Crescent June (Burkholder) Vale, died on September 12th, 2021. She was born to Gus and Agnes Burkholder on June 4th, 1929 in Platteville, Wisconsin. She was born just in time for the October 1929 crash and subsequent depression. Cress’s early days in Platteville were balanced with the tragedy of losing her mother at age 14, the support of her older sister, and the fun and challenges of some rambunctious brothers. Cress and her siblings joined in to help with Gus’ wallpapering and painting business. Like her mother, Cress found odd jobs babysitting and cleaning for neighbors. Cress made a commitment to be especially attentive to her youngest brother, Jim. He recalls that Cress would use some of her weekly earnings to take him to a movie on Saturday and buy him an ice cream on the way home.
Cress met Harry Vale in 1948 when they were both attending U.W. Platteville. Cress completed her Rural Teaching Degree and spent one year teaching grades 1-7 in a one room schoolhouse near Lancaster. Cress married Harry on July 3rd, 1950. They brought their first son, Brad, home to a 20-foot-long mobile home in a trailer park in Madison, where most of the neighbors were returning soldiers studying on the GI Bill. Cress and her two brothers were the first in their family to earn college degrees.
Cress and Harry, both schoolteachers by profession and life-long teachers of life skills by nature, raised their three children in Durand, Illinois. Cress began with substitute teaching as needed for grades 1-12. She also spent several years teaching homebound and disabled students, and seven years working on reading skills with students with learning disabilities. She valued education and was proud that all eight of her grandchildren earned college degrees.
Cress and Harry moved to a farm near Albany in 1979 and to Monroe in 2012. Cress worked at Blackhawk Technical College in Monroe, once being recognized as employee of the year. In her retirement Cress assembled around 175 picture albums personalized for grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She rarely shows up in the photos, but her love for each of them, knowledge about each of their interests, and quiet sense of humor comes through very clearly in the captions and will be long remembered.
Cress is survived by her three children and their families:
-Brad and Gabrielle Vale, their son, Jake and wife Nika, great-grandchildren Kas and Kaya June, and their son Brent and wife Leslie, and great-grandson Weston Harold
-Tom and Karen Vale, their son Eric, their son Dan and wife Casey, and their daughter Erin Stauffer and husband Tim
-Elaine Vale and Dave Silver, their daughters Rachel and Hannah, and their son, Ben and wife, Lindsey, and great-grand-daughter, Leah
Cress is also survived by her brothers Walter (Jane) Burkholder, and Jim (Joyce) Burkholder.
Cress was predeceased by her parents Gus and Agnes Burkholder, brothers Leonard and Mark, sister Lois, and granddaughter, Emily.
Graveside services for family will be held with Pastor Jeff Meyer officiating. Shriner Hager Gohlke Funeral Home is assisting the family.
