Virginia Mary Stauber of Marshfield Wisconsin passed away on November 13th, 2018 in Marshfield surrounded by family, love and prayer.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Marshfield at 10:30am on Friday, November 16, 2018. Virginia’s family will greet visitors from 4pm to 8pm on Thursday, November 15th at Rembs Funeral Home in Marshfield. A combined Rosary prayer service lead by the Father John Eisen Council Knights of Columbus and Parish Council of Catholic Women will begin at 6:30pm. Respects may also be paid the following day at 9am until service time at St. Johns. The honor of serving as pallbearers will be performed by her sons: Charles, Donald, Paul, William, Bruce, Russell, and Roman Jr. The Reverend Father Samuel Martin will celebrate Mass, assisted by Virginia’s son-in-law, The Reverend Deacon Kevin Breit. Burial will take place at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Marshfield WI.
Virginia was born September 7, 1933 to Agnes Catherine (Gemski) and Louis Adolph Kraus in Rozellville Wisconsin. She was one of sixteen children. She recounted that as a young girl making trips to the Big Eau Pleine Flowage with her father and other men to help gather hand-sawed blocks of ice from the frozen lake, packing them in sawdust, and hauling them back to the Kraus family’s dance hall. One of Virginia’s jobs at the dance hall was checking the coats of the patrons.
During a weekday evening dance in 1948, she met a young man who would be the love of her life, Roman Stauber. Virginia and Roman dated through her high school years. He claimed to have been the guy who carried her school books. He proposed marriage on Valentine’s Day in 1951. While still in high school, Virginia, like other young women of her time, worked in a high-tech industry, employed as a telephone switchboard operator at Marshfield Telephone Company. “Number please.” Virginia was the first from her large family to graduate high school and was a graduate of Marshfield High School Class of 1951.
Virginia married Roman during a double wedding ceremony with her sister Agnes and Ronald Rehlinger on May 30, 1952 in St. Andrews Catholic Church in Rozellville. She soon became the mother of a growing family of her own. Virginia later shared her passion for learning and her skills with children to begin a career as a Teacher Assistant for the Marshfield Public School System. Her work within the school system was an unexpected and needed call to service, having recently lost Mathew, her infant son after three short months, just six days prior to Christmas of 1970. For over thirty years Virginia helped the younger children at three elementary schools learn to read.
Virginia is survived by her daughters Cathryn Sue (Jeffrey) Bauer of Appleton WI and Susan Jayne (Kevin) Breit of Mosinee WI, by her sons Roman John Stauber Jr., Russell Louis (Patricia) Stauber, Bruce Roman (Darcie) Stauber, William Joseph Stauber, and Paul James Stauber all of Marshfield, Donald George (Diane) Stauber of Neenah WI, and Charles Lee Stauber of Savage MN. Virginia will be greatly missed by her 21 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
She is further survived by sisters Agnes Rehlinger, Marilyn (Richard) Wagner, brothers Kenneth (Mary) Kraus, Jerald (Jean) Kraus, Thomas (Margaret) Kraus, Louis (Dorothy) Kraus, Jr., sisters-in-law Irene Kraus, Margaret (Lloyd) Adler, many nieces and nephews.
Virginia was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Roman John Stauber, Sr. in May 2007, infant son Mathew Donald Stauber who was born on her birthday, great grandson Benjamin Isaac Stauber, daughter in-law Margaret Stauber, sisters Lorraine Mancl, Marion Jakubowski, LaVerne “Mutze” Fahey, Annita “Pete” Pokallus, Margaret “Margie” Oertel, brothers Charles, Edward, James, and Leroy, as well as many in-laws.
During her long and full life Virginia enjoyed many family vacations throughout the United States, and a trip to West Germany in 1986. Later in life Virginia enjoyed exercise, walks, card games, puzzles, bingo, and occasional outings with her sisters, daughters, sons, and nieces. Her children came to appreciate her undying sense of humor and wit. In her final moments when her body was weak, Virginia still managed a smile. Her final lesson to her boys was that they learn to hug and say, “I love you,” to which she would often reply, “I love you more.” Through her last days Virginia demonstrated her care for others by asking about their health and well-being, placing aside that of her own.
Virginia lived in the grace and love of God. She was a prayerful, humble, yet a strong woman with deep respect for the Church and compassion for her family, friends, and neighbors. She prayed often and with conviction. In the end when she struggled to make the Sign of the Cross after silent prayer, she could be heard softly saying, “Thank you, God.”
The family wishes to acknowledge the caring staff of the Marshfield Medical Center, Dr. Allyson B Mayeux, MD, and Virginia’s heart care team lead by Dr. Mateen F. Abidi, MD FACC, the staff of Three Oaks Health Service, and the excellent staff of Ministry House of the Dove in Marshfield.
Memorials in Virginia’s honor will be designated at a later date.
Condolences may be sent on-line to www.rembsfh.com .
