JoAnne Kathleen (Jeremiason) Rufener, age 83, of rural Monticello, WI, passed away on Saturday, July 01, 2017 at the New Glarus Nursing Home after a recurring battle with cancer. She was surrounded by her husband and family that loves her so very much and will miss her terribly. JoAnne was an amazingly talented, kind, loving wife and mother. She was one of a kind; she was a high stepping, high spirited lady.
JoAnne was born June 22, 1934, in Monroe, WI, the daughter of James and Myrtle (Thompson) Jeremiason. She graduated eighth grade from Stephenson County School District, and was a graduate of Monroe High School.
On September 17, 1954, she married Emil "Mike" Rufener at St. Victor Catholic Church in Monroe. They were blessed with a loving marriage for almost 63 years.
Before she was married she worked at Swiss Colony, Oaktron, the Snack Bar, Sager's Grocery Store and took care of her sick mother. She later worked alongside her husband, Mike, at Search Cheese Factory in rural Blanchardville, where they made Swiss cheese; she was also a medical assistant at the Monroe Clinic for four doctors before becoming a partner with Mike at Rufener's Valley View Acres in rural Monticello. Since January of 1960, they pursued a farming career; JoAnne played a major role in the success of their farm. They became affiliated with the International Red & White Holstein Cattle Association and bred an entire her of Registered Red & White Holsteins. They also bred and raised two Registered Palominos. She was also involved in her daughters' activities and served as a 4-H leader in several projects: house plants, photography, home furnishings, foods and nutrition, horses, and leadership. In 1980, she and Mike graduated from the Wisconsin School of Real Estate with an Associate's Degree in Real Estate, and sold real estate for Strout Realty. She also shared Mike's love of country and was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Post 256 for nearly 50 years, serving as Chaplain for many years.
JoAnne also enjoyed being a homemaker and was "Martha Stewart before her time" with sewing, cooking, baking, canning, gardening, wallpapering, and upholstering furniture. She had a green thumb and wintered numerous plants, bringing them back to bloom year after year. She also enjoyed painting with acrylics and brought fond childhood memories to life on the canvas. She delighted in entertaining and was the hostess for many gatherings at their farm and lake property. She also opened her home to many family and friends for extended periods of time as they got their lives back on track.
JoAnne and Mike also shared a love of traveling. Some of their travels included a trip throughout Europe with their daughters in the summer of 1972, trips to Hawaii for their 25th and 30th Wedding Anniversaries, and many vacations throughout the fifty states, including Alaska. For their 50th Wedding Anniversary, they enjoyed the sites of Italy. JoAnne's Catholic Faith was very important to her, so their trip to Italy was especially meaningful as they received a blessing from then Pope, now Saint John Paul II. She also enjoyed immensely their annual trips to their Sarasota, Florida, timeshare and numerous weekends at their property on Lake Wisconsin.
In her later years, she embraced the role of Matriarch of her extended family and became the keeper of the family genealogy, even traveling to Ireland to meet newly found relatives. She spent a great deal of time restoring and identifying family photos which she lovingly shared to interested family members.
Coming from very humble beginnings, JoAnne was a wonderful example to her daughters, grandchildren, and all those who loved her, of what hard work, persistence, and faith could produce. She always displayed great courage and fearlessness in whatever came her way.
JoAnne is survived by her husband, sweetheart & love of her life, Mike; three daughters, Barbara (Larry) Solvey, Nancy Rufener, and grandchildren Patrick and Shannon, and Jayne (Chris) Rauch and grandchildren Grace and Theo; two brothers, James (Sharon) Jeremiason and Jerald; two brothers-in-law, Arnold and Walt (Sandy) Rufener; five sisters-in-law, Kathryn Rufener, Gertrude Voegeli, Erna Maske, Ardellis Rufener and Carol Rufener; Godson, Jeff (Sue) Thompson; and many other relatives and dear friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Myrtle Jeremiason; her in-laws, Jacob and Elise Rufener; her brothers-in-law, Armin, Erwin, Jacob, and Ernest Rufener, Lee Maske, Ray Voegeli, and Franz Camenzind; her sisters-in-law, Marie and Gloria Rufener and Alice Camenzind; and special cousins Clifford Johnson, Dawn Walstead, and Margaret Cheek.
JoAnne's family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff of the New Glarus Nursing Home and Monroe Clinic Hospice for their exceptional care, kindness, and support.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00am on Friday, July 7, 2017 at the St. Clare of Assisi Parish at St. Victor's Catholic Church with Celebrant Monsignor Larry Bakke. Visitation will be held on Thursday at the SHRINER HAGER GOHLKE Funeral Home from 4:00-6:00pm, followed by a Celebration of Life service. Continued visitation will be held on Friday, at the church, from 10:00am until the time of mass. Private burial will take place at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Freeport. In lieu of flowers, the family is establishing a JoAnne Rufener Nursing Scholarship for a student of Monticello High School.
JoAnne was born June 22, 1934, in Monroe, WI, the daughter of James and Myrtle (Thompson) Jeremiason. She graduated eighth grade from Stephenson County School District, and was a graduate of Monroe High School.
On September 17, 1954, she married Emil "Mike" Rufener at St. Victor Catholic Church in Monroe. They were blessed with a loving marriage for almost 63 years.
Before she was married she worked at Swiss Colony, Oaktron, the Snack Bar, Sager's Grocery Store and took care of her sick mother. She later worked alongside her husband, Mike, at Search Cheese Factory in rural Blanchardville, where they made Swiss cheese; she was also a medical assistant at the Monroe Clinic for four doctors before becoming a partner with Mike at Rufener's Valley View Acres in rural Monticello. Since January of 1960, they pursued a farming career; JoAnne played a major role in the success of their farm. They became affiliated with the International Red & White Holstein Cattle Association and bred an entire her of Registered Red & White Holsteins. They also bred and raised two Registered Palominos. She was also involved in her daughters' activities and served as a 4-H leader in several projects: house plants, photography, home furnishings, foods and nutrition, horses, and leadership. In 1980, she and Mike graduated from the Wisconsin School of Real Estate with an Associate's Degree in Real Estate, and sold real estate for Strout Realty. She also shared Mike's love of country and was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Post 256 for nearly 50 years, serving as Chaplain for many years.
JoAnne also enjoyed being a homemaker and was "Martha Stewart before her time" with sewing, cooking, baking, canning, gardening, wallpapering, and upholstering furniture. She had a green thumb and wintered numerous plants, bringing them back to bloom year after year. She also enjoyed painting with acrylics and brought fond childhood memories to life on the canvas. She delighted in entertaining and was the hostess for many gatherings at their farm and lake property. She also opened her home to many family and friends for extended periods of time as they got their lives back on track.
JoAnne and Mike also shared a love of traveling. Some of their travels included a trip throughout Europe with their daughters in the summer of 1972, trips to Hawaii for their 25th and 30th Wedding Anniversaries, and many vacations throughout the fifty states, including Alaska. For their 50th Wedding Anniversary, they enjoyed the sites of Italy. JoAnne's Catholic Faith was very important to her, so their trip to Italy was especially meaningful as they received a blessing from then Pope, now Saint John Paul II. She also enjoyed immensely their annual trips to their Sarasota, Florida, timeshare and numerous weekends at their property on Lake Wisconsin.
In her later years, she embraced the role of Matriarch of her extended family and became the keeper of the family genealogy, even traveling to Ireland to meet newly found relatives. She spent a great deal of time restoring and identifying family photos which she lovingly shared to interested family members.
Coming from very humble beginnings, JoAnne was a wonderful example to her daughters, grandchildren, and all those who loved her, of what hard work, persistence, and faith could produce. She always displayed great courage and fearlessness in whatever came her way.
JoAnne is survived by her husband, sweetheart & love of her life, Mike; three daughters, Barbara (Larry) Solvey, Nancy Rufener, and grandchildren Patrick and Shannon, and Jayne (Chris) Rauch and grandchildren Grace and Theo; two brothers, James (Sharon) Jeremiason and Jerald; two brothers-in-law, Arnold and Walt (Sandy) Rufener; five sisters-in-law, Kathryn Rufener, Gertrude Voegeli, Erna Maske, Ardellis Rufener and Carol Rufener; Godson, Jeff (Sue) Thompson; and many other relatives and dear friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Myrtle Jeremiason; her in-laws, Jacob and Elise Rufener; her brothers-in-law, Armin, Erwin, Jacob, and Ernest Rufener, Lee Maske, Ray Voegeli, and Franz Camenzind; her sisters-in-law, Marie and Gloria Rufener and Alice Camenzind; and special cousins Clifford Johnson, Dawn Walstead, and Margaret Cheek.
JoAnne's family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff of the New Glarus Nursing Home and Monroe Clinic Hospice for their exceptional care, kindness, and support.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00am on Friday, July 7, 2017 at the St. Clare of Assisi Parish at St. Victor's Catholic Church with Celebrant Monsignor Larry Bakke. Visitation will be held on Thursday at the SHRINER HAGER GOHLKE Funeral Home from 4:00-6:00pm, followed by a Celebration of Life service. Continued visitation will be held on Friday, at the church, from 10:00am until the time of mass. Private burial will take place at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Freeport. In lieu of flowers, the family is establishing a JoAnne Rufener Nursing Scholarship for a student of Monticello High School.