaining punches before the closure Culture & Entertainment in the Chippewa Valley V1 Staff, photos by Andrea Paulseth now that you’ve got your costume ready it’s time to make your ghoulish plans for how to haunt the Chippewa Valley We’ve got you covered with a list of all the major local trick-or-treating times below – including a big change for the candy-hunting time in downtown Eau Claire this event has been held on the afternoon of Halloween proper but this year has been moved up to take place this weekend.  3-5pm • Downtown businesses in Menomonie and Chippewa Falls will continue to hold trick-or-treating events on Oct after 5pm • Parents and kids can expect that residential trick-or-treating will take place from roughly 5-7pm which this year also includes the lobbies of residence halls on the UW-Eau Claire campus This website is brought to you by Volume One Magazine - Culture and Entertainment in the Chippewa Valley Volume One produces annual printed guides for all kinds of seasonal activities generations of workers have been crafting Leinenkugel’s beer at a historic brewery in Chippewa Falls the last of them clocked out from their final shift they walked across a bridge to the Leinie Lodge for a pint The impending closure of the Leinenkugel’s brewery was announced in November by Molson Coors It came as a surprise to the 56 workers losing their jobs a trickle of hourly employees represented by Teamsters Local 662 walked across a footbridge on their way to the Leinie Lodge — a pub and gift shop on the site — for an informal gathering complete with pints and pizza Lodge staff told WPR reporters were not allowed inside it was mostly quiet aside from passing flocks of geese and the babble of Duncan Creek where ducks braved the frigid water to bob for food some drivers slowed down and craned their necks for a better look at the soon-to-be-shuttered brewery Many of the brewery workers politely declined interviews with WPR as they left the property Some said they were told not to talk with media A few agreed to talk without giving their names for fear of putting their severance packages at risk One man told WPR he’s worked at the Leinenkugel brewery for 10 years He said the mood among the workers inside the lodge was upbeat even as they said their goodbyes He said the severance packages offered by Molson Coors are based on years of service which gives the senior employees more time to find new jobs we’re trying to find something right away,” he said he said he feels for his colleagues who have worked at the brewery for decades. “You know some of them have worked here since high school they’ve never had to have an interview.”   On Wednesday, Jake and Dick Leinenkugel announced they offered to start negotiations with Molson Coors aimed at buying their family’s former brewery back to keep it operating The worker told WPR he’s glad the Leinenkugel brothers are committed to the Chippewa Falls community and pushed back on social media criticism of the family’s decision to sell the brand to Miller Brewing Company in the 1980’s he seemed skeptical about the brothers being able to buy the brewery back international conglomerate,” he said “It’s tough to say whether or not they are going to consider the impact it has on this community.”  two more workers emerged from the lodge and walked back to their cars One of them was holding an empty Leinenkugel’s pint glass but told WPR they’d each worked at the brewery for more than 30 years.“We’re all going to miss the place,” one of them said “It was a good place to work.” His colleague said he started at the brewery just after the Miller take over in the late 1980’s which meant employees could no longer sample their beer at work “They had taken everything out of the break room you couldn’t drink at work,” he said with a smile it took a lot for them guys to get into that.”  Both men said they were close to retirement Molson Coors said while brewing operations are being transferred to Milwaukee the Leinie Lodge and its pilot brewery will remain open passed away peacefully surrounded by her family and friends on Saturday at the LakeHouse in Chippewa Falls under the care of St Patricia "Pat" was born to Milton and Alvera (Boos) Zenner in Chippewa Falls She graduated from Chippewa Falls High School with the class of 1958 Pat was united in marriage to the love of her life many times worldwide supporting Hal's military career While raising 4 small children without her family nearby she moved across seas and always said she could write a book about her adventures When Hal retired from the military in 1978 they settled back in Chippewa Falls to be closer to family She was dedicated to her family and loved them immensely Pat was a strong Christian woman and she made this world a better place She was an active member of the Jim Falls Lions Club and Loyal Order of Moose Lodge 246 Her family always came first and she had a special place in her heart for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren She had an exceptional kind of strength and grace a wonderful example of what it means to truly have faith and to trust in God Her gentle spirit and open heart always made people feel cherished with her unconditional love and acceptance Pat was a wonderful mom that will be dearly missed and she left a special legacy of love and compassion that will live on in her beautiful children Rickey (Lori) Radke of Chippewa Falls and Ronald (Nancy) Radke of Eau Claire; two daughters Pamela (Jim) Neitman of Chippewa Falls and Sharel (Kyle) Dresel of Chippewa Falls; grandchildren and Brooklyn (Bryce) Dankers; great-grandchildren John (Barb) Radke and Mike (Louise) Radke; along with many nieces nephews and other loving relatives and friends Patricia was preceded in death by her parents; brother and sister-in-law Richard & Kathy Zenner; brother-in-law A private memorial service will be held for the family Family and friends are welcome to join a Celebration of Life for Pat on Sunday at Loyal Order of Moose Lodge 246 in Chippewa Falls from 1 - 4pm The family would like to thank the staff at the LakeHouse Sharon Dumholt for their kind and compassionate care given to Pat and their support to the family The family requests that in lieu of flowers (WEAU) - The Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative is announcing that it has an executed purchase agreement with Hospital Sisters Health System for the St Joseph’s Hospital building in Chippewa Falls According to a press release from the Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative the Cooperative has 90 days to conclude due diligence to determine if reopening the hospital is financially possible the Cooperative could open its doors at the St “We are thankful that HSHS has worked collaboratively with the Cooperative while we ironed out the details of the contract,” Robert Krause Chair of the Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative “We’ve made good progress in our due diligence process during that time and are moving forward as quickly as possible with the rest of the required due diligence now that we have full access to the facility.” After rejecting the proposition to sell the Leinenkugel brewing facility back to the family Molson Coors Beverage Company CEO Gavin Hattersley is sticking to his decision "It’s important to us from a Leinenkugel brand point of view," Hattersley said in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that’s where we’re going to create future beer of Leinenkugel's and there will be additional Leinenkugel brands that come out  I don’t want to get ahead of our marketing and sales team by telling you what those are but they will be coming." Hattersley, who is planning to retire as CEO at the end of this year, emphasized the company is committed to the Leinenkugel's brand and product "We’re not going anywhere with it and keeping it in house and growing it and that’s beneficial for Wisconsin because we make it in Milwaukee," Hattersley said the Leinenkugel family said they appreciate the "affirmation of the brand’s importance we believe that true commitment must include preserving the Chippewa Falls brewery and the livelihoods of those who depend on it.”  "We’ve had it for nearly 40 years and that’s not changing," Hattersley said "And while we did move the brewing to Milwaukee and that was a challenging decision for us we’re committed to maintaining a strong presence in Chippewa Falls and we love the Leinenkugel’s brand." we’re going to continue to take excellent care of the facilities up there and the doors will be open year-round to the thousands of guests that we get there," Hattersley said "We will still have a pilot brewery there which we will use as our innovation hub for the Leinenkugel’s brand  We’re proud of that brand and keep it going as a great Wisconsin beer." 2025.  Don was born on his grandpa Bischel’s farm in the town of Bloomer he grew up on the family farm in the Town of Woodmohr south of Bloomer.  He learned to cut and rake hay driving the team of horses that his dad would harness and he would take to the field to hook to the tongue and heel chains of the equipment.  Until Don left the farm Don spent three years at Holy Cross Seminary WI.  He graduated from McDonell High School in 1959.  Don also graduated from DeVRY Technical Institute in Industrial Electronics; UWEC in Business Administration and later completed a master’s program at UW-Stout in Management Technology.  Don worked at Milprint (Milwaukee) Fabri-tek and Cray Research in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls.  He operated the Hobble Inn for 14 years.  Don was clerk and then chairman of the Town of Wheaton serving the town for 10 years.  He served two terms on the Chippewa County Board.  At the instigation of an insurance agent resident of the Town of Wheaton Don called for the first meeting of the town chairman that formed the original Chippewa Fire Protection District.  at Queen of the Peace Church in Milwaukee.  They had four children.  After they divorced Don married Claudia (Hagen) Mueller on June 11 Charles Catholic Church in Chippewa Falls.  Don loved to play cards but his two favorite things to do were walking on water and changing water into wine.  Neither event was miraculous.  He loved to ice fish in winter.  He loved to turn the cherries and berries and leaves he found on the home farm fence lines and his woods into wine experimenting with new combinations and recipes Don and Claudia finished a two-year diocesan lay formation program in 2003.  Claudia was involved in outreach activities and music ministry.  Don served mass and brought the Word Soul and Divinity to the homebound and those in assisted living.  Don was also a member of the Knights of Columbus Goldsmith Council #974 and the Knights of Columbus 4th Degree Bishop Fulton J Chippewa Falls.  He is further survived by his stepchildren Chippewa Falls; as well as nine grandchildren Tristin and Elijah Hable; and five step grandchildren Madelyn Mueller.  Don is also survived by two brothers Don was preceded in death by both his parents Alvin Hagen and Conrad Johnstad; sisters in-law and Angel Woods.         A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in Don’s honor at 11 AM on Monday Charles Catholic Church followed by burial at Hope Cemetery in Chippewa Falls Visitation will be held from 1 PM until 4 PM on Sunday April 13 at the Horan Funeral Home in Chippewa Falls with a Rosary conducted by the Knights of Columbus Goldsmith Council #974 at 4 PM Gorman was celebrant of the funeral Mass assisted by Mass servers Music during the Mass was provided by Abigail Lynch and the St Readings were given by Lisa Hable and Cheryl Krhin Gift bearers were Elijah and Tristin Hable and Turner Woods Lynsey and Landon Mueller and Turner Woods Sunday afternoon the Knights of Columbus Goldsmith Council #974 and their chaplain Gorman led the knight in the recitation of the rosary The 4th Degree Knights of Columbus Bishop Fulton J Sheen Assembly formed an honor guard at the service at Aggie’s Country Living in Bloomer in Chippewa Falls to Donald and Ruby (Schick) Sweeney she graduated from Chippewa Falls High School They resided in Chippewa Falls and owned and operated Bill’s Surplus for 32 years Carol was a longtime member of Zion United Methodist Church in Chippewa Falls Bryan (Patsy Johnson) of New Richmond and Brent (Jamie) of Chippewa Falls; grandchildren Irvin Sweeney; and many nieces and nephews She was preceded in death by her parents; infant brother Troy Zwiefelhofer; father and mother-in-law Marion (Roland) Boehm and Carol (David) Duffin February 7 at Pederson-Volker Funeral Chapel Chippewa Falls with Pastor Pauline Bangle officiating The family would like to thank the staff at Aggie’s Country Living and Interim Hospice for the wonderful care they gave to Carol 2024 at Dove Healthcare – South in Eau Claire.   the son of Clayton and Dorothy “Dusty” (Hedrington) McNamara Kelly was a mechanic at American Phoenix for many years He was always working on lawnmowers and of course He was an avid rider and loved to feel the wind in his hair His children will always remember how cool it was to go for a ride with him when they were younger His grandkids will always remember his colorful/funny songs and sayings Kelvin (Robin) McNamara of Chippewa Falls and Jamie (Mari) Guibord of Eau Claire; two daughters Jennifer (Jim) Herrick and Jody (Joe) Kranig both of Chippewa Falls; three brothers and Bill (Brenda) McNamara all of Chippewa Falls; two sisters Judy (Leroy) Mathews and Pam McNamara both of Chippewa Falls; and ten grandchildren Brady and Levi Guibord; nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends Kelly was preceded in death by his parents; and one nephew A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m 2025 at the Horan Funeral Home in Chippewa Falls Aaron Sturgis of Central Lutheran Church in Chippewa Falls will be officiating Inurnment will be in Prairie View Cemetery in the village of Lake Hallie Kelly’s family would like to thank Interim Hospice of Western Wisconsin and Dove South for their care and compassion Family and friends may express condolences online at www.horanfuneralhome.com McKenna Scherer | March 13 The Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative has announced an executed purchase agreement with Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) for the St Joseph's Hospital in Chippewa Falls.  As shared earlier this month the nonprofit cooperative aiming to open a brand-new 144,000-square-foot hospital in Lake Hallie around late 2027 is currently completing the due diligence process on the shuttered St the cooperative said it could open its doors at St "We are thankful that HSHS has worked collaboratively with the Cooperative while we ironed out the details of the contract," Chair of the Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative "We've made good progress in our due diligence process during that time and are moving forward as quickly as possible with the rest of the required due diligence now that we have full access to the facility."  managing director of 1100 Partners and former Monroe Clinic CEO has been working closely with the cooperative since its formation in 2023 "While the cost to modernize and make the St Joseph's facility financially feasible for the next 50 years is prohibitive we hope that we can open it and fill a critical need in the near and short term We believe most expenditures required to open the Chippewa Falls facility will be transferrable to the new hospital and give us a leg up on operations." Subscribe to our Newsletters How to Contribute 20 Years of Volume One V1 Staff, photos by Grace Cremeens | February 26 What is probably Chippewa Falls’ coolest annual event is slated to return on Saturday at Loopy’s Grill & Saloon: the Polar Plunge In support of Special Olympics Wisconsin and its 14,000-plus athletes this year’s Polar Plunge features two ways to get involved The first – the Polar Plunger – is what most folks expect from the popular event: jump into icy waters The second – the Polar Pledger – allows folks to give back without getting wet For folks who take the plunge and raise at least $100 a free Polar Plunge long-sleeve with this year’s special design will be rewarded To those who don't make the plunge but donate at least $25 a BOGO sub sandwich coupon for Jersey Mike's Subs will be your prize Raising more than that could also earn you additional incentives Chippewa Falls is one of eight Polar Plunge locations across the state all hosted on Saturdays during the wintry months The Polar Plunge is Special Olympics Wisconsin’s largest annual grassroots fundraiser with all money going directly toward the organization helping thousands of statewide Special Olympics athletes train and compete at the state It also helps support more year-round programming for the organization Pre-register to take the plunge at Loopy’s Grill & Saloon (10691 County Hwy X, Chippewa Falls) on March 8 by visiting PlungeWi.org Day-of registration will also be available on-site at the eatery Learn more about Special Olympics Wisconsin online and sign up for this year’s Chippewa Falls Polar Plunge event at PlungeWI.org Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (WEAU) - UPDATE: The Chippewa Falls Police Department is providing an update following two separate incidents in Chippewa Falls Tuesday afternoon Chippewa Falls police say they believe both men are no longer in Wisconsin Chippewa Falls Police also say they are confident there are no safety concerns at this time Chippewa Falls police are no longer seeking the public’s help for identification CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (WEAU) - New information has been released following two separate incidents in Chippewa Falls Tuesday afternoon At the McDonald’s and Kwik Trip off Woodward Avenue Police Chief Ryan Douglas said two men were acting strange and approached young children Chief Douglas described the behavior as “inappropriate” but not sexual The incidents were reported to police by the parents in each case The Chippewa Falls Police Department has since learned that both suspects have most likely left their area and are traveling out-of-state If anyone has any information regarding the suspects contact CFPD or your local Law Enforcement Agency Source: Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative / River Valley Architects It is a grassroots effort for building a new nonprofit hospital which would be independent and governed locally by the people it serves “We saw this as both a medical and economic crisis,” Cooperative Board of Organizers Chairperson Bob Krause explains “We couldn’t just watch that kind of care and community investment disappear.” Cooperative leaders are hosting a community information meeting on April 15 It will be held at the Pablo Center at the Confluence Both provided long-time care and employment across west-northwest Wisconsin The abrupt shutdown left thousands of patients without a local hospital along with a deep economic and emotional void Those involved with the new cooperative are laying the groundwork for a modern hospital that will rise in the Lake Hallie area on a 20-acre site along Highway 53 with access to Interstate 94 and Highways 29 and 12 focused version of what was lost but holds the intent to serve the present and future needs of this 18-county region an immediate interim plan is also in the works The cooperative wants to reopen the shuttered St Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls as a temporary care hub The old building has some challenges but could relieve the burden on other regional providers like Mayo and Marshfield Clinic “We’re working closely with local independent physicians,” Mike Sanders says “There’s still a strong patient base and medical staff What’s missing is the hospital—and we’re here to fix that.” The cooperative already has more than 1,100 members and every single one has a say in how the new hospital will be run It’s a return to the idea of local governance in health care “We don’t know all the answers yet,” Krause says “But we know we need a solution that puts patients and community first.” Learn more about the cooperative including how to get involved here: Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative – Access to Affordable Healthcare in the Chippewa Valley Region Want More Local News?We've got you. 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