Gary Dean Jeglum, age 72 of Blanchardville, died on Wednesday, September 08, 2010 at the Monroe Clinic Hospital in Monroe after a brief and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born on August 6, 1938 to Curtis and Helen (Ayen) Jeglum in Monroe. He grew up on the family farm in rural Blanchardville. His father died when he was 1 year old in a car accident. After that he and his mother lived with her parents, Oscar and Ella Ayen, who became a second set of parents to him. He attended Blanchardville area rural school and then graduated from the Blanchardville High School in 1956. He began working for United Telephone Company in Monroe right out of high school, eventually becoming a lineman and repairman, where he worked for 25 years. Gary was married to Sandra Kolb on July 1, 1972 in the Trinity Lutheran Church in Blanchardville. He later worked for the Trumpy Cheese Company in Blanchardville, Edelweiss Golf Course in New Glarus as a groundskeeper, and in recent years worked at the Yellowstone Golf Course in rural Argyle. Gary lived in Blanchardville all of his life. He loved golfing, and organized the Greater Blanchardville Open golf outing at the Edelweiss Country Club for many years. He was a charter member of the Edelweiss Country Club. He loved reading and watching all sports, especially the Milwaukee Brewers and Green Bay Packers. He was a past member of the Blanchardville Fire Department, including being the first ambulance captain in 1972, and was the Blanchardville Village President for 15 years.
Gary is survived by his wife, Sandy Jeglum of Blanchardville; his three children, Brenda Knapp of Mount Carroll, Illinois, Linda (Dan) DeBaere of Loves Park, Illinois, and Debra (Tim) Homola of South Barrington, Illinois; five grandchildren, Shaun Knapp, Kristin Knapp, Ryan Hanson, Julia Homola and Lana Homola; six great-grandchildren; brothers and sisters-in-law, Sonja and Paul Kittleson of Mount Horeb, Gloria Lund of Madison, Glenda Rinehart of Madison, Barb and Dave Cassidy of Brodhead, and Fred and Mary Kolb of Blanchardville; his mother-in-law, Ruth Kolb of Blanchardville; a special aunt, Leona Adler of Argyle; and many other aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews, cousins, and their families. He was preceded in death by his father, Curtis Jeglum who died in 1939; his mother, Helen White who died in 2006; his step-father, Harvey White who died in 2008; his father-in-law, Fred Kolb, and his maternal grandparents, Oscar and Ella Ayen.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 11, 2010 at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Blanchardville. Rev. Mark Gruner of the Pecatonica Lutheran Parish will officiate. Burial will be in the Graceland Cemetery in Blanchardville. Friends may call from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday evening, September 10, 2010 at the Saether Funeral Home in Blanchardville. (608) 523-4247. Online memories and condolences can be shared with the family at www.saetherfuneralhome.com.
Gary is survived by his wife, Sandy Jeglum of Blanchardville; his three children, Brenda Knapp of Mount Carroll, Illinois, Linda (Dan) DeBaere of Loves Park, Illinois, and Debra (Tim) Homola of South Barrington, Illinois; five grandchildren, Shaun Knapp, Kristin Knapp, Ryan Hanson, Julia Homola and Lana Homola; six great-grandchildren; brothers and sisters-in-law, Sonja and Paul Kittleson of Mount Horeb, Gloria Lund of Madison, Glenda Rinehart of Madison, Barb and Dave Cassidy of Brodhead, and Fred and Mary Kolb of Blanchardville; his mother-in-law, Ruth Kolb of Blanchardville; a special aunt, Leona Adler of Argyle; and many other aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews, cousins, and their families. He was preceded in death by his father, Curtis Jeglum who died in 1939; his mother, Helen White who died in 2006; his step-father, Harvey White who died in 2008; his father-in-law, Fred Kolb, and his maternal grandparents, Oscar and Ella Ayen.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 11, 2010 at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Blanchardville. Rev. Mark Gruner of the Pecatonica Lutheran Parish will officiate. Burial will be in the Graceland Cemetery in Blanchardville. Friends may call from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday evening, September 10, 2010 at the Saether Funeral Home in Blanchardville. (608) 523-4247. Online memories and condolences can be shared with the family at www.saetherfuneralhome.com.