Obituary for Henrietta Lobner

Henrietta Lobner, age 89, of Auburndale, passed away January 11, 2021, at Stoney River Memory Care.

On Saturday, January 23, 2021, at 11:00 am, a Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Auburndale.  Rev. Murali Rayappan and Rev. David Bruener will concelebrate. The service will be streamed online at www.facebook.com/rembsfuneralhomes.

Prior to Mass, a visitation will be held from 9:00 – 10:30 am at the church in Auburndale.  Due to the pandemic, social distancing and masks will be required in church and during the visitation.  The capacity at the church is limited to 75 people and the service will be limited to immediate family only.  A celebration of Henrietta’s life will be held this summer at a date to be announced later.

Henrietta was born March 11, 1931, in Rosholt on the Richter family farm to Henry and Lillian (Kruzicki) Schroedel.  The Richter and Schroedel families lived and worked together on the farm during the early years of the depression.  After a few years, the family moved back to Racine where they lived until Henry and Lillian took over the Schroedel family farm outside of Sigel on Schroedel Road.  As a child, Henrietta attended Snyder School with her many siblings and cousins.  She graduated at the top of her 8^th grade class and later went on to obtain her GED.  After graduating 8^th grade, Henrietta went to work for the nuns at Mount Mary College in Milwaukee where she also attended classes for a short period.  She then returned to the Wisconsin Rapids area and worked as a housekeeper and companion and would go out for lunch together and to see a movie.  Henrietta then went to work for Mirro in Manitowoc living with her aunt and uncle, Isabelle and John Sigmund.  After returning to the Wisconsin Rapids area, Henrietta would go with her sisters, Delores, Rose Ann, and Dorothy, and her brother, Robert, to dances at the Sherryland Ballroom where she met her husband, Roman.  They were married on November 4, 1950, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in the town of Sigel.  The couple started their married life on the Lobner family farm outside of Sherry where they farmed and started their family.  They moved to their new home in Auburndale in 1974.  Through the years Henrietta was active in St. Mary’s PCCW and the Milldale Homemakers Club serving in many leadership roles over the years.  After retirement, Romy and Henrietta traveled to many places including Germany, Hawaii, Alaska, and throughout the continental US visiting their far-flung family members.  Family was Henrietta’s legacy and she especially enjoyed gathering with family and friends for a good meal and camaraderie.  She was an excellent cook and many remember her homemade bread, cookies, and world-famous pickles.  No one went home hungry and if you came to visit you were expected to stay for a meal.  She had one of the largest gardens in the neighborhood and was always proud to produce some of the first tomatoes of the season.  Henrietta became known as the Master Gardener at Stoney River and was frequently instructing others on baking techniques.  She won awards for her crocheting and knitted many hats, scarves, and mittens over the years.  She dearly loved her many children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren and especially loved to cuddle with the babies.  She missed seeing family over the past many months.  Although Mom suffered from dementia over the past few year she was still able to remember many songs and would frequently sing with her family and the other residents.  She will be deeply missed by family and friends.

Henrietta was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Romy, a son, Roman Jr., a son in infancy, and Roman’s ten siblings and their spouses; her sisters: Bernice (Franz) Stellmach, Rose Ann (Ernie) Kranski, Dorothy (Frank) Hladilek; her brother: Robert (Bernice) Schroedel; her brother-in-laws: Donald Linzmeier and Bob Leech and her sister-in-law: Mary Schroedel; great-granddaughter: Tenleigh Spindler.

Henrietta is survived by her children: Teresa Fuller, DeKalb, IL; Alan “Al” (Alita) Lobner, Milladore; Ralph (Kathy) Lobner, DeForest; Marilyn “Mary” (John) Spindler, Rozellville; Mark Lobner, Sierra Vista, AZ; Tim (Bonnie) Lobner, Colorado Springs, CO; Diane (Mark) Sorvald, Colorado Springs, CO; Lisa (Gary) Wolf, Plover; Joseph “Joe” (Lisa) Lobner, Arpin; Russell “Russ” (Shannon) Lobner, Plover; Eric (Christy) Lobner, Columbus.  Grandchildren: Dale Fuller, Amy (Steve) Smith, Andy Fuller; Brian (Anna) and Corey Lobner; Sheri Nagel, Sara (Serge Pontoise) Lobner, Kelly (Chad) Dorshorst, Kristin (Jesse) Richardson, and Ryan (Larry Monster) Lobner; Alicia (Scott) Strey and Adam (Ashley) Spindler; Monica (Riley) Erlich and Jillian (Derrick Miszczak) Lobner; Annie and Cole Sorvald; Rebecca “Becca” Wolf, Amelia (Tyler) Wendt, and Aaron Wolf;  Lauren and Luke Lobner.  Great-grandchildren: Dixon Fuller, Isaac Fuller-Smith, Tristyn and Kadence Smith, Kayla McNutt, Kassondra, Karrington, Kade, Kristiana, Kolter, Karter, Kent, Kreed, and Kya Lobner, Sydney and Greyson Lobner, Zara Lobner and Shaelyn Nagel, Sybille and Sidonie Pontoise, Logan and Emaly Dorshorst, Ethan, Liam, and Finley Richardson, Gwendolyn Strey, Treyson, Tatum, and Taylyn Spindler, and two great-great grandsons, Hudson and Mason.

Three sisters: Delores Linzmeier, Elaine (Jack) Simmonds, Yvonne Leech. Two brothers: Henry (Eleanor) Schroedel and John (Diane) Schroedel.

The family would like to thank the staff at Stoney River Memory Care, especially Kristine, Canyon, and Nicole, and Heartland Hospice for their wonderful care of Mom over the past three years.  Too often we judge a life by how it ends.  How we die has nothing to do with how we lived.  That’s not where the truth lies.  And remember, there’s always room for ice cream because it melts and slides in the cracks!  😊

Condolences may be sent online at www.rembsfh.com