Clarice I. Goepfert, age 87 of Browntown, passed away Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison. She was born on June 14, 1933 to Arthur and Thilda (Berg) Emberson and was raised in rural Argyle. She was a 1951 graduate of Argyle High School. She went on to become a one-room country school teacher after graduating from Green County Teacher’s College. She taught at Cherry Branch School near Wiota before marrying A. Charles Goepfert on August 13, 1955. They lived in Monroe, and she continued teaching at East Clarno School south of Monroe until they started their family.
They then moved to rural Browntown where they farmed for several years. Chuck also had a profession, operating excavating equipment, leaving Clarice as the main operator of the farm. She was a hard worker and loved the outdoors; she was proud of her dairy herd and her contribution to the field work.
After retirement, Clarice continued to be active and finally had the time she always wanted to enjoy gardening, feeding birds, and maintaining the lawn. She and Chuck enjoyed being social and loved playing cards with friends. Clarice collected recipes and was an excellent cook. She was proud to pass her Norwegian lefse making skills all the way down to her great-grandchildren. Many Sundays, holidays, and birthdays were centered around a good meal at her table. She never failed to remember special occasions with a card and she had the most beautiful handwriting. Clarice was also artistic with a gift for painting, especially rosemaling and china painting. She also enjoyed keeping and sharing family pictures. Both Chuck and Clarice were sports fans, taking in their granddaughter’s high school volleyball games as well as following the Packers, Badgers, and Brewers. As a couple, they both enjoyed camping and traveling. They were fortunate to visit many locations, and enjoyed special trips to Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, the Rose Parade, and for their 25th wedding anniversary, a trip to Switzerland.
Clarice had a strong religious faith, and was a lifelong active church member, currently at the Wiota Lutheran Church. She taught Sunday School, and was active with the women’s group and quilting ladies.
Clarice will be lovingly missed by her two daughters, Carol (Harold) Field of Monroe and Diane (Curtis) Updike of Browntown; a granddaughter, Bonnie (Kurt) Arnoldussen of Manitou Springs, CO; two great-grandchildren: Chloe and Brett whom she adored. She is also survived by a sister, Ruth Olson of Fontana, CA; sisters-in-law, Donna (Joe) Halpin of Kenosha, WI and Georgia (John) Voss of Punta Gorda, FL; a brother, A. Roland (Joan) Emberson of Browntown; and brothers-in-law, George (Shannon) Goepfert of Rockton, IL and David (Polly) Goepfert of Port Charlotte, FL.
She was welcomed in heaven by her husband of 61 years, her parents, a brother Olin Emberson, and sister-in-law, Cathy Kubly.
Due to the current Covid conditions, a private family funeral service will be held. Burial will be in the East Wiota Lutheran Cemetery.
The family would like to extend special thanks to the Browntown Fire Department First Responders, the Green County EMS, and the physicians and nurses at both the Monroe Clinic Hospital ER and St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison.
Memorials may be made to the Wiota Lutheran Church or the Browntown Fire Department.
Shriner Hager Gohlke Funeral Home is assisting the family. Condolences may be sent to the family at: shriner111.com.
