Florence L Lemke

Chilton WI

Florence Lorraine Lemke, age 89, of Chilton, died on Friday, May 26, 2023, after a reoccurrence of cancer,  at Willowpark Place Assisted Living in New Holstein.  She was born January 27, 1934 in the home of her parents, Albert J. & Hertha M. (Harder) Bergelin.  She attended Sherman Elementary School and graduated from Chilton High School, the class of 1951.  Following her graduation, she worked for a time at Marathon Corporation in Menasha.  

She married William A. “Bill” Lemke on May 23, 1953 at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in the Town of Chilton and the couple farmed side by side in the Town of Rantoul until retirement in 2012 when they moved to Chilton.  

Florence was a woman of strong conviction and work ethic which she passed along to all of her children.  She lovingly tended to her large garden and canned much of what she grew and spent many summer days filling her fruit cellar.  

As a master in the kitchen, Florence loved trying new recipes and was well known by her family for her homemade bread and the best caramel oatmeal bars.  She was an avid reader, spent time doing crossword and jigsaw puzzles and playing Scrabble with her family. 

In the spring and summer, Florence made sure to watch as many Milwaukee Brewer baseball games as she possibly could, and knew all the Brewers stats. She also enjoyed a good game of sheepshead with friends and family. Late in her working life and in her retirement, she enjoyed the social interaction with friends when she went bowling and attended book club. 

Florence was a devoted woman of Christian faith, starting and ending each day praying from her favorite devotional books. 

She was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Rantoul where she also sang in the choir and was an integral part of the Ladies Aid.  

She is survived and will be greatly missed by her children: Yvonne (Arlen) Wittrock, and their children,Nolan (Kori) Wittrock, Matthew Wittrock;  Jayne Lemke; Barbara (Joseph) Schaefer, and their children, Rob Schaefer, Andy Schaefer, Jamie (Andy) Michael; Marlys (Keith) Stroobants, and their children, Erica (Andy) Gutierrez, Alison (Laura) Stroobants, Bill (Nicole) Stroobants, Jared (Noelle) Stroobants; Mark (Kelly) Lemke, and their children, Bryce and Timothy Lemke, and Alexis Wolf; 16 great grandchildren: Naomi and Joshua Wittrock;  Alex, Ayden and Hayley Michael; Marin, Landon and Imogen Gutierrez; Stella and Margot Stroobants; Clyde, Gabrielle, Oliver and Aurelia Stroobants; Archer and Ivy Stroobants; her brother-in-law and lunch companion: Eugene Mertz; and her Godchildren:  Joyce Diedrich, Wayne Bowers, Dale Mertz and Lois McGrath. She is further survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.  

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of  63 years: Bill; her siblings: Irene (Harold) Duchow, Alice (Don) Bowers, Evelyn (Buddy) Schmidt and Dorothy Mertz, and her sisters in-law: Sophie (Vitus) Wiegert, Loney (Clifford) Behnke and Helen (Howard) Haese.  

Funeral service will be at 11:00 am on Tuesday, May 30, 2023 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Rantoul (N6080 West River Road Hilbert, Wisconsin) with Rev. Brett Simek officiating.  Burial will follow in the Parish Cemetery.  A time of visitation will begin at the church starting at 8:30 am until 10:45 am on Tuesday, May 30, 2023.  To see a livestream of the funeral service, watch a memorial video in honor of Florence, or to view flowers given to the family, please click HERE

Florence’s family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the staff of Willowpark Place Assisted Living, Ascension Calumet Hospital in Chilton, Calumet County Hospice, especially Melissa and Pastor Simek of Trinity Lutheran Church. 

A final note from Florence which was also in her own mother’s obituary:
“One less at home! The charmed circle broken. A dear face missed day by day from its accustomed place. But cleansed and saved, and purified by grace.  One more in Heaven!  For me to live is Christ, to die is gain!”