Obituaries are a service of Brainard Funeral Home, with locations in Wausau and Weston.
Kandace Barich
Kandace Kay Barich, 46, of Weston lost her battle against cancer on Feb. 20, 2020, at Aspirus Wausau Hospital.
Kandace was born Sept. 21, 1973, in Milwaukee to James and Mary (Burlage) Blonski. She married Craig Barich on June 17, 2000, and together they had two daughters, Kaitlyn and Carlee. She was a registered nurse and loved her job at Aspirus, working in the NICU. Kandace had a lot of hobbies, but especially enjoyed gardening, arts and crafts, all animals, but particularly butterflies. Above all things, Kandace loved her family. She will be remembered for her loving and caring demeanor.
Kandace is survived by her husband Craig; daughters Kaitlyn and Carlee; mother Mary Blonski; brother Jay Blonski; brother-in-law Derrick Barich; sister-in-law Allison (Matthew) Rakowski; in-laws Gary and Ann Barich; two aunts; four uncles; many nieces, nephews and cousins; and cats Reggie and Lucy. She is preceded in death by her father James.
Visitation will be Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, from 4 p.m.-8 p.m. at Brainard Funeral Home- Everest Chapel, 5712 Memorial Court, Weston, and again form 10 a.m.-11 a.m. at St. Agnes Catholic Church, 6101 Zinser St. Mass will be at 11 a.m. Fr. Greg Bohren will officiate.
Kandace’s family wishes to thank friends Paula and Mae for their friendship, love and care over the years.
Brainard Funeral Home- Everest Chapel is assisting the family.
Maria Hauer
Maria Ann Hauer, 56, Wausau, died at her home on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020, following a courageous battle with cancer.
She was born Aug. 4, 1963, in Wausau to the late Anton and Barbara (Klimek) Schilling.
Maria was currently employed at Regal Beloit (former Marathon Electric) in Wausau, where she was a faithful employee for 30 years. She loved her job, never missed a day of work, until her illness kept her home. Her co-workers were her extended family and a great support system. Maria enjoyed helping others and was passionate about donating blood whenever she could. Among her favorite pastimes, she enjoyed watching the birds, going to craft shows, shopping around flea markets, spending time with her family and was an avid Green Bay Packers fan. Maria was a great aunt to Julie’s furry kids and always remembered their birthdays.
Survivors include her two sisters, Julie Callahan, Wausau, and Laura (Bill Bondinello) Deverell, Stevens Point; and nieces and nephews, Mollie (Steve) Deverell-Hamilton, and Alexis and Joshua Deverell.
Visitation will be on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020, from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, 1302 Sixth St., Wausau. Online condolences may be expressed at petersonkraemer.com.
Duane Ninnemann
Duane M. Ninnemann, 70, of Ringle passed away unexpectedly on Feb. 20, 2020.
Duane was born in Wausau on May 31, 1949, to the late Melvin and Caroline (Schuetz) Ninnemann. After high school, he joined the United States Coast Guard and served his country honorably. Following his time in the service, he attended NCTI and graduated from the accounting program. He worked at Wipfli Ullrich for 20 years. He met, fell in love, and married Victoria Busse on Sept. 12, 1981. He retired as comptroller and vice president of finance at Wausau Steel in 2013.
Known as a man of great humor and a laid-back personality, Duane enjoyed bowling, fishing, playing miniature golf and grilling out. Most important to Duane was his family. He enjoyed the Ninnemann family gatherings where they would go bowling, have picnics, cookout and play games. He was proud of his three sons, daughter and grandsons and enjoyed watching them in sports and activities and just sitting around talking about life with them. He was also enjoying the most recent additions to the family, Bella and Stella, the two most spoiled black Angus cows you will ever meet. Duane always told his children to “never take life too seriously.” Always find a reason to laugh and enjoy every moment. He and his family were looking forward to a long-overdue family vacation in northern Minnesota this summer. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.
Duane is survived by his wife, Victoria; children, Michael, Kirk, Mark and Lisa (DJ) Fett; grandchildren, Reis and Maverick, with grandbaby number three on the way; as well as his sister, Diane (Aaron) Krueger.
In addition to his parents, Duane was preceded in death by his brother, Deane.
A funeral service will take place at 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 28, 2020, at St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 512 McClellan St., Wausau. Pastor Jen Hoffman will officiate. Visitation will take place from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, at Helke Funeral Home, 302 Spruce St., Wausau, and again from 10 a.m. until the time of service at the church on Friday. Burial will take place at Pine Grove Cemetery. Family and friends may go to helke.com to sign the family guestbook.
The family would like to thank the First Responders, Helke Funeral Home, Pastor Jen, and St. Stephen Church for all your help.
Shannon Kasper
Shannon Lee Kasper, 47, of Weston passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020, at Aspirus Wausau Hospital.
She was born in Wausau on May 22, 1972, to Gary Kasper and Shirley Hahn. Most important to Shannon was her family, especially her children, Neveah and Gary, whom she loved very much. Shannon liked anything to do with the outdoors. Shannon was a fun and straight-talking person. She enjoyed spending time with her boyfriend John Hojan and his foster son Aidan Hardy. Shannon is survived by her children, Neveah and Gary Vanbeek; father, Gary Kasper; mother Shirley (Greg) Hahn; her siblings, Shyanne (Scott) Borchardt, Lisa (Kevin) Borth, Shane (Angie) Schlueter, and Shawn Schlueter; Shane and Shawn’s mother Jean Crooks as well as nieces and nephews: Sarah, Erin, Logan, Caleb, Jacob.
A celebration of Shannon’s life will take place at a later date. Family and friends may go to helke.com to leave an online condolence.
The family would like to thank the staff of MSICU at Aspirus Wausau Hospital for their compassion and care.
Richard Clark
Richard W. Clark passed away peacefully at Aspirus Palliative Care on Feb. 20, 2020, surrounded by family.
Parents: Walter Clark Dorothy (Feylor)
Born on March 29, 1938, in Fairfield, Michigan. Richard married the love of his life, Carol Tiede, on Oct. 30, 1960.
At 17 years old he joined the military where he went on to serve in the United States Marine Corps. From there he was employed at Martin Marietta in Adrian, Michigan. From there he bounced around until he was transferred to Wisconsin in 1976. He was employed at Purpose Extruded Aluminum until 1993 and then did custodial work for awhile and went back to Gordon Aluminum until 2010 when he finally retired to care for his wife until her passing in 2011. Together he and Carol cared for over 30 foster children.
Richard’s hobbies included hunting and fishing with his buddies, watching Nascar and football. He enjoyed watching the Packers. His greatest love of all was his family. He was dedicated to making sure everyone was well taken care of no matter what.
He is survived by sisters-in-law, Inge Clark (Texas) and Mary Clark (Michigan); daughters Brenda Henrichs and Donna (James) Bapp; sons Rich Clark Jr., Brian Marquardt (Nikki Schoone) all of Wisconsin; grandchildren Deb (Chad) Ferge, Tina Henrichs, Shelly (Patrick) Johnson, Samantha (Joey) Robinson, Dani (Caleb) Igl, Michaela Marquardt, Tom (Lisa) Bapp, Amy (Keebe) Alfheim, Brian (Christy) Bapp; great-Grandchildren Damion, Alexis, Miah, Teagan, Ailah, Lily, Autumn, Hunter, Scarlett, Sophia, Gabby, Ava, Maverick, Jacob (Allie), Julia, Devin, Ryan, Adriana and many other relatives and close friends.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, four sisters; one at birth, Gladys Clark, Betty Bills, Ginny Hicks; two brothers; Howard and Don Clark and son in-law; Pete Henrichs.
The family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to the caring staff at Aspirus Weston Clinic, Aspirus Intermediate Care Unit as well as Aspirus Palliative Care Unit.
Elvira “Vi” Kell
Elvira “Vi” Kell, 93, died on Feb. 19, 2020, at Copperleaf Memory Care Senior Living in Schofield, Wisconsin.
Vi was born on Aug. 11, 1926, in the city of Wausau, daughter to the late Elgart Brendemuehl and Adela (Rick) Brendemuehl. Vi was a graduate of Wausau High School. She married Harold C. Kell in Wausau on Aug. 26, 1944. Harold preceded her in death in December of 2006 after 62 years of marriage.
Vi worked as a church secretary, administrative assistant at Wausau Hospitals and was joint owner with her husband of Kell’s Laundromat in Wausau during the 1960s and early 1970s. She enjoyed reading, making crafts, playing cards and board games and fishing and snowmobiling at the family’s cabin/lake house outside Rhinelander from the late 1950s through the 1990s. Vi and Harold also enjoyed annual winter trips to Florida.
Surviving family members include one son, Charles (Barbara), Nekoosa, Wisconsin.; one granddaughter, Kristie Lyn Moeglien (Clint), Midland, Texas ; two grandsons, Phillip (Kristi) Kell, Waukesha, Wisconsin;and Aaron Kell (Kelly Fritsch), Whiting, Wisconsin, and five great grandchildren, Emma Jo Moeglein, SydneyKell, Ayden Kell, Brooklyn Kell, and Ainsley Kell. Vi had one brother, Roger Brendemuehl, Bear Creek, Wisconsin, who preceded her in death this past October.
A memorial service for Vi will be held at noon on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, at the John J Buettgen Funeral Home, 948 Grand Ave., Schofield, Wisconsin. Pastor Jeffrey Mahnke of St. Peters Lutheran Church will officiate. Visitation is scheduled from 10:30 a.m. until noon prior to the service. Burial will occur at a later date in the Mausoleum at Restlawn Memorial Park, Wausau.
The family would like to note a special thank you to Copperleaf Senior Living and Interim Hospice Services of Wausau for their care of mom and to Vi’s special niece, Sharon Oertel, who was a special routine visitor and caregiver to her Aunti Vi for many years but especially during the last couple years of her failing health and increased need for care.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials in Vi’s name be given to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Glenda Walker
The Rev. Glenda C. Walker, 86, died Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020, in her Wausau apartment. Glenda was the beloved minister of the First Universalist Unitarian Church of Wausau, Wisconsin, where she served from 1990 to 2000. Born Glenda Claire Walker in the small town of Branchville, New Jersey, on June 13, 1933, Glenda often spoke fondly of the close church community in which she was raised.
Following high school, limited financial resources meant college would have to wait while Glenda worked as a secretary and later joined the U.S. Air Force “to see the world.” While serving in the School of Aviation Medicine, she met Richard Morris, and they were married on June 26,1953, (after Glenda insisted that “obey” be removed from the wedding vows). Richard’s career as a geophysicist took them to homes in 10 states and Barcelona, Spain. They adopted their daughter Holly in 1963 and son Paul in 1966.
Glenda’s religious questioning guided her toward Unitarian Universalism, where she and Richard became members of several different UU congregations at their various homes across the country. While working part-time, and with encouragement from friends at the UU fellowship in Norman, Oklahoma, Glenda earned a B.A. degree in psychology, then went on as a full-time student to earn a Master of Social Work degree (both degrees from the University of Oklahoma). She worked as a social worker for several years. After her marriage of 31 years ended, Glenda attended a five-day UU summer retreat, where she found herself unexpectedly writing a sermon one evening. Within a week, another sermon had been written. From there, Glenda frequently described a process of following her intuitions, almost void of conscious thought, and soon she was on the road to Harvard Divinity School where she earned a Master of Divinity degree in June 1990. A new graduate at age 57, Glenda accepted the pulpit as the first woman minister of the First Universalist Unitarian Church of Wausau, where she served with distinction and grace for 10 years. In 2000, the congregation honored her as their Minister Emerita. Having grown to love the community, Glenda chose to stay in Wausau after retirement where she continued to do occasional “supply preaching” at Unitarian Universalist fellowships in Stevens Point and Woodruff, Wisconsin.
Glenda was one of the first three recipients of the YWCA’s Women of Vision Award (1993). She served on numerous community boards, including The Neighbors’ Place, Alliance for the Mentally Ill, LSS Runaway and Family Treatment, Wausau Ethics Board, Aspirus Wausau Hospital Institutional Review Committee, Marathon County Social Services Administrative Review Board, and North Central Health Care Community Coordination Committee.
Glenda is survived by her daughter Holly Jewell (Rudi Wehmschulte) of Palm Bay, Florida; niece Kathleen (Robert) Brown of Murray, Utah; and nephew Gregory (Gina) Limon of Randolph, New Jersey; as well as other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents Oliver and Jean Walker, and sisters Eileen Walker and June Woodcock.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, March 7, 2020, at 11 a.m., at the First Universalist Unitarian Church, 504 Grant St., Wausau, Wisconsin. Donations may be made in Glenda’s name to First Universalist Unitarian Church.
