Obit: Wolfe, Joan Frances (1929 - 2015)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Wolfe, Habeck, Kurth, Klug, Lindow, Hansen, Roberts, Roble, Schneider, Strehlow, Gilbertson, Urban, Warmuth

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 6/17/2015

Wolfe, Joan Frances (30 January 1929 - 15 June 2015)

Joan F. Wolfe, 86, of Neillsville died Monday June 15, 2015, at her home surrounded by her family under the wonderful care of Ministry Home Care Hospice. A special heartfelt thank you is extended to Kaeli Urban for the wonderful care Joan received.

Joan Frances Kurth was born Jan. 30, 1929, in the Town of Reid in Marathon County, the daughter of August and Josephine (Habeck) Kurth. After she completed eighth grade she stayed home to help with her 10 siblings. One of Joan’s many chores was to make 32 loaves of bread every Wednesday and Saturday.

On June 14, 1947, she was united in marriage to Raymond Wolfe at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Wausau. They purchased the Wolfe family farm in the Town of Easton and farmed there for many years while raising five children. Joan was involved in every aspect of running the farm and also served on the State Farm Bureau Board, District 4. Later, they moved to Mercer, where Joan maintained her bookkeeping and manager responsibilities for her husband’s many businesses. She also began cooking for the Iron County Senior Center and continued to cook for them for 13 years. In 2005, they moved to Weston Township, Neillsville, to be close to family. Joan loved her family and was a devoted wife and mother. She was a hard worker and loved to read and learn and made sure her children knew how important a good education was. She was an artist with a needle, making many beautiful embroidery projects and quilts. Joan was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Christie.

She is survived by her husband, Raymond; her children, Mary Lou (Bruce) Klug of Merrill, Donna (Michael) Lindow of Chili, Nancy (Gary) Hansen of Granton, David Wolfe of Boulder Junction and Lindy (Sherman) Roberts of Rhinelander; 20 grandchildren; and 34 great-grandchildren. Joan is also survived by her siblings: Edna Roble, Bill Kurth, Orville (Donna) Kurth, Orman Kurth, August (Pat) Kurth, Jr., Don Kurth, David Kurth, Shirley Schneider and Bonnie Strehlow; and many nieces and nephews.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents; sisters: Ruth, Adeline, Erna, Alice and Esther; and a brother, Henry.

Funeral services for Joan will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 20, at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Christie (N6414 STH 73, Neillsville). Pastor John Warmuth will officiate. Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, June 19, 2015, at the Gesche Funeral Home in Neillsville and from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday morning at the church. Interment will be in the Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery in the Town of Easton, E7195 Star Road, Aniwa, WI, at approximately 3 p.m. Saturday, June 20, 2015.Honorary casket bearers are: Thomas Gilbertson, John Klug, Thomas Klug, Logan Wolfe and Ian Wolfe.

Casket bearers will be: Ryan Hansen, Chad Hansen, Tyler Wolfe, Michael Wolfe, Kevin Lindow and Michael Klug.

Online condolences may be made at www.geschefh.com.  The Gesche Funeral Home is assisting Joan’s family with funeral arrangements.