Surnames: Rood, Neperud, Hagen, Massof, Goodman, Marquardt, Anderson

----Source: La Crosse Tribune (La Crosse, La Crosse County, Wis.) Tuesday, March 10, 2009, page B3

Rood, Marilyn Joyce (1928 - 9 Mar. 2009)

Sparta, Wisc.

Joyce Rood, 81, homemaker, teacher and businesswoman, died of complications of cancer on March 9, 2009, at Vernon Memorial Hospital.

Born as Marilyn Joyce Neperud in Superior, Wis., in 1928 to Roy and Mildred (Hagen) Neperud, she grew up in Chippewa Falls and Neillsville, Wis., graduating from Neillsville High School in 1945. In high school, she was a straight A student and a cheerleader who was known by her nickname of "Nep." She attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., for three years, majoring in English. While at St. Olaf, she met her future husband, Vernon Rood, whom she married in 1948.

Mrs. Rood and her family first lived in Sparta from 1954 to 1968 and then again from 1984 to 2008. She was extremely active in church and civic organizations, including: the Jaycettes (in which she served as local president and Wisconsin state vice president): the Republican Party (in which she served as chairman of the Monroe County and 3rd District Republican Women): the Girl Scouts, as a troop leader; PEO; and Trinity Lutheran Church, where she taught Sunday school and catechism classes, and where she was a long-term member of the Shalom Circle.

She resumed her studies at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 1965, and although she was still heavily involved in raising her four children, and in spite of the 50-mile round-trip daily commute, she successfully took a full load of classes each semester. In 1968, she graduated with a B.S. degree with honors in English and Speech Education. In 1972, she added an M.S. from Indiana University.

While the family lived in Indiana, she taught English and speech in the Perry Township schools of Indianapolis for 12 years. During that time, she developed a course titled "Writing Term Papers," which students at three major colleges later reported was the most valuable college-prep course they took in high school. She also served for years as a forensics coach and judge, and host of the state's speech meet three times.

She worked closely with her husband, Vernon Rood, on his business ventures. She was an expert accountant, who managed the day-to-day finances of these enterprises. She continued to work at these businesses, which included two 60-unit motels in Indiana, the Heritage Motel in Sparta and the KOA Campground in Oakdale, Wis., until they were sold.

She retired at age 78, and in retirement, as in life, she loved card games, word games, other games of abstract reasoning and crossword puzzles.

Survivors include her husband of 60 years, Vernon Rood: four children, Paul Rood of Silver Spring, Md., Darcy Massof of Baltimore, Nancy Goodman of Sparta and Bill Rood of Readstown; six grandchildren, Eric and Allison Massof, Joe and Julia Rood and Natalie and Jim Goodman; five brothers and sisters, George Neperud of Litchfield, Minn., Don Neperud of Amery, Wis.,Robert Neperud of Olathe, Kan., Carolyn Marquardt of Kimberly, Wis., and Mary Anderson of Holcombe, Wis.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Roy Neperud Jr.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sparta. Burial will be in Mount Hope Cemetery, Sparta. Family and friends are invited to call at Lanham-Miller Funeral Home, Sparta, on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. and at the church on Saturday from 10 a.m. until services.

Online condolences may be offered at www.lanham-miller.com. Lanham-Miller funeral Home of Sparta is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.