Obituaries are a service of Brainard Funeral Home, with locations in Wausau and Weston.
Ronald Paul Robinson
Ronald Paul Robinson, 63, of Eland passed away peacefully at home after a two-year battle with pancreatic and stomach cancer on Saturday, January 11, 2020, with his family by his side. Ron was born October 29, 1956, the son of the late David and Rita (Anderson) Robinson.
On September 18, 1993 he was united in marriage to Lorraine Eckert. She survives. Ron is also survived by: his two sons Adam (Miranda) of Watertown (WI), Nicholas of Eland, his two brothers Michael (Maggie) of Kaukauna, Patrick (Ingrid) of Rothschild, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Ron was employed at Ho-Chunk Gaming Wittenberg as a Surveillance Supervisor. He enjoyed working with a close-knit team. They were like family to him, and he will be missed.
Ron enjoyed an active life, spending as much time as possible at the cottage on Manson Lake fishing, boating, and enjoying time with friends and family. He and Lori enjoyed time together working on their farm, taking trips to their property in Arkansas, and the occasional weekend getaway to a resort/casino. Ron was a devoted hunter, especially for white-tailed deer, insisting he still make it to the blind when his health made it so difficult. Ron was an avid dog lover his entire life, whether it be his golden retrievers, or a dog in a need of a home, they always found a loving home with Ron. He will be greatly missed by his three dogs Izzy, Charlie, and Sassy.
The family would like to thank Dr. Rezazadeh, his team, and Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice for all they did for Ron.
A celebration of Ron’s life will be held at Brainard Funeral Home – Everest Chapel, 5712 Memorial Court, Weston, on Thursday, January 16, 2020. A gathering of friends and family will start at 12 Noon and go until 3:00 P.M., at which time we will share some words and memories of Ron. Online condolences can be directed to the family at www.brainardfuneral.com.
Diane Myers
Diane Grace Myers died peacefully under hospice care at her home in Gilbert, AZ on Christmas Eve 2019 after a long battle with cancer. Diane was born on June 22, 1952 in Wausau, WI. She was the daughter of Lester and Arlyle Frickenstein of Rib Mountain, WI.
Diane graduated from Wausau East High School in 1970. She married Michael Myers on July 8, 1978 in Wausau where they lived until 2005. She worked in medical records both in Wausau area and Osborn Medical Center in Scottsdale, AZ until 2017 upon retiring. Diane also worked in the restaurant business prior and helped her husband start Michael’s Supper Club in Rib Mtn in 1978. She loved the outdoors and enjoyed golf, gardening, skiing, and fishing. For over 20 years Mike and Diane attended Green Bay Packer games together. After moving to Arizona in 2005 they would return often for fishing and vacationing in the Northwoods and Door County.
Survivors include her husband Michael, son David, sisters Audrey (Dale) Pruss, Shirley Kirstein, Cheryl MacLeod (Gary), Mary Frickenstein, and brother Gerald Frickenstein (Mary). Further survived by brother-in-law James Myers (Ann), and nieces and nephews John, Mike and Kristi Myers, Laura and Kelly Pruss, Christian MacLeod, Scott and Jesse Frickenstein, and dear Aunt Harriet (Bunny) Bossom.
Diane was preceded in death by her parents Lester and Arlyle & her inlaws Geraldine and Wayne Myers.
A service and celebration of life will be held this summer in Wausau at Brainard Funeral Home. An announcement will precede the service. Condolences may be directed to Brainard Funeral Home’s website www.brainardfuneral.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Diane’s name can be made to Friends of Rib Mountain at https://www.ribmountain.org/donate or The Friends of Rib Mountain endowment fund, 149801 State Park Rd, Wausau, WI.
The family would like to thank Arizona Oncology and Hospice of The Valley for the best care, comfort and support during her illness.
Kathleen “Katey” Donahue
Kathleen “Katey” Donahue, 92, of Weston, passed away peacefully at Rennes on January 9, 2020 surrounded by her loving family.
Katey was born in Wausau to the late Peter and Erna (Boening) Eckes on February 19, 1927. She graduated from Wausau High School and later worked at Metropolitan Life. She then went on to work at, and retire from, Wipfli and Ulrich Accounting. She married Dennis Donahue and after retiring, together they enjoyed winters in Panama City, FL and summers at Madeline Lake, Woodruff, WI.
Kathleen loved music and enjoyed singing and was a member of Sweet Adelines. She had a deep appreciation for the outdoors and the beauty of nature. She especially enjoyed fishing with Dennis on the lake or sitting around a fire with family and neighbors. Katey had a fantastic memory and loved being Up North and attending family gatherings- especially at the Elk’s Club, where she and Dennis were members. She will be deeply missed by those that knew her.
Katey is survived by her son, David Donahue (fiance Barb Sirianni) of Hazelhurst; grandchildren Drew Donahue (Ava Jensen) of Madison and Kimberly (Peter) Stelahue of Spokane, WA; step-daughters Karen (LeRoy) Schauer of MN and Sheila (Rick) Holtgrave of MN; step-grandchildren Emily Riggs, Sara Holtgrave and Craig Holtgrave all of MN; brother Jerry Eckes of Hazelhurst; sister-in-law Darlene Eckes; and many nieces and nephews that were involved in her care. Katey is preceded by her husband Dennis; son Craig Donahue; sisters Margaret (Al) Urbanski, Lucile (Daniel) Markstrum; brothers Roger (Bev) Eckes and Ronald Eckes; and sister-in-law Connie Eckes.
A celebration of Katey’s life will be Wednesday, January 15, 2020 at 11:30 am with a visitation from 10:00 am until the time of service at Brainard Funeral Home- Everest Chapel, 5712 Memorial Court, Weston. Burial at Restlawn Memorial Park will follow.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Mt. Calvary Summer Camp, 503 Schmidt Ave, Rothschild, WI 54474 or Campanile Performing Arts Center, 131 W Milwaukee St, Minocqua, WI 54548.
Katey’s family wishes to thank Rennes and Renaissance, Aspirus Hospice and Dr. Michael Umland and staff for their care and compassion.
“I love you with all my heart”
Marion Fehlhaber
Marion (Burns) Fehlhaber, 95, of Wausau, passed away on Thursday, January 9, 2020 at Rennes Health and Rehab Center, with her loving family at her side.
She was born May 13, 1924 in Elcho, WI. Daughter of Edwin and Anna (Luebbe) Ullenbrauck. She was a resident of Ringle for 43 years. On May 21, 1983 she married Clairmont Fehlhaber in Wausau.
Marion worked at Marathon Battery, Wisconsin Valley Library Service, and Wausau Area Volunteer Exchange until she retired in 1987. She was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary Burn Post 388.
Family, Friends, Dancing, Sewing, and Country Music were just a few of the things that made Marion happy. Her quiet kindness and loving heart will be fondly missed and remembered by all who knew and loved her.
Marion is survived by her three daughters, Karen Wysocki of Weston, WI, Judith (Arlyn) Maier of Ringle, WI, Gloria (Wayne) Staszak of Tripoli,WI; her son, Larry (Sandra) Burns of Kronenwetter; eight grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren and six great-great grandchildren; two step-daughters, Barbara Hoye of Waterford, WI and Sharon (Earl) Rapp of Fiskers, IN; two step-sons, Charles (Gail) Fehlhaber of St. Cloud, MN and Brian (Lael West) Fehlhaber of Fort Wayne, IN; step-son-in-law, Gary Kralapp of FL; 7 step-grandchildren; 2 step-great grandchildren; as well as one sister-in-law, Lois Smith of Wausau.
In addition to her parents, Marion was preceded in death by her husband Clairmont; son David Burns; Brother Merlyn and his wife Margrethe; brother Wayne; step-daughter, Carol Kralapp and her step son-in-law, Michael Hoye.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, January 16, 2020 at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 600 Stevens Drive, Wausau. Pastor Eric Hauan will officiate. Visitation will take place from 9:00 am until the time of services at the church. Family and friends may go to www.helke.com to leave an online condolence.
The family would like to thank the staff at Rennes Health and Rehab; as well as the staff from Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice for their care and support.
Lillian Krause
Lillian Jeanette Krause, 90, Wausau, died Monday, January 6, 2020 at Rennes Health and Rehab Center, Weston under the care of Ascension Hospice Services.
Lillian was born October 9, 1929 in Wausau to the late Carol “Shorty” and Zadith (Lane) Salvador. She attended Wausau High School and began working at the Marathon Rubber Plant early in life. Lillian married William W.E. Krause on January 10, 1953 at the First Presbyterian Church in Wausau. The couple were blessed with two children: Paul and Penny. Lillian stayed home to raise their children and William worked; as the children got older, she went back to school to brush up on her secretarial skills leading to work at the Monroe Calculator Company and Ethan Allen Carriage House. She also worked in the deli at County Market for many years where she made many great and lasting friends. After 51 loving years together, William died on December 12, 2004.
Lillian was a “sweet” woman, devoted wife and loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her baking skills were unparalleled with her apple pies, almond jam cookies and pecan fingers were the stuff of legends. She enjoyed attending activities that her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were involved in. For many years, she volunteered at Lincoln School listening to the children read until her eyesight prevented her from doing so. This led to her receiving the Friend of Education award from the Wausau School District in 2014 in recognition for her years volunteering at Lincoln School. Lillian also enjoyed embroidery, sewing, knitting and doing word search puzzles. One of her favorite things to do was to give a gift of embroidered dish towels to all the soon to be brides in her family.
Lillian is survived by her loving children, Paul (Lisa) Krause of Wausau and Penny (Robert) Dudley of Ringle; grandchildren, Adam (Jennifer) Krause of Ringle, Megan (Josh) Spatz of Schofield, Alex (girlfriend, Willow) Krause of Wausau and Courtney (boyfriend, Cory) Dudley of Kronenwetter; great-grandchildren, Aiden, Bailey, Aaliyah and Connor; sister, Maribeth Schulz of Clancy, Montana; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, great-great-nieces, great-great-nephews and cousins. She is preceded in death by her great-grandchildren, Hailey and Lucas Spatz; sisters, Dona (Larry) Butenhoff, Bettie Dustin, Virginia (Eddie) Crotteau, Jane (Fred) Raymond and Terrie Kordus as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins.
The memorial service for Lillian will be at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, January 15, 2020 at Restlawn Memorial Park Chapel, Wausau. Pastor Julie Goranson will officiate. Visitation will be from 9:30 AM until the time of service on Wednesday at Restlawn Memorial Park Chapel. Helke Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements; you may sign our family guestbook at helke.com.
Lillian’s family wishes to thank the staff of Marshfield Clinic, Saint Clare’s Hospital, Rennes Health and Rehab Center and Ascension Hospice for the great care provided to our mom.
May God always bless you as you have blessed us.
Michael Elliot Sanford, 78, of Wausau, passed away on Wednesday, January 8, 2020.
Born September 5, 1941 in Washington DC to Robert and Thelma Sanford. At the age of seven his family moved to Wausau. Mike graduated from Wausau High in 1959 and then went on to UW Madison, where he graduated with a degree in Chemistry. Michael worked for Sinclair Oil Co. in Harvey, Illinois for 3 years before moving back to Wausau where he worked for 40 years in the research lab for Marathon Corporation, which eventually became known as Lignotech.
Michael loved reading and made his weekly trips to the Wausau Library. He continued reading Scientific American magazines and abstracting the articles within their pages. He loved hiking, biking, skiing, traveling, word games, and visiting family. Michael was a person who possessed common sense, inner peace and a calm attitude. Most importantly, Mike had a firm faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Michael is survived by his loving wife, Toni of 45 years; one daughter, Jackie (Jim) Henning of Grafton; five sons, Greg Sanford of Hartford, Jon (Carrie) Sanford of Jackson, Tony (Lizz) Pittsley of Orlando, FL, Matthew Sanford of Missoula, MT, Daniel (Celeste) Sanford-Laform of South Paris, ME; 12 grandchildren, Nicole (Zach) Karceski, Megan Henning, Daniel Henning, Molly Sanford, Laura Sanford, Caleb Pittsley, Caitlin Pittsley, Elliot Sanford, Anina Sanford, Gillian Sanford, Swift Sanford-Laform, and Thistle Sanford-Laform; one great-grandchild, Kylie Karceski; one brother, Robert (Lynn) Sanford of Arizona; as well as his sisters, Karen (David) Beenken of Minnesota, Kristi (Ken) Goetsch of Montana, Mary (Adrian) Sanford-Bourque of Wausau and Beth Gabriel of Minnesota.
He was preceded in death by his parents and one grandson.
A memorial service will take place at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, January 14, 2020 at Helke Funeral Home, 302 Spruce Street, Wausau. Rev. Steve Grunwald will officiate. Visitation will take place from 11:00 am until the time of services at the funeral home. Family and friends may go to www.helke.com to leave an online condolence.
In her 97 years on this Earth, June Evelyn (nee Hanson) Blomberg was many things…curious, empathetic, quick to joy, and well-loved as the influential matriarch of her family. She died peacefully on January 8, 2020 at Copperleaf Memory Care.
Born September 8, 1922 to Martha and Ivan Hanson, June met her one-and-only, Adolph (Audie) Gustav Blomberg, at a Swedish Lodge dance. Audie pursued June; June led Audie on a merry chase; and love won. They married in 1944 when Audie got a brief leave from the Army, and stayed madly devoted up to and beyond Audie’s death in 1991.
There were many paths June explored – she worked in a Dentist’s office; she headed the Christian Education Department at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Mt. Prospect, Il; she gardened and bird watched; she volunteered; and she was active in the lives of her grand and great-grandchildren. Among all her jobs, she always claimed her best and most important avocation was that of Mother.
Her life philosophies were many and freely shared. Obstacles are just challenges. If you don’t know – look it up. If it hurts, move on. Both humble and proud, June knew her worth in the universe and she knew yours, too.
June was beloved by all that knew her. She had a way of looking at you, taking you by the hand and making real eye contact, listening, and you knew you were the most fascinating person she’d ever met. And in that moment, you were. She loved people. She loved trying to discern what made them tick.
Her Swedish heritage was a fundamental part of June. She studied and created beautiful Rosemåling. She made rosette cookies, Swedish meatballs, cardamom coffeecake, and the finest Swedish pancakes and rice pudding ever eaten. She taught us all, family and visitors, to sing the Swedish birthday song – certainly we’ve gotten the lyrics wrong, but the spirit of our heritage lives on.
June is survived by one daughter Chris (Frank) Clarke-Epstein and one son Ken (Lynda) Blomberg, her 4 grandchildren: Paul (Deb) Clarke, Miriam (Steve) Tessmer, Erik (Sabrina) Blomberg, and Karl (Meghan) Blomberg. It was her great-grandchildren in a gloriously blended family, who in her later years became her favorites: Quinn and Josie Clarke; Elroy Phillips; Jake and Eli Grant; Carson Blomberg, and Peyton, Wyatt, and Rykar Blomberg.
Despite a love of flower gardens, cut flowers were not June’s favorite. And so, in lieu of flowers, the family suggests a walk in the spring to listen to the returning birds and/or a donation in her name to the Woodson Art Museum (700 N. 12th Street, Wausau, WI 54403), a place June loved, filled with beauty, kindred volunteers and caring staff. A private family service is planned.
