Irene E. Mavis, 81, Wittenberg, died Friday, Dec. 6, 2013, at the Homme Home of Wittenberg under the care of AseraCare Hospice Services. She was born on May 9, 1932, in Birnamwood, the daughter of the late Herman and Margaret (Joas) Leider. On Aug. 29, 1953, Irene was united in marriage to Carl Frederick William Mavis at Trinity Lutheran Church, Birnamwood. He preceded her in death on Jan. 9, 2005. Irene and Carl farmed in Wittenberg until 1977.

Betty Jane Heling, 79, of Gillett, passed away Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013, in Shawano. Born on April 9, 1934, in the town of Belle Plaine, she was the daughter of the late Louis and Laura (Krause) Krause. Betty lived most of her life in Shawano County. On March 16, 1952, she was united in marriage to Donald Heling. The couple had eight children together before separating.

Herbert Frederick “Herb” Behnke, 88, of the town of Richmond, passed away Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013, in Shawano. Born on Sept. 17, 1925, in the town of Little River near Lena, he was the 10th child born to the late Reinhold and Julia (Heinz) Behnke. Raised on a dairy farm, Herb learned the value of hard work as well as the joy one can get from hunting and fishing.

Bonduel girls improve to 3-0 The Bonduel High School girls basketball team improved to 3-0 with a 45-27 win over Coleman on Tuesday in Coleman. Jennifer Dowden led Bonduel with 13 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.

The Shawano Community High School boys basketball team needed a big fourth quarter to dispatch Hortonville 51-44 to open Bay Conference play on the road Tuesday. The teams entered the fourth quarter tied at 28-28, but the Hawks (3-1, 1-0 Bay) pulled away by outscoring Hortonville (1-3, 1-1 Bay) 23-16 in the period. Will Cox, a 6-foot-3 senior forward making his season debut following an injury, led Shawano with 11 points.

By the time the young Shawano Community High School girls basketball team had adjusted to the speed of the varsity game and shaken off the offseason rust, it was too late. The Hawks fell behind 37-20 in Tuesday’s season opener against nonconference Mosinee (3-1), and then rallied but came up short in the 56-48 loss. “It was a good first game,” Shawano coach Ryan Koenig said. “Obviously, it was Mosinee’s fourth and it showed in the first half.

Longtime Wisconsin Natural Resources Board member Herbert “Herb” Behnke, of the town of Richmond, who passed away Sunday in Shawano, left behind a long list of accomplishments in his 88-year life. “He was a busy man,” said Jim Horne, a Department of Natural Resources conservation warden for Shawano. “Actually a giant, in the natural resources/conservation field. He will be sorely missed.

The sixth annual Christmas cantata of St. John’s Lutheran Church will be presented in five shows this month at the church, 101 W. Main St., Gillett. This year’s cantata, “One Holy Night,” is created by Sue C. Smith and Johnathan Crumpton.

Edward “Ed” Skarban, 86, Two Rivers, formerly of Oconto Falls, died Thursday morning, Dec. 5, 2013, at Hamilton Care Center. He was born Nov. 24, 1927, in Suring to Edward J. and Louise (Yakel) Skarban. Following graduation from high school in 1945, he entered the U.S. Navy and served during World War II. Following his honorable discharge from the military, he attended college in Milwaukee for two years. On Nov.