Obituaries are a service of Brainard Funeral Home & Cremation Center, with locations in Wausau and Weston.
Inge Haldeman
Inge, 94, was born Feb. 21, 1924 to Jakob and Helen Woog in Frankfurt, Germany.
She grew up in the photography world. At 18, she ran her father’s business after he was drafted into the German Military.
After the war, she married Glenn Haldeman, who was the Town Commander and a US Army Officer, on April 19, 1947, 2 years after meeting him in the Mayor’s Office. She was proud to be a naturalized US Citizen. Her hobbies included sewing, knitting, crocheting, and gardening.
Inge is survived by her children Larry Haldeman (Donna) and Patti Lemke; grandchildren Jeff Steller (Tammy), Kevin Haldeman (Paige), Melanie Haldeman (Mark Femling), Jenny Steller (fiancé Brad Haugsland); great-grandchildren Mya Steller and Lincoln Haldeman; 2 brothers Gunter Woog (Barb) and Manfred Woog (Ione). She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Glenn, and son-in-law Don Lemke.
As per Inge’s wishes, there will be a private Celebration of Life at a later date. Memorials may be made to Wausau Area Mobile Meals or Covenant Community Presbyterian Church.
The family wishes to thank Benedictine Living Community, Mountain Terrace and Aspirus Wausau Hospital for their excellent care.
Brainard Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements. To share online memories and condolences, please visit brainardfuneral.com
Kathleen Zimmerman
Kathleen (Kathy) June Zimmerman, 72, passed away on December 29th, 2017 at Aspirus Hospice House with family by her side.
Kathy was born on April 23rd, 1945 in Merrill, Wisconsin to Jim and Marian Milne. She graduated from Wausau High School in 1963. On a rainy April 13th 1968, she married Dave Zimmerman, also from Wausau and Wausau High. They were married for nearly 50 years. They lived in a few cities in Wisconsin during their marriage (Holmen, Sheboygan Falls, Green Bay and Racine), but Kathy was so happy to be able to return home to Wausau in 2008.
Kathy is preceded in death by her parents (Jim and Marian) and a son, Tom, who died at birth. We know she was hopeful to be reunited them. Kathy is survived by her husband Dave and her two kids, Brian Biju Zimmerman and Lisa MeeHee Kirby. She also has 3 granddaughters, Allison, Katelyn and Juliana Kirby. She treasured her family and delighted in them. Her family never doubted her love for them. While she will be missed immensely, her love will continue to be passed on as she taught us all much about what it means to love others well.
Her family was always number one in her life, but she was always ready to love and serve anyone else in need, whether through cooking a delicious meal or being a listening ear. Kathy was one who was always thinking of others and putting others’ needs above her own. She was an amazing cook and always loved spending time gardening as long as the weather permitted.
A private family service is being planned for a later date in the spring or summer.
Brainard Funeral Home – Wausau Chapel assisted the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be shared at www.brainardfuneral.com
Loretta J. Thario
Loretta J. Thario, 85, Wausau, died Sunday April 1, 2018 at Cedar Creek Manor, Kronenwetter, under the care of Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Services.
She was born August 15, 1932, in Suring, daughter of the late Vernon and Cleo (Longard) Colson. On September 15, 1951, she married Joseph Thario in Suring. He preceded her in death December 30, 2000.
In her younger years, Loretta provided in-home day care, later, was a waitress at Kreske’s Store in Wausau and worked at Marathon Press. She also worked at First United Methodist Church, Wausau and was a member of the United Methodist Women. She enjoyed volunteering many places including “Make Today Count” and with the North Central Health Care Center. She also received the national volunteer recognition “J.C. Penny’s Golden Rule Award”.
Loretta’s husband was the Pastor at Aniwa United Methodist Church and Birnamwood Church. She was proud to fulfill all the duties that went along with being the pastor’s wife.
Survivors include her children, Kenneth Thario, Wausau, Kathy (Bob) Rice, Batavia, Illinois and Kandy (Richard) Herra, Elburn, Illinois; grandson, R.J. Herra; siblings, Norm Colson, Appleton, Mary (Edgar) Rakow, Suring, Curt Colson, Colorado, Bruce (Neide) Colson, Tennessee, Janette Colson, Milwaukee, Bonnie (Larry) Johnson, Shawano, many nieces and nephews. Besides her parents and husband, Joseph, she was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Karen, and one sister, Donna Slatky.
Funeral Services will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday April 7, 2018 at the First United Methodist Church, Wausau. Rev. Jayneann McIntosh will officiate. Burial will be in Hickory Cemetery, Suring at a later date. Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Friday at the Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, 1302 Sixth Street, Wausau and again on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of services at the church.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com
John Otto
John Otto was a big man with a big heart. You always knew where you stood with John. He had no trouble speaking his mind always in a kind, respectful manner. He loved his family with all his heart and took comfort in knowing the love of God.
John was born February 13, 1958 in Milwaukee to the late James and Lorraine (Larsen) Otto. On June 2, 1979 he married Donna Hernigle in Milwaukee. They moved to Wausau and raised two sons, John and Jason. For many years John drove semi for several different trucking companies. He then worked at Crystal Finishing. John enjoyed teaching his sons and grandchildren how to hunt, fish and camp. They especially enjoyed family outings at the cottage on Windpudding Lake.
Survivors include his wife, Donna, two sons, John and Jason (Rachel) all of Wausau, three grandchildren, Josh, Jayden and Jamison, two brothers, Jeff (Cathy) of Tomahawk, James (Sherry) of Harshaw, two sisters-in-law, Theresa Otto of West Bend and Karen Otto of Shorewood, and aunts, uncles and cousins. He was further preceded in death by two brothers, Thor and Terry.
Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m., Friday, April 6, 2018 at Immanuel Baptist Church, 5100 Hummingbird Rd., Wausau. Reverend Robert Love will officiate. Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Thursday at the Helke Funeral Home, 302 Spruce St., Wausau and at the church on Friday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of services.
Florence Block, 97, of the town of Easton passed away on Friday, March 30, 2018 at Aspirus Hospice House.
She was born February 4, 1921 in Wausau to the late Paul and Viola (Gernetzky) Ott. Florence attended St. John’s Lutheran School and was a member of the church her entire life. After graduating from Wausau High School in 1939, Florence began working for Employers Mutual and later for Wausau Insurance. Florence also worked out of her home as secretary and bookkeeper for Marathon County Milk Quality Improvement Association. On May 15, 1943, she married Milton Block at St. John’s Lutheran Church. Florence along with Milton raised their five children on the family dairy farm. They also raised fox, mink, turkeys and peacocks. She loved spending time with her family and especially the grandchildren. In recent years she had a passion for solving crossword puzzles, Sudoku, playing card and reading of which her most recent accomplishment was reading the Bible from cover to cover. In her younger years, Florence liked dancing, bowling, golf and going fishing with Milton.
Survivors include her children, Ivan (Carol) of the town of Easton, Bonnie (Mike) Wimmer of West Bend, Marla (Wayne) Kroening of the town of Texas, Lowell (Debbie) of the town of Texas, Yvonne (Kevin) Fitzgerald of the town of Easton, seventeen grandchildren, nineteen great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren. Florence was preceded in death by her husband, Milton and brother and sister-in-law, Raymond and Rosemary Ott.
Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m., Monday, April 9, 2018 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, E10723 Cty. Rd. Z, Wausau. Reverend John Stransky will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be at the church on Monday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of services. You may sign our family guest book at helke.com.
We would like to thank the staff at Renaissance Assisted Living and Rehab and Care Partners for the love and care they gave Mom during her residence. Thank you to the staff at Aspirus Hospital and Aspirus Hospice House for the care and kindness they gave our entire family. A special thank you to Pastor John for his many visits, prayers and support to our entire family and Mom.
Memorials may be directed to St. John’s Lutheran Church or Aspirus Hospice House, 530 N. 32nd Ave., Wausau, 54401.
Lorraine Zahrt
Lorraine Clara Zahrt, 94, of Ringle, passed away on Good Friday, March 30, 2018, at Aspirus Wausau Hospital with her loving family at her side. She was born on September 24, 1923 in the town of Easton to the late Theodore (Ted) Hoppe and Olga Lambrecht Hoppe.
Lorraine attended Farewell School (grades 1-6) and Zion Lutheran School (grades 7-8), both in the Town of Easton. She was confirmed in her Christian faith at Zion on June 6, 1937. Going to high school was not an option as her continued help was needed on her parent’s farm which included the hard work of weeding ginseng. This was the beginning of a lifelong passion for hard work for which she was well known. Later as a young woman of 20 she worked as a maid at the H.J. Hagge residence in Wausau who, at the time, was the president of Employers Mutual Insurance Company (later Wausau Insurance). During World War II, she supported the war effort through her work at Marathon Battery and Marathon Electric.
In March of 1946 she met Wilbert Zahrt while he was sawing lumber at the home of her sister and brother-in-law, Viola and Elmer Barthels. They soon realized their shared interest in music and started playing accordion together. Six months later they married on September 14, 1946 at Zion Lutheran Church in the town of Easton and were together for over 54 years until his passing on April 17, 2001. Lorraine and Wilbert initially lived with Lorraine’s parents until purchasing their own dairy farm on the Eau Claire River Road in 1952. In 1959, they expanded their farming operation by buying the Zahrt family farm on Chestnut Lane. They continued farming at that location until 1997 when the barn was destroyed by a powerful windstorm. In 1972, she began driving a school bus for Jelco/Laidlaw Transit bussing companies, retiring in 1997. She picked up her last job of delivering newspapers for the Wausau Daily Herald at the age of 80 during 2003 and 2004.
In March of 1972, God was gracious in helping Lorraine survive a pulmonary embolism that she developed after falling in the barn and breaking her knee cap. We were lucky to have her for another 46 years after that incident.
Lorraine loved music and was a self-taught musician, having learned to play the accordion, piano, and guitar. She often accompanied Wilbert’s band (Zahrt’s Gay Time Orchestra) all over central Wisconsin, playing polkas and waltzes for occasions of all kinds.
Lorraine also loved to travel. She experienced her very first plane flight at age 76 when she traveled to Washington D.C. and Camp David to visit her grandson Derrick who was serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. She and Wilbert enjoyed visits to Trinity Bible College (North Dakota) where their daughter Marlene was a student. They also visited Marlene and her husband Joe at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia and K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base in Upper Michigan. Other destinations visited include Jekyll and St. Simons Islands in Georgia, Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Monument in South Dakota, Buffalo Bill Museum in Wyoming, the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in Detroit, Andersonville Civil War Prison and Roosevelt’s Little White House in Georgia, Niagara Falls, Lawrence Welk’s childhood home in Strasburg (North Dakota), and Lincoln’s tomb and historic sites in Springfield, Illinois. Several additional trips were taken to visit family in Indiana and Tennessee.
Lorraine was never one to stay home for very long. She loved to dine out and fellowship with family. She was always up for a road trip regardless of the destination. Whether it was a big city, small town, or no town at all, she looked forward to the journey, and she could find her way around any area in Wisconsin with her keen knowledge of the geography. Some of her favorite events were the Warren’s Cranberry Fest, the Edgar Steam Engine Show, and cherry picking in Door County. Locally, she liked to go to the Grand Theatre, the Wisconsin Valley Fair, Chalkfest, Ginseng Fest, Historical Society presentations, and various church functions. She was a long time member of St. John’s Lutheran Church (Town of Easton) and also belonged to their Ladies Aid and Senior Club.
She was a wonderful cook and hosted many holiday parties and birthday celebrations. She was a very selfless person, always putting others first. Her greatest happiness was making others happy and knowing that her family was happy. She willingly and lovingly helped care for her children and grandchildren in any way she could. Her son Daniel affectionately recalls the time that she took care of him when he had a badly broken leg. Her faith motivated everything that she did in life. She had a close relationship with the Lord and prayed often for her family. Even after losing her eyesight she would say, “Even though I can’t see, I can still pray.”
Above all she dearly loved her family and enjoyed their many talents and abilities. From sporting competitions to musical talents to artistic abilities to success in the workplace, Mom was proud of each and every one of us.
She is survived by her four children: Linda Jehn Otalora, Daniel (Diane) Zahrt, Michael (Debra) Zahrt, and Marlene (Rev. Joe) Shelton.
Linda’s sons: Derrick (Sarah) Jehn and their children: Colton and Aubrie; Sarah’s daughter: Mikayla Bullman; Lance (Christina Raber) Jehn and their children: Taylor, Carson, and Easton; Mario (Shelby) Otalora and their children: Zayden and Lincoln; Dan and Diane’s son: Matthew; Diane’s children: Nicole (Jesse) Hoffman and their children: Calvin Callahan, Cedar and Harman Hoffman; Jackie (Nick) Hanke and their daughter: Lorelai; Jon Shanak; Mike and Debra’s children: Jason (Nicole Aukamp) and Jason’s sons: Jacob and Lucas; Kristin (Noah) Phillips and their children: Jack and Josslyn; Marlene and Joe’s children: Joseph and Adrianna.
She is further survived by brother-in-law Merlin (Joan) Zahrt. Former sons-in-law Larry Jehn and Leo Otalora, cousins, and many nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by her parents, husband, sister Viola (Elmer) Barthels, brothers-in-law: Lawrence Zahrt, Milton (Audrey) Zahrt; sisters-in-law: Hertha (Karl) Peters, Velma (Ervin) Runzheimer, Zelta (Henry) Schlund, Verna (Walter) Schlund, Marjorie Zahrt, Ardelle Zahrt, and niece Lois Runzheimer.
Also predeceased by her lifelong best friend Verna (Kluender) Borman.
A funeral service will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 6, 2018, at St. John Lutheran Church, town of Easton, with Rev. John Stransky officiating. Family and friends may call on Thursday, April 5, beginning at 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the church and again on Friday beginning at 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. Burial will be in St. John Lutheran Cemetery, town of Easton.
You may sign the family guestbook at www.helke.com.
Memorials are preferred to St. John Lutheran Church, town of Easton.
Lois Barbara (Uekert) Thompson, 75, passed away peacefully on April 2, 2018, at home surrounded by her loving children and family after a courageous fight against lung cancer.
She fought this battle as a warrior, lived each day to the fullest with simple pleasures, maintained her faith, faced incredible adversity with dignity and determination as a hero, and did so always with a smile on her face.
Born June 17, 1942, to Clarence and Mildred (Graveen) Uekert. She attended Trinity Lutheran School and was a 1960 graduate of Wausau High School. In high school Lois was selected to be a nurse aide because of her desire to become a nurse. She went on to graduate from St. Luke’s School of Nursing in Racine, WI, where she met her first husband, Ray Juliano, had four wonderful children and continued an impressive career as a nurse for over 50 years. On February 4, 1991, she married Thomas Thompson, he preceded her in death in 2009. Family was the most important gift to Lois. This was shown through her examples of love and family bonding. She cherished her friendships she developed from a young age and continued throughout her life. Lois and Tom loved to be in each other’s company and treasured their journey all across the country and made some beautiful memories traveling in their motor home. Lois was active in Mount Olive Lutheran Church and loved participating in quilting and card-making and other activities. She also valued helping needy children, whether it was the Shriners Hospital for Children, United Way, The Salvation Army, or buying presents for any organization to brighten a child’s day. She had a passion for going to garage sales, dancing, reading, crossword puzzles, stock car races, playing the piano and food. She was a devoted Packer fan. Lois also loved flowers and Tom made her a special flower bed outside that was appropriately named “Tom’s Garden of Love”. She would create and produce the most stunning and beautiful flower garden each year. She treasured music and loved watching Hee Haw and Lawrence Welk reruns, as well as the Marty Stuart Country show. But her all-time favorite was Elvis Presley. Lois enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and was so proud of each of their accomplishments.
She lived by the words of The Serenity Prayer; God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference. Lois wrote some of the most important lessons she learned in life were: be thrifty and save money, be kind to people, to forgive, be creative, be a lady, and that you don’t have to spend a fortune to have nice things.
Besides her parents and husband, she is preceded in death by 3 infant brothers, Jerome, Donald, and Maurice Uekert. Lois is survived by her sons Angelo (Shelley) Juliano of Connecticut & Gino (Tina Nikolai) Juliano of Colorado, and daughters Deborah (Mark) Canfield of Newberry, Michigan, and Barb Juliano of Wausau. Her stepchildren, Kelly (Gary) Shanak, Gage Thompson and Andrew Thompson. Her grandchildren Nicholas, Anthony & Mario Juliano, Tyler, Cori & Chase Canfield, and a great-granddaughter on the way. She is also survived by her brothers Ronald (Jane) Uekert and Dale (Ronda) Uekert, niece Brenda Uekert, nephews Ronnie (Lisa) Uekert and Nick Strugalla, great niece and nephew Brady and Sydney Uekert, her special cousins John & Shirley Sorenson, Jerry Ladwig, David (Sharon) Gwidt & Becky Gwidt, along with their children Mike (Amber) Gwidt, and Sarah (Ross) Lyon, all of Wausau, as well as other family and friends.
Please join us in celebrating her life at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, 6205 Alderson Street, Weston, on Friday, April 6, with visitation from 9 – 11 a.m. and the service starting 11:00 at with Pastor Ray Connor officiating. Burial will be at Pine Grove Cemetery, Wausau.
The family is deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and support in many heart-felt forms by countless friends and family either through prayer and/or visits. Lois will always be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother, sister, relative, and friend with an enthusiastic desire for helping others. She had a strong faith in God and leaves us rich in memories. The loss is immeasurable, but so is the love you left behind. Fly high and may your wings be strong and golden.
John J. Buettgen Funeral Home is assisting the family at this time. Online condolences can be made at www.HonorOne.com
