When you lose someone in a small town like Tomah, Wisconsin, the clock starts ticking in a way that feels heavy and frantic all at once. You aren't just looking for a service. You’re looking for a record—a final, public story. That's usually why people start hunting for sonnenburg family funeral home obituaries the second they hear bad news. It’s the digital town square for Monroe County.
But honestly, finding these tributes isn't always as simple as a quick Google search might suggest. Things change.
Websites update. Links break.
If you’ve ever tried to find a specific person and ended up staring at a "404 Not Found" page while your heart is already in your shoes, you know how frustrating that is. This isn't just about data; it’s about memory.
Why Finding the Right Obituary Matters Right Now
Most people think an obituary is just a notice. It's not. In 2026, these digital spaces at Sonnenburg have evolved into interactive memorials. You’ll see people like Pastor Robert "Pastor Bob" E. Gerke, who recently passed in January 2026, having entire digital communities sprout up around his life story.
It’s about the details.
Did you know Pastor Bob was called to Glory on January 13? Or that his prayer service was scheduled for the 23rd at St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church? These aren't just dates. For a grieving family, these details are the logistics of love.
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If you're searching for sonnenburg family funeral home obituaries, you’re likely looking for one of three things:
- Service Times: Because showing up matters.
- The Narrative: Who did they love? Where did they work?
- The Flower Link: A way to say something when you don't have the words.
The Most Reliable Ways to Track Down a Listing
Don't just rely on the first thing that pops up. Sometimes the "big" aggregate sites are slow.
1. The Official Source
The absolute ground zero is the Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home website itself. They are located at 801 East Monowau Street in Tomah. Their internal database is usually the most current. For example, recent listings like Olga M. Johnson and Dale R. Chroninger appear there first, often with "Send Flowers" buttons that link directly to local florists who actually know where the church is.
2. The Local Paper (Monroe County Herald)
There is something about the Monroe County Herald that feels more permanent. Many families still choose to run a full spread there. If you can’t find a name on the funeral home’s direct site, check the Herald’s obituary section. They often include more "biographical flavor" that digital-only notices might trim for space.
3. The "We Remember" Memorials
Sonnenburg has started using the "We Remember" platform. This is basically a digital scrapbook. It’s where you’ll find deep histories, like the one for Lyda Lea Lanier, who passed in late 2025. Her obituary mentions her perfect attendance from 1st through 12th grade—a tiny, human detail that tells you everything about who she was. You won't find that kind of nuance in a standard death notice.
Common Mistakes When Searching
It happens to the best of us. We type a name, nothing comes up, and we panic.
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First off: Check the spelling. Wisconsin names can be tricky. Is it "Hass" or "Haas"? Is it "Gutsche" or "Gutche"? Robert E. Gutsche’s family, for instance, used his nickname "Bob" in some places and "Robert" in others. If the formal name doesn't work, try the nickname.
Second: The "City" trap. People often search for "Tomah obituaries" and miss people who lived in nearby Kirby, Ridgeville, or Sparta but were handled by Sonnenburg. Sharon K. Herried, who died in early January 2026, was from Tomah but passed in Elroy. If you restrict your search too narrowly to a single city, Google might filter out the very person you're looking for.
What to Do if You Can't Find an Obituary
Sometimes, there isn't one.
Some families choose "Immediate Burial" or private ceremonies. Sonnenburg offers these options, and they respect the family's privacy above all else. If you’ve searched and searched and found nothing for a name like Clinton LeRoy Meacham or Elsie Helen Thompson (both of whom had beautiful recent tributes), it might just be a matter of timing.
Usually, there's a 24-to-48-hour lag between a death and the posting of the official obituary.
If you're really stuck, you can call them. The staff, including owners Joshua Sonnenburg and Patricia Sonnenburg-Bernett, are known for being incredibly helpful. They’re at (608) 372-2300. Just be respectful—they’re usually helping someone through the worst day of their life.
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Real Examples of Recent Tributes
Looking at recent sonnenburg family funeral home obituaries shows a real cross-section of Wisconsin life.
Take Henry R. Pease. He was just a young boy when he passed in early 2026. His obituary wasn't just a notice; it was a heartbreakingly beautiful call for community support. Or Elsie Helen Thompson, who reached the incredible age of 100 before passing at the Tomah Healthcare Center.
These stories are different, but the place they are recorded is the same.
Actionable Steps for Your Search
If you are looking for someone right now, follow this sequence:
- Go to the Sonnenburg "Obituary Listings" page first. Filter by "Recent" to see if the name has been indexed yet.
- Check Legacy.com. They partner with many funeral homes in Monroe County and often have the "Guestbook" feature where you can see what other people are saying.
- Search Facebook. Often, the funeral home or the family will share the direct link to the obituary on their social pages before it's fully indexed by search engines.
- Note the Location. If the service is at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran or Gloria Dei Lutheran, the obituary will usually list specific visitation hours. Write these down. Digital links can be finicky when you're driving and lose signal.
Ultimately, these obituaries are the final word on a life lived. Whether it’s a master’s degree holder like Lyda Lanier or a local veteran like Steven Lynn Hass, the record matters.
Take a breath. The information is out there; you just have to know which corner of the web to look in. If you're planning on attending a service, always double-check the time on the morning of the event. Things like Wisconsin snowstorms can change a schedule faster than a website can update.
Stick to the official funeral home site for the most accurate, up-to-the-minute service changes.