Gail J. Gumness
Gail Jane (DuBrucq) Gumness – photographer, reader, decorator, political activist, crafter extraordinaire, and family matriarch – passed away on June 30, 2023. Born in Menominee, MI in 1938 and raised in Antigo, WI, Gail met the love of her life after dropping her books on the staircase of UW-Marathon County and married Richard Gumness in 1957. Gail became a Navy wife for ten years and created a home wherever Dick was stationed, inviting young sailors that he mentored to join in their growing family. Seventeen years and eighteen moves took them from Wisconsin to London, Illinois to Kansas to South Dakota, and finally back home to Wisconsin. Gail worked as a waitress, mediator, counselor, and photography instructor.
She is remembered for her zest for life, artistic flair, and love of RV travels with Dick. By her family, especially, she is remembered as a cleaner of a pristine home, the setter of beautiful holiday tables, a keen photographer of their many adventures, and the many carousels of slides that followed. Gail was a painter of gourds and a collector of her beautiful treasures. Many genres of music filled the air in her home. She was the director of activities, the editor of homework, and baker of Christmas cookies, The Kool-Aid Mom. During football season, you could always count on the shrieking of “Yippee” at a Packers’ touchdown.
The best of her golden years were spent on Two Sisters Lake where you could find her swimming laps around the raft or kayaking around the lake followed by a pontoon ride captained by her beloved husband.
Following a long battle with dementia, Gail came to rest with her children and grandchildren near her and the sound of wood flutes playing at her bedside. Her legacy is love, strength, and joy in the beauty that she gave to all who knew her.
She was preceded in death by her dear husband, her “Bear,” Richard Gumness of Woodruff and Wausau, her parents Robert and Jane (Masse) DuBrucq of Antigo, her sister Patricia (DuBrucq) Grall and brother-in-law Joseph Grall of Wausau, and nephew Robert Hull.
She was known to her children – Karen Gumness-Gabert (Tom), Brian L. Gumness (Sandy), Kristen Breitzman (Bob), and Gregg Gumness (Stephanie) – as Mom. To her 16 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren as Gram or Grandma Gail.
Gail is also survived by her sisters Mary Lynn (Bill) Hull of Wausau and Nancy (Wayne) Tews of Antigo.
A celebration of life will be held at The Friends Gathering Space at the top of Rib Mountain State Park in Wausau, WI on July 30 from 11:00-3:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org.
DuWayne W. Schulz
DuWayne W. Schulz, 92, Wausau, passed away on Saturday, July 15, 2023 at Cedar Creek Manor, Kronenwetter, under the care of Interim Hospice.
He was born September 25, 1930 in Wausau, son of the late William and Della (Radke) Schulz. On October 21, 1950, he married Joanne Seymour at St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Wausau. She survives.
DuWayne worked for Wausau Paper’s, retiring as supervisor after 32 years of employment. He also worked as a Pioneer Seed Sales Representative throughout the area for many years. Among his favorite pastimes, he enjoyed spending time up north at their lake home and spending winters in Ft. Myers, Florida.
Survivors include, his wife, Joanne; five children, Cliff (Carol), Clyde, Craig (Lynn), Curt (Diane) and Charlene Schulz-Campbell; eleven grandchildren, Lee (Kelly), Megan, Josh, Christine, Joey, Matt (Brittanie) Ashley and Seth (Abigail), Chelsea, Ian & Della; nine great-grandchildren, Isla, Myron, Aiden, Amber, Ryan, Robby, Emma, Oakley and Finnley; three siblings, Verdona Laffin, Shirley (Buddy) Kieckhaefer and Sandy (Robert) Schlag; and many nieces and nephews.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by one sister, Betty Tesch; and his son-in-law, Malcolm Campbell.
Funeral services will be at 12:00 p.m. (Noon) on Wednesday, July 26, 2023 at Calvary Lutheran Church, N365 Cain Creek Rd., Merrill, WI 54452. Rev. Jennifer Hoffman will officiate. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. until time of services at the church. Private burial will be at Restlawn Memorial Park, Wausau at a later date.
Silvaline M. Pickruhn
Silvaline Pickruhn, age 106, died Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at Athenian Assisted Living, Athens, WI.
Silvaline was born April 7, 1917, in the Town of Rib Falls to the late Bernard and Emma (Huehnerfuss) Brandt. Silvaline married Harley Pickruhn June 3, 1939, at Emanuel Lutheran Church, Rib Falls. Together they had two sons Jerome and Cyrus.
Silvaline and Harley farmed in the Town of Hamburg until 1966 when they moved to Wausau. There she set up her weaving loom making beautiful rag rugs for family and friends with Harley sewing and her working the loom. In their earlier years they traveled to various states along with a special trip to Germany. Summers were always spent at their cottage ‘Up North’.
Silvaline is survived by her sister Pearl Sekorski, Wausau; daughter-in-laws Carol Pickruhn, Marathon and Lorraine Pickruhn-France, Boise, ID; grandchildren David Pickruhn (Marathon), Barb (Korey) Kaldunski, Athens, Dale (Terese) Pickruhn, Wausau, Jody (Tina) Pickruhn, Ishpeming, MI, Stacy (Arthur Eslinger) Pickruhn, Boise Idaho, great-grandchildren Tarrah (Anthony) Bennish, Briah (Christopher) Perry, Megan (Taylor) Chappel, Logan Pickruhn, Quinn & Zeke Eslinger, Miles & Foster Pickruhn and great-great grandchildren, Grant, Alayna, Jace & Sylvia with two more on the way; and many extended family and friends. Silvaline was preceded in death by her husband, Harley; her two sons, Jerome and Cyrus; her brothers and their wives, Lewellyn (Mabel) Brandt, Lawrence (Anita) Brandt, Levi (Ethel) Brandt, Marvin Brandt, Milton (Arlene) Brandt, Ervin (Helen) Brandt, Lilas (Eileen) Brandt and Walter (Marion) Brandt; her sister Clarice (Harold) Kopplin; her brother-in-law John Sekorski.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, July 21, 2023, at St. Peter Lutheran Church, 135237 CTH Road A, Marathon. Pastor Will Ostrem will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call at 9:00 a.m. until the time of service at the church. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com.
The family would like to extend a heartfelt word of thanks to her special friend Ellen for her daily visits, Lori & Lisa and all the staff and residents at Athenian Assisted Living for their care and friendship to Silvaline during her time there.
Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your soul. 1 Peter 1: 8-9.
Sharon R. Goetsch
Late in the evening on July 15, 2023, after an extended illness, our dear Mother, Sharon Rae Goetsch, 90, of Wausau, Wisconsin, peacefully passed away at Aspirus Hospice House with her family at her side.
Sharon was born to the late Charles Frederick and Lorena Martha Anna (Hintz) Andler at Wausau Hospital, on October 8, 1932. She grew up with her older sister, Janet Olson (Andler, deceased) and cousin, Dawn Schave (Voltzke, deceased), whom she viewed as her sister, in the City of Wausau and Tagesville, the unincorporated community located in the towns of Berlin and Maine of Marathon County. As sisters, they enjoyed a full and enriching childhood playing together and working alongside their parents in Andler’s Bar in Wausau, and then later in Tagesville as well as with their Grandparents, William and Martha Hintz, when they owned Hintz’s Dance Hall, Convenience Store and Gas Station (now known as Schmidt’s Ballroom), in the Town of Berlin.
While attending Wausau High School during her freshman year in 1947, Sharon met her husband of 38 years, Warren Alex Goetsch (deceased). They married on June 27th, 1952 at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, with a grand celebration at the Marathon Park Youth Building. She would go on to call the Wausau area her home throughout her entire life journey.
Sharon was a proud and active homemaker and mother who, together with her husband, raised five children: Holly R. Jorgensen (John), of Schofield, WI; Perry C. Goetsch (Cheryl), of Mosinee, WI; Allen W. Goetsch (Derek Williams) of San Francisco, CA; Steven F. Goetsch (Cindy Weise) of Schofield, WI; Stuart R. Goetsch (Kelly), of Little Chute, WI.
After graduating from Wausau High School in 1951, Sharon worked at the dental office of Dr. Werner, DDS and the corporate offices of Marathon Electric. She would later enjoy working alongside her husband in his State Farm Insurance agency until his passing in 1990. She would continue on this trek by performing bookkeeping duties in her daughter’s State Farm Insurance agency until Sharon’s illness in late May 2022.
In addition to running the household and working, Sharon enjoyed doing specialty holiday crafts, baking cookies, knitting, crocheting, and embroidering flour sack dishtowels. She lovingly shared many of her completed achievements with her family and friends for their lifelong enjoyment. She was a great cook, with a talent for preparing and serving a lot of wild game which her husband and children would provide. While raising the family kept Sharon busy, she and her husband would enjoy travel to places such as Mt. Rushmore; Las Vegas, NV; Minneapolis, MN; and frequent weekend trips to their cabin in Land O’ Lakes, WI.
After her husband’s passing, she continued to travel with her family and go on many adventure bus trips with close friends. She fondly recalled, her favorite annual bus trip was traveling to St. Pete’s Beach, Florida, in wintertime with her dear friends, Florian “Fritz” and Jill (deceased) Blaskowski, and Gordana “Gert” Mitrovich.
Sharon was determined to be independent and loved to drive and do her own grocery shopping until the time of her illness. As a Mother, family always remained very important to her. She loved hosting her annual Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve celebrations at her home, with all of her immediate family, extended family and friends.
Over the years, she would enjoy many long holiday weekends with her grandchildren at the cabin. In her later years, she was especially excited to have five great-grandchildren, and truly enjoyed the time she was able to spend with them. She will be dearly missed by all who were fortunate to know her over the years.
Family Who Went Before
Sharon was predeceased by her father, Charles on July 6, 1967; mother, Lorena on September 7, 1988; her husband Warren on August, 4, 1990; grandson, Forrest T. Goetsch, on September, 21, 2009; her daughter-in-law, Paula L. (Gilray) Goetsch, on January 1, 2018; and her sister, Janet Olson (Walden “Ole”), who just recently passed away on April 18, 2023.
Family She Left Behind
Sharon is survived by her five children mentioned above. She is also survived by her five grandchildren. They include Branden W. Goetsch (Emily), Logan C. Goetsch (Aryn), Kasey A. Vande Voort (Tyler), Bradley T. Goetsch, and Kiana O. Koch (Andrew); and five great-grandchildren, Piper J. Goetsch, Aubrey J. Vande Voort, Griffen F. Goetsch, Henry W. Goetsch and Maxwell J. Vande Voort. Her sister-in-law, Virgine White (Robert), and her second cousin, Roxanne R. Bruskin (Charles), along with many nieces and nephews.
A private celebration of life will be held by Sharon’s immediate family and she will be laid to rest at the Town of Berlin Cemetery on Thursday, July 27, next to her husband and other family members that went before her. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations please be made to Aspirus Hospice House or St. Mark’s Lutheran Church (Wausau, WI), or to a charity of your choosing in memory of Sharon.
Finally, the family would like to offer a special thank you to all of the amazing staff of Aspirus Hospice House in Wausau, and to all of her other wonderful physicians and nurses at Aspirus Wausau Hospital, for the loving care they provided our dear Mom and our family in her final days.
