Obit: Tesmer, Woodrow #2 (1912 - 2007)

Contact:  R. Lipprandt
Email: bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: BEHNING, BUSCHER, COOK, DAHLIN, FROME, GRELL, HAFER, HAINZLSPERGER, HAUSER, LAMONT, LULLOFF, NEUMANN, NOBISCH, REINEKING, SCHMIDT, TESMER, UNTIEDT, WAVRUNEK

----Sources: The Tribune-Phonograph, Vol. 47, No. 11, Wed., March 14, 2007, p 9

Tesmer, Woodrow (8 Nov 1912 - 8 Mar 2007)

Woodrow Tesmer

Woodrow Tesmer, 94, Colby, died Thursday, March 8th, 2007, at the Colby Retirement Community.

Funeral services were held March 12th at Zion Lutheran Church, Colby. Burial was in Colby Memorial Cemetery. The Reverend Mark Neumann presided.

Honorary pallbearers were Jim Hauser, Bernard Wavrunek, Joe Hainzsperger, Lavern Nosbish, Angus Lamont, Norm Reineking, Rod Cook and Jim Schmidt.

Woodrow was born November 8th, 1912 to John and Ida (Frome) Tesmer in the Town of Colby.

He graduated from Colby, Wis. High School, attended Valparaiso University and graduated from Stevens Point Teachers College. He taught junior high and instrumental music in Cornell and Kiel.

In 1936, Woodrow and Margaret (Lulloff) were married at Zion Lutheran Church in Colby. Margaret died in 1969.

Woodrow attended Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science and received his funeral director and embalming license in 1938. He worked with F. W. Lulloff at the Lulloff Funeral Home and Lulloff Furniture Store in Colby until he became owner in 1957. He sold his business in 1974.

On December 19th, 1970, Woodrow and Nina Grell were united in marriage at Zion Lutheran Church in Colby. Nina died June 30th, 2006.

He received his 50-year plaque from the Wisconsin Funeral Directors Association in 1988.

Woodrow continued a life of participation in community affairs. He was a member of the Colby Changer of Commerce and a charter member of the Colby Lions Club where he held many offices. He was a member of the board of directors for Colby State Bank and later Mid-Wisconsin Bank from 1957 until his retirement.

He was a life-long member of Zion Lutheran Church and served as president and treasurer. Woodrow served several terms on the Colby City Council and the Colby School Board where he was president during the consolidation and building years.

Woodrow is survived by his children Joyce and Skip Buscher, Denver, CO, John and Dorris Tesmer, Glenwood Springs, CO and Jeanne and Don Dahlin, Vermillion, SD; four grandchildren; two great-granddaughters; one step daughter, Pat and Harry Unitedt, Colby; one brother Junior and Doris Tesmer, Stoughton.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two wives, Margaret and Nina, and two sisters, Dora Hafer and LaVerne Behning.

Maurina-Community Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.