Obit: Kettner, Magdalene P. (1920 - 2007)

Contact: Duane Horn
Email: capper@worldnet.att.net

Surnames: Kettner, Kohnhofer, Schober, Bauman, McHenry, DeMar, Rhiel, Krieg

----Sources: Eau Claire Leader/Telegram March 27, 2007

Menomonie, Wisc.

Magdalene P. Kettner, age 86, of Menomonie died Saturday, March 24, 2007, at the American Lutheran Home in Menomonie, after a long battle with Parkinson's disease and recently, congestive heart failure.

Magdalene Kohnhofer was born on October 20, 1920, in Greenwood, Wis., to Joseph and Margaret (Schober) Kohlnhofer. She attended a one-room school her first three years of school then graduated from St. Mary's School in Greenwood. Magdalene was raised on a farm with five brothers and one sister. During her teen years and adult years, when worked as a housekeeper and cook in the Greenwood area and in the Waukegen-North Chicago, Ill., area. She married Joseph Nicholas Kettner on November 21, 1940. They lived in North Chicago for three years where their first two sons were born.

During the war years. when food and farm workers were in short supply, the Kettners made the decision to go back to farming. They first rented a farm in the Greenwood area; and then they bought a farm just east of Menomonie in 1945, where they had six more children.

Mag and Joe were dairy farmers until 1961; but they were also entrepreneurs in many ways. They raised produce such as green beans; and they were famous for their strawberries. Their beef was known as the best quality. In the late '60s they began building feeder bunks and wagons for farmers. As this business took off, Joe started cutting and selling his own lumber. Magdalene spent many days cooking for the logging crew when the sawmill was close by.

After retiring, Mag and Joe continued their love of fishing, traveling in their motor home and taking part in activities at the Moose Lodge. Mag loved to pick blueberries, working the garden and the yard, visiting her many grandchildren and reading the newspaper. She was active throughout the years in St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Menomonie, St. Joseph's Altar Society, the Dunn County Homemakers and the Women of the Moose. Until recently, she avidly read the newspaper everyday. She felt it was important to be aware of what was going on in the world.

Magdalene is survived by four sons, Joe (Joyce) and Mike (Virginia), both of Menomonie, Ed (Ruth) of Garden Prairie, Ill., Don (Jeannine) of La Crosse; three daughters, Patricia Trotter of Menomonie, Rose (Russell) Bauman of Edgar and Carol (John Peter) Kettner of Rice Lake; 20 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; one sister, Barb DeMar of McHenry, Ill.; two brothers, Francis Kohlnhofer of Greenwood and Clayton Kohlnhofer of Loyal. Mag is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Joe in 1997; a son, Gary Anthony, three brothers, John, Victor and Joseph.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, March 28, 2007, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Menomonie, with the Rev. Thomas Krieg officiating, Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at the Rhiel Funeral Home in Menomonie, where there will be a 4 p.m. P.C.C.W. rosary service, and also one hour prior to services at the church on Wednesday.

Arrangements are by the Rhiel Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Menomonie.