Obit: Sandgren, Gwendolyn Marie Nada (1916 - 2013)

Contact: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Dehler, Helmke, McNellis, Miller, Rogers, Romberg, Sandgren, Steinbrecher, Sulko, Treankler, Vick

----Source: The Record - Review (Abbotsford, WI) 12/31/2013

Sandgren, Gwendolyn “Gwen” Marie Nada (Helmke) (4 DEC 1916 - 15 DEC 2013)

Gwendolyn (Gwen) Marie Nada (Helmke) Sandgren, 97, passed away Sunday, December 15, 2013, at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

Services were held at Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, March Rapids on Saturday, December 21, 2013. Reverend Robert Romberg officiated. Burial was at Hillside Cemetery, Marshfield.

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----Source: Rembs Funeral Home (Stratford, WI) Online obituary

Gwendolyn (Gwen) Marie Nada (Helmke) Sandgren, 97, passed away Sunday, December 15, 2013 at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

Gwen was born December 4, 1916 to August W. and Marie (Miller) Helmke in the Town of Eau Pleine, Marathon County, Wisconsin.. She was baptized January 7, 1917 and confirmed August 11, 1929 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church. She attended school at March Rapids, later the Lindbergh School, both in the Town of Eau Pleine. She graduated from Stratford High School in 1933.

On June 14, 1947 she married Clarence John Sandgren at Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in March Rapids, Wisconsin. She and Clarence were married for 47 years. Clarence passed away April 5, 1994.

After her education she was an assistant bookkeeper for the Hillside Cooperation Cheese Manufacturing Association for 56 years, doing patron payroll until the factory closed in October of 1991. She was also Town Clerk for the Town of Eau Pleine for 11 years, Town Treasurer for 2 years and also worked in the office of U. S. Steel Fertilizer plant in Spencer, Wisconsin during the summer for 3 years.

She and her husband purchased their farm in 1948. They started out with mink ranching until 1951 and then continued farming until 1976 when her husband, Clarence, retired.

Gwen was a member of Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church at March Rapids and the Ladies Aid Society, serving at different intervals of being president, treasurer, and secretary during her years of membership. She also was a Sunday school teacher for many years and taught during the Vacation Bible School summer program for a number of years. Gwen also served as the Cradle Roll superintendent at the church. She was a reporter for Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society to Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church.

She also was an active member of the Birthday Card Club, Gwen enjoyed baking and decorating cakes for birthdays, showers, and confirmations for her special nieces, nephews, and godchildren. This passed down to also include great nieces and nephews as well. She loved traveling with her husband. After his death, she was able to travel with her friends and relatives. Other favorite interests were gardening, mowing lawn, card playing, jigsaw and crossword puzzles. She loved taking care of her outdoor kitties. She maintained living in her home until November at which time she entered Miller’s Alternative Care Facility with stays in between at Three Oaks Rehabilitation Center.

Gwen is survived by one sister, Genevieve Rogers McNellis of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and several nieces and nephews. She is further survived by godchildren, Steven Helmke, Louis Rogers Jr., Jeanne Steinbrecher, Debra Sulko, and Judy Treankler. Gwen enjoyed and shared many events in the lives of family, nieces, nephews and godchildren and was loved by them all.

She was predeceased by her husband Clarence, her parents, a sister, Marjorie Helmke Dehler, two brothers, William H. Helmke and August L. Helmke, sister-in-laws Lucille Helmke, Mercedes Helmke, brother-in-laws Louis Rogers Sr., John McNellis, Louis Dehler, and by her godchild, Daniel Vick.

Services will be held at Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, March Rapids on Saturday, December 21, 2013 with visitation one hour prior to services at 2 p.m. with the Reverend Robert Romberg officiating. Burial will be at Hillside Cemetery, Marshfield, Wisconsin.

The family wishes to thank St. Joseph’s Hospital, Three Oaks Rehabilitation Center, and
Miller’s Alternative Assisted Living for the care given to Gwen.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16