Obituaries are a service of Brainard Funeral Home, with locations in Wausau and Weston.
Irma Racenis
Irma was born Feb. 15, 1921, in Jelgava, Latvia, to the late Alexanders Goerings and Milda (Renga) Goerings. She spent childhood summers on the Renga farm Bratini in the Dzukste region of central Latvia.
As a young woman in Europe during World War II, Irma experienced firsthand many of the hardships that families faced as a result of the turmoil of war. However, she excelled in school mastering the English, German and Russian languages as well as her native Latvian, eventually working as a translator for the regional government office during the war.
She escaped as the Soviets occupied Latvia as the war was drawing to a close with her mother and several other elderly ladies, who she shepherded across the Baltic Sea, Poland and Germany. After the war, she ended up in the Displaced Persons camp in Fishbach bei Nuremburg, Germany, where she met and married Karlis V. Racenis on March 26, 1949. He preceded her in death on March 26, 1992.
The First Congregational Church sponsored Irma and Karlis, as well as 60 other Latvian families from the DP camp to Ripon, Wisconsin, which was documented in the book entitled “When a Woman Wills.”
Irma moved to the United States, became a citizen and lived in Ripon for 36 years working at Admanco in billing and invoicing. She also became active in the First Congregational Church of Ripon. In her spare time, Irma enjoyed movies, reading, music and she especially loved to travel.
Irma was very proud of her Latvian heritage and, after retiring to Wauwatosa, became active in the Latvian Church and the Latvian House of Milwaukee. She was an excellent cook and enjoyed creating traditional Latvian dishes and also had a fondness for a glass of Cognac on special occasions.
Survivors include her son Karlis (Patricia) and daughter Inese (Richard) Christman.
Funeral Services will be held Saturday, July 13 at 10 a.m. in the Little Chapel of the Flowers at Wisconsin Memorial Park, Brookfield, Wisconsin, the Most Rev. Archbishop Lauma Zusevic presiding. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 13, at the Chapel. Burial will be in Wisconsin Memorial Park after the service.
Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, Wausau, is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com.
Vivian Bushman
Vivian Bloedorn Bushman, 88, died Wednesday, July 10, 2019, at Aspirus Wausau Hospital.
She was born on March 21, 1931, in a sod house on the western prairie in Leoti, Kansas, daughter of the late William and Ava Olga (Brack) Bloedorn.
Vivian had a varied and interesting work life; her roles included factory work, secretarial work for a large international corporation, and waitressing at various restaurants and diners. In fact, she was serving food to patrons at Driver’s Choice Restaurant in Buffalo Center, Iowa, into her 80s.
She loved to garden, crochet, sew and cook. Neighbors and friends looked forward to her trays of cookies every Christmas.
Vivian had a strong faith in Jesus Christ as her Savior and in the teachings of the Lutheran Church.
Survivors include son, Allen (Mary Ellen) Marnholtz, Wausau, Wisconsin; daughter, Gail (Bryan) Bloch, Athens, Wisconsin; sister, Carol Braun, Littleton, Colorado; brother, Richard (Dawn) Bloedorn, Oakdale, Minnesota; grandson, William (Amanda) Marnholtz, Rochester, Minnesota; granddaughters, Heather (Ryan) Egan, Menasha, Wisconsin; Ashley (Jason) Baeseman, Edgar, Wisconsin; and Danielle Bloch, Merrill, Wisconsin; great-grandson, August Marnholtz, Rochester, Minnesota; great-granddaughter, Isla Marnholtz, Rochester, Minnesota.
Preceded in death by her parents, William and Olga Bloedorn, and husband, Robert Bushman.
Memorial services will be held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Buffalo Center, Iowa, with burial at Lydia Zion Cemetery in Leoti, Kansas.
Russell Zimmerman
Russell (Russ) Lewis Zimmerman, 71, passed away July 10, 2019, at Aspirus Palliative Care in Wausau, Wisconsin, with his loving family by his side.
He was born Jan. 20, 1948, in Medford, to Lewis Robert Zimmerman and Rosemarie (Rollins) Zimmerman. He attended and graduated from Westboro High School. He worked in the woods logging; was a semi driver for Mueller Brothers for a short time; bus driver for four years; worked for the town of Westboro as grader operator/maintenance for 19 years and retired from the town of Worchester, Phillips, after seven years. He also served on the Westboro Volunteer Fire Department for 28 years.
He married Marlene (Kaehne) Goodrich on Sept. 10, 1982, and she survives along with his sons, Ted Goodrich, Rib Lake, Randy (Becky) Goodrich, Tomahawk and Rodney (Ann) Goodrich, Stetsonville. He is also survived by eight grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, two brothers, Larry (Sandy) Zimmerman, Westboro, Sherman (Mary) Zimmerman, Brantwood, and one sister, Jane Zimmerman, Milwaukee. He was preceded in death by his parents and one son, Conrad Goodrich.
He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, co-worker and friend. He was a hard-working man who always had a smile on his face. He will be sadly missed by his family and all who knew him.
Mid-Wisconsin Cremation Society is assisting the family. A memorial will be held at a later date. For online condolences, please visit www.HonorOne.com.
James Osterbrink
James Frederick Osterbrink, 74, of Aviston, Illinois, passed away May 30, 2019, in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Jim was born to Frederick and Mary Osterbrink on Sept. 24, 1944, in Mineral Wells, Texas, and resided in American Samoa, as well as Illinois.
He was laid to rest in a veterans cemetery in Honolulu, Hawaii. He leaves behind his son Jody, daughter-in-law Rona, granddaughters Kelly Osterbrink and Tori Osterbrink, sisters Paula Osterbrink and Mary Ann Osterbrink, and many cousins living in Wisconsin.
