Grace A. West

Grace A. West, loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. Grace A. West, age 96, of Elcho/Madison, died on August 16 at Baraboo, Wisconsin. Born January 10, 1916, in Riceville, Iowa, the daughter of Edwin and Mabel (Orr) Shulze. Grace and her family moved to Elcho when she was 3 years old where the family farmed. She spent her youth in the Elcho area and graduated from Elcho High School and then Langlade County Normal School. She worked for the telephone company in Elcho and served in the Coast Guard during World War II. Grace married Fred L. West on October 13, 1945. She taught school at Sunset School near Elcho for 2 ½ years before starting her family . The West family moved to Madison in 1961. While living in Madison Grace worked part-time for Bowen's Bakery and later at Sears in the gift wrapping then telephone sales departments. When Fred retired in 1981, Fred and Grace moved back to Elcho. Grace was a lifelong member of the Elcho United Church of Christ and also a member of Plymouth United Church of Christ while living in Madison. She was always in the church choir and involved in other church activities, especially in the ladies' organizations. Grace enjoyed sewing and needle crafts, animals and nature. She was an excellent cook and baker, and enjoyed spending time with her family. Grace is survived by her husband, Fred, and her four children, Emily (John) Winburn of Evansville, WI; Karen (Bob) Gutzman of Baraboo, WI; Peter West of Poynette, WI and Kenneth West of Elcho, WI; 6 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren; a sister, Marjorie Raith and a brother, Gordon Shulze. She was preceded in death by her parents and seven of her siblings, Edna Shulze, Arthur Shulze, Edwin Shulze, Ruth Hansen, Eugene Shulze, Charles Shulze, and Henry Shulze. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday August 22, 2012 at the Elcho United Church of Christ with Rev. Jack LaMar officiating. Visitation will be at the church one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made in Grace's name to the Elcho United Church of Christ Women's Fellowship.