Obit: Laufenberg, Priscilla M. (1915 – 2009)
Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Laufenberg, Brunner, Skaar, Dunnigan, Jahn, Cicirello, Goldsmith, Kranz, Parrell, Peterson, Bower, Steiner, Streveler, Frank,

----Source: Banner Journal (Black River Falls, Jackson Co., WI.) April 1, 2009

Laufenberg, Priscilla M. (1915 – 28 March 2009)

Priscilla M. Laufenberg, 93, of Alma Center passed away March 28, 2009, under hospice care at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Rosina and Leroy Kranz of Beaver Dam, where she had been living for the past year.

Priscilla was born in the farming community of the Town of Vermont, Dane County, in 1915 to Frank and Josephine Brunner, the oldest of 10 children. She graduated as the Valedictorian of her eighth-grade class at the age of 12 and then worked as a nanny for several women in the neighborhood whenever a new baby as born. When she was 18, she went to work in Madison as a maid. Thursdays were the maid’s day off, so she along with cousins and other friends would go to dances at the Eagle’s Club in Madison as well as at a dance hall at Fish Lake Resort near Sauk Prairie. It was there she first danced with Joe Laufenberg. They married Sept. 28, 1937, and began their 65-plus years together. Joe passed away Feb. 9, 2003.

Priscilla’s early training with her younger brothers and sisters and all of the neighborhood children helped prepare Priscilla for her own career as mom to 14 children of her own. She did bookkeeping for the home farm, kept track of animal records and could recite the telephone numbers of several different seed companies and implement dealers without consulting a phone book. Her husband counted on her for this quick response time, and she never let him down. He would tell her of an idea he’s want to get across to a legislator or town board member, and she would compose a letter for him. She was a full partner in every sense of the word.

She was a voracious reader and loved to read humorous articles. Each month when the Reader’s Digest came, she would sit and read all of the jokes first. We loved to hear her laugh as she read a bit and then shared with us what she’d been reading and we’d all laugh some more!

Priscilla was a lifelong member of the Altar Society of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Black River Falls. In 1984, she went on a major trip to the Holy Land with a local church group. She and Joe vacationed in Hawaii in the 1970s. They also vacationed in Florida, the western United States, Washington D.C., and Hilton Head, SC. In later years, she and Joe wintered in Texas.

She was preceded in death by her husband Joe in 2003, her daughter Rita in 1976, and son Robert in 1943; granddaughter Vickie in 2004; sons-in-law Robert Skaar in 1985, Leo Dunnigan in 1995, and Duane Jahn in 1991 and daughters-in-law Sandra in 1989 and Mary in 2008.

She is survived by her children: Gerald (Flora) Laufenberg of Taylor, Joe (Suzanne) Laufenberg of Swamico, Arlene Dunnigan of Black River Falls, Mary (Chuck) Cicirello of West Allis, Carol Skaar-Jahn of Alma Center, Chuck Laufenberg of Eau Claire, Ray (Sharon) Laufenberg of Alma Center, Priscilla (Chris) Goldsmith of Black River Falls, Frank Laufenberg of Alma Center, Rosina (LeRoy) Kranz of Beaver Dam, Bill (Janice) Laufenberg of Alma Center and Tony Laufenberg of Hixton; a sister, Mary Parrell of Cross Plains; brothers, Don (Goldie) Brunner of Mount Horeb and Bill (Nancee) Brunner of Anthem, AZ; sisters-in-law, Dorothy Brunner Peterson of Brule, Lois Brunner of Mazomanie, Janice Brunner of Black Earth and Margaret Bower of Egg Harbor; brother-in-law, Gilbert (Fern) Laufenberg of Hixton; 55 grandchildren, 89 great-grandchildren and seven great-great grandchildren; as well as numerous nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.

Memories of her will lie on in all of those whose hearts she touched with her love and kindness. She will be missed by everyone who ever knew her.

Funeral services for Priscilla M. Laufenberg will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 4, 2009 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Black River Falls, with Reverend Father John Steiner and Reverend Father Robert Streveler officiating. Burial will take place in Riverside Cemetery, Black River Falls.

Friends may call at the Jensen-Modjeski Funeral Home, Hixton, on Friday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with an 8 p.m. parish rosary and may also call at the church one hour prior to services Saturday.

Casketbearers will be Tom Cicirello, Tom Frank, Ross Goldsmith, Jason Laufenberg, Michael Laufenberg and Scott F. Laufenberg.