William A. Ziemer
William A. Ziemer, 90, of Gays Mills, passed away on Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018 at Gundersen Health Center in La Crosse.
He was born May 31, 1928 to Clara (Kasper) and William A. Ziemer, Sr. in Milwaukee. He attended Washington High School and Marquette School of Engineering.
Bill held some fun and interesting jobs while attending college. He was full of many stories of his mis-spent youth. For many years, he traveled throughout the continental United States, Canada and spent some time in Switzerland. When he was asked to go to Saudi Arabia to set up a desalination plant, he decided he needed to be in one spot. He bought his farm in rural Gays Mills and went to work at Advance Transformer as an industrial engineer, later to become the plant manager at the Monona, Iowa, location. He retired in 1987.
Bill loved his farm on Strawberry Lane. The improvements of beauty continued to happen there with his very talented hands. He was a plant lover, animal lover, grandchild lover, book lover and an avid collector of his treasured items, as well as a highly-skilled woodworker. He found joy in his hobbies.
He married his love and soul mate Marlene (Hill) Edwards on Aug 4, 1990. They have been like stick tights ever since, doing the things they both loved. Bill lived on his farm for 50 years, until health reasons prompted him to sell and make his and Marlene’s final home in Mt. Sterling. He found pride in the remodel and fixing of his basement until it was just the way he wanted it to be. He did let Marlene have a corner of the basement for her “stuff.”
Bill is survived by his wife, Marlene; step-daughter, Tammy Olson (Chris) of Seneca; daughter-in-law Dr. Loriann Edwards of De Pere; and grandchildren, Ben Olson, of Gays Mills, and Abby Olson (fiancé Steve Heisserer), of Edina, Minn. Bill is further survived by several beloved nieces and nephews, as well as his special pets, Molly, Reggie and Peanut.
Bill was preceded in death by his first wife Evelyn; daughter Victoria; step-son Mike Edwards; parents and sisters Grace Krause and Vivian Katz; in-laws Orville and Blanche Hill; as well as many pets including his most beloved dog, Koko.
A funeral service for Bill will be held Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, at 1 p.m. at the Mt. Sterling Lutheran Church. Pastor Nile Sandeen and Pastor Kent Johnson will officiate. A luncheon will follow the service at the church. Friends may call on the family during visitations Friday night, Dec. 28, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Vosseteig Funeral Home in Gays Mills, or from 12 to 1 p.m. at the church, Saturday morning.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be offered in honor of Bill to Sugar Creek Bible Camp, of Ferryville; Rivers and Bluffs Animal Shelter, of Prairie du Chien; or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
Online condolences may be offered at www.vossfh.com. The Vosseteig Funeral Home, 735 Sunset Ridge Ave./Hwy 131 in Gays Mills, is serving the family.
