Obit: Poler, Lovella "Val" J. (1925 - 2006)
Contact:  Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Poler, Johnson, Ferguson, Porter, Fairbanks, Beck, Stoffel, Bragg, Tostensen, Smits

----Sources: Clark County Press (Neillsville, WI.) July 12, 2006

Poler, Lovella "Val" J. (June 2, 1925 - June 21, 2006)

Lovella J. "Val" Poler, age 81, entered eternal joy on June 21, 2006 at her home, after gracefully and elegantly battling cancer. She had a life filled with the joy of family and friends, travel and talent.

Mabel (nee Johnson) and Fred Ferguson were blessed with Val on June 2, 1925. Her mother quickly nicknamed her Dolly due to her delicate stature.

Val married Charles Poler, of Neillsville, on June 12, 1943. Together they enjoyed the company of seven children: Naydene (Harold) Porter, of Oklahoma; MaryBeth (Ron) Fairbanks, of Green Bay; Charlotte (Andy) Beck, of Hilbert; Charles (Judy) Poler, Jr., of California; Shelly (Jay) Johnson, of Plover; Melissa (Gary) Stoffel, of West Bend and Jennifer (Tom) Beck, of West Bend.

With their children, Val and Charles moved to West Bend in 1963. Val was adored by all of her sons-in-law and her daughter-in-law.

Val managed kitchens for various restaurants and created many fans of her prime rib, Friday night fish fry and onion rings. Each of her children was blessed with learning the art of cooking from the best cook in town.

Locally she especially enjoyed Camelot Wednesday morning ladies golf and the Tuesday Samaritan Quilters.

She was the second child of five and is survived by all of her siblings: Russell (Louise) Ferguson, of North Carolina; Wanda (Robert) Poler, of Neillsville; Shirley (Peter) Bragg, of Arkansas; and Katherine (Leonard) Tostensen, of Minnesota.

Nineteen grandchildren surrounded Val with love, pleas for cookies and Mickey Mouse shaped pancakes. They have many fond memories of their grandma.

She was blessed with many great-grandchildren and most recently a great-great-granddaughter.

Val was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and a son-in-law, Daniel Smits.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, June 24, 2006 in West Bend.