Surnames: Ver Hagen, Beaman, Gump, Reisner, Krause, McClenthen, Maddox, Hinz, Roman, Cowles, Risse, Boatwright

----Source: Marshfield News Herald (Marshfield, Wood Co., Wis.) Sat, Jan 1, 2005

Ver Hagen, Laura A. (28 Nov. 1938 - 28 Dec. 2004)

Laura A. Ver Hagen, 66, of Belvidere, Ill., died early morning on Dec. 28, 2004, in O.S.F. St. Anthony Medical Center following a long illness with cancer.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday in Buck-Wheeler-Hyland Funeral Home 218 W. Hurlbut Ave. Belvidere, Ill., with the Rev. Dale Beaman, interim pastor of Garden Prairie United Church of Christ officiating. Burial will follow in Belvidere Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday in the funeral home.

She was born Nov. 28, 1938, in Milwaukee to George J. Gump and Martha L. (Reisner) (Gump) Krause. Laura grew up in Milwaukee, moved to Granton at age 12, moved to Rockford, Ill., in 1955, moved to Florida in 1957 and settled in Belvidere in 1963 to the present.

She married Harlow "Poncho" Ver Hagen in Rockford, Ill., on April 16, 1955. Laura was a stay-at-home mom raising her children and taking care of her husband. She worked briefly at Maple Crest Nursing Home and Clausen Pickle Company in Woodstock. She provided child care for several families throughout the years. She was a former member of St. James Catholic Church. Her favorite things in life were her children and grandchildren. Hobbies she enjoyed were gardening and cooking, needlework and craft projects and especially family history. She attended schools in Milwaukee and Granton.

She is survived by her husband, Harlow "Poncho" Ver Hagen of Belvidere, Ill.; six children, Edward (Jean) Ver Hagen of Garden Prairie, Ill., Chuck Ver Hagen of Poplar Grove, Ill., Bonnie (Rex McClenthen) Ver Hagen of Caledonia, Ill., Connie (Bill Maddox) Ver Hagen of Rockford, Ill., Cindy Roman of Poplar Grove, Ill. and Crystal (Brian) Hinz of Roscoe, Ill.; 12 grandchildren, Melissa, Becky and Michael Roman, Amanda and Eric Ver Hagen, Alexandria, Brian Jr. and Cheyanne Hinz, Laura, James and Jeffrey Cowles, Rachel Maddox; one great-granddaughter due in May 2005 to Becky Roman; a sister, Mary (Cecil) Boatwright; nephew, Terry Boatwright; and numerous family members through marriage.

She was predeceased by her parents, a step-father: Mike Krause; one grandchild: John Risse and a nephew, Jerry Boatwright.

Memorials can be made to the family.