Karleen Schiller, 88, of Pittsville, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully at Edgewater Haven, Port Edwards, on Tuesday evening, May 2, 2023, with family at her side. She is now reunited with her late husband, Karl, and son, Jon, who would have celebrated his 67th birthday on May 2.
Karleen was born at home on July 18, 1934, on the family farm to Carl and Dagmar (Worlund) Knuth, in the town of Sigel. After graduating from Rudolph High School in 1952, Karleen took an office job at Consolidated Papers in Wisconsin Rapids. Upon marrying Karl on August 20, 1955, Karleen joined him in full-time operation of the family dairy farm. She loved Karl deeply and was proud to be his life partner.
Along with raising crops and livestock on the farm, Karleen was a loving mother to six children. Her guidance and kindness were ever-present qualities in the home. Karleen also nurtured a large garden, canning and freezing abundant harvests of fruits and vegetables, and very much enjoyed sewing and quilting. She did all of this along with milking cows, running for parts and supplies, and preparing delicious meals for the family.
With a strong faith, Karleen was active in the St. John’s Lutheran Church Ladies’ Aid and Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML), as both a member and officer. She leveraged her cooking, baking, and leadership skills with contributions to the annual Ladies’ Aid Smorgasbord dinner in years gone by, and more recently, the church pancake suppers and brunches. Her sewing and quilting skills supported the Ladies’ Aid in producing hundreds of quilts that have been donated to Orphan Grain Train, the American Red Cross, and many local families in need. Karleen also contributed to the growth and development of many children through teaching Sunday School and filling leadership roles with the Pleasant Corners 4-H Club.
Karleen is survived by son Marvin (Jean), daughter Kristine (Ron Wolf), daughter Barbara (Loren Scheunemann), son Kenneth (Lisa), daughter Sandra (Bob Atkinson), daughter-in-law Diane Schiller (Steve O’dell), and sister-in-law MaryJane (Vern Getlinger). Karleen is further survived by 15 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren, as well as many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, mother-in-law and father-in-law Louise (Tosch) and Paul Schiller, brother and sister-in-law August and Marion Knuth, sister-in-law and brother-in-law Phyllis and Ted Christian, brother-in-law and sister-in law Rupert and Jean (Gardner) Schiller, son Jon, and great-granddaughter Madilynn Martinez, along with many other loved ones.
The family will receive friends on Saturday, May 13, 2023, from 9 – 11 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 8313 2nd Street, Pittsville, with funeral services beginning at 11 a.m.
The family is grateful for the tender loving care provided by the staff at Compassus hospice services, Edgewater Haven, and Arborwood Lodge. These compassionate healthcare professionals helped ease the burdens in mom’s final months.
Memorial gifts will be donated to community causes that were important to Karleen.
Condolences may be sent online at www.rembsfh.com
Author: News Desk
This piece was posted by our news team! Contact us or submit stories at [email protected].
