Jeanette Lucy Stubbe

Jeanette Lucy Stubbe, 90, of Wausau passed into the Loving Arms of Jesus on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, surrounded by her children.

Jeanette’s story began on November 7, 1931 when she was born to Edward and Elizabeth (Slagowski) Schroeder in Milwaukee in the community now known as Pulaski.  She was the oldest of five children.  She had two sisters, Betty Ann and Doris, and two brothers, Carey and Tommy.

Jeanette’s special memories growing up were playing with her best friends, Rosemary (Rasmussen) Lord and Betty Behl, being on the Pulaski High School Swim Team, and going to the movies to see her favorite movie star, Jeanette McDonald, whom she was named after.  She loved spending time at Jackson Pond Park where she enjoyed swimming and ice skating.  Just a couple years back in September 2019, Jeanette took a special trip back to Milwaukee with her two daughters to revisit the neighborhood where she grew up and her beloved Jackson Pond Park.

While attending high school, Jeanette was a proud member of the Civil Air Patrol, which was the civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force.  At age sixteen, she started working at Lerners Shops on Wisconsin Avenue in Downtown Milwaukee.  She proved to be excellent at sales, always setting challenging sales goals for herself and proving to be a favorite among her many customers.  Jeanette remembered riding the city bus for over an hour after work and then walking a mile in the dark on a gravel road getting home close to 11:00 p.m.  She was a highly valued employee as proven by the phone call her parents received from Lerners expressing their dismay that she was leaving for a new job.

After graduating from Pulaski High School in 1950, Jeanette gained employment with Marshall Ilsley Bank in the Bookkeeping Department.  Shortly thereafter, her parents decided it was time to leave Milwaukee and move the family to a farm in the Town of Texas just north of Wausau.  Even though she was now an adult, her dad would not allow her to remain in Milwaukee and told her she would be moving with them to Wausau.

While applying for a loan at Citizens State Bank in Wausau, Jeanette’s dad mentioned to the bank president that he had an eighteen-year-old daughter with bank experience who was looking for a job.  Jeanette was hired on the spot.  She reported for work and learned that she would be the secretary for the bank’s vice president and that among her many duties one would be taking dictation in shorthand.  Shorthand was not her favorite thing.

Jeanette’s new life in Wausau was filled with many wonderful experiences and memories.  It was at Citizens State Bank that she met the love of her life, a handsome teller named Donald Stubbe.  A special memory in particular that she often talked about was when she found herself at the request of a bank customer persuaded into running as a candidate for the 1951 Wausau Food Queen Pageant.  She was voted runner-up!

On May 2,1953, Jeanette and Donald were married at St. James Catholic Church in Wausau.  They were charter members of St. Matthew Catholic Church for a great many years and later joined St. Anne Catholic Church.

Motherhood was calling!  Jeanette and Donald had three children - Diana, Mark, and Christine.  Jeanette left Citizens State Bank to raise their three children full-time.  Proving highly sought after once again, five years into her career hiatus, the president of National Bank of Wausau asked her to come work for them, thus pulling her back into banking.  Thirty-two years later in 1993, she retired as Assistant Cashier and Auditor with US Bancorp, previously known as First Wisconsin National Bank, Firstar, and National Bank of Wausau, completing a thirty-eight year career in banking.  She was a member of the National Association of Business Women.

Jeanette and Donald created a loving, faith-filled home.  Summers spent camping, fishing, and swimming held them tightly together as a family and brought many years of fun times and great memories.

In 1978, Jeanette and Donald took the family on a three-week road trip to Southern California to visit Donald’s brother and family.  It was an awesome trip that gave the family such wonderful, happy memories.  Other wonderful memories include family trips to the Great Smoky Mountains, Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Apostle Islands, Mackinac Island, and Door County.

As Jeanette and Donald became grandparents, they took great joy in their three grandchildren.  In fact, according to their children and grandchildren, they were the best grandparents in the world.  They lovingly helped with daycare whenever and as often as needed.  They would treat their grandchildren to many adventures after school and during the summer.  Summer days were spent swimming at the pool, going for lunch and ice cream, watching movies, and more.  New toys and quality clothing were always in abundance with Grandma.  Grandma and Grandpa attended as many of the school events and activities as they could.  Time spent watching their grandchildren’s choir/band concerts, soccer games, baseball games, football games, swimming meets, rugby games, marathons, triathlons, drama performances, and other activities were so important to them.

Just as they taught their own children, Grandma and Grandpa taught their grandkids about hard work, being self-sufficient, meeting new people, not being shy, earning money, following their dreams, and most of all instilling in them “don’t be upset or sad, life is short, always be happy!”  Grandma encouraged her grandkids to find their niche and “be the first in the family” to do something new.  This message was taken to heart and, with much love and support, her grandchildren blossomed into their respective careers.  Grandma and Grandpa were enthralled with knowing about how their school, work, and careers were taking flight.  Jeanette also has two great-grandchildren, Laekin and Beckett, who have also brought her great joy.  A third grandchild bestowed by God will arrive in August.  We love you, Grandma!

Jeanette and Donald enjoyed twelve wonderful Snowbird Winters in Destin, Florida with family.  Fun things included riding the bus to Biloxi to the casinos, checking out the area restaurants, walking on the beach, visiting the marina, and feeding the seagulls.

Jeanette loved to knit and crochet afghans, scarves, mittens, and hats.  She loved to embroider dish towels.  She was a wonderful cook!  Some of her favorites were Homemade Chicken Soup with Egg Dumplings, Potato Dumpling Soup, German Potato Salad, Cottage Cheese and Onion Pierogi, and many wonderful baked goods.  She enjoyed doing word search games and crossword puzzles.  She was a long-term member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Burns Post 388 Ladies Auxiliary.

Jeanette very much enjoyed watching RFD-TV on Saturday evenings.  “Daniel O’Donnell,” “Mollie B. Polka Party,” and “Larry’s Country Diner” were her favorites.  Watching Hallmark movies with her youngest daughter, watching Green Bay Packer Games with her son, going on occasional trips to the casino with her oldest daughter, playing cards with her granddaughter, visits with her grandsons, and day trips to Crystal Lake with her youngest daughter and grandchildren were among her fondest memories.

Above all else, Mom was always faithful to God, to Dad, to her family, and to all of her responsibilities.  She was filled with faith, a loving and devoted wife, a loving and amazing mom, and a loving and wonderful grandmother and great-grandmother.  We were so blessed to have her!  We held a special event to celebrate and honor her on her 90th birthday - ninety years of being amazing!  She will be missed so very much.  Her love and all she taught us will be with all of us forever.  We love you, Mom!

Jeanette is survived by her children, Diana Stubbe (William Zell) of Grayling, MI, Mark Stubbe of Weston, and Christine (Paul) Mizgalski of Weston; grandchildren, Jacob (Rachel) Mizgalski of Wausau, Jennifer Stubbe (Josh Waukau) of Weston, and Zachary Mizgalski of Appleton; and great-grandsons, Laekin and Beckett.  She is also survived by Bette Ann and Irving Fletcher of Schofield, Doris and George Melder of Hubertus, and Thomas Schroeder and Jeanette Mitchell of Wausau.  In addition she is survived by Helen Stubbe of Wausau, Edward and Marge Stubbe of Weston, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Jeanette is preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Elizabeth Schroeder; brother, Carey Schroeder; sisters-in-law, Jean Schroeder, Wendy Schroeder, and Lucille Streck; brothers-in-law, Clayton Stubbe, Floyd Stubbe, and Milton Streck; niece, Roxanne Fletcher; and nephew, Ricky Fletcher.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at St. Michael Catholic Church, Wausau.  Father Tom Lindner of St. Anne Catholic Church will preside.  Entombment will be in Memorial Chapel Mausoleum, Restlawn Memorial Park, Wausau.  Family and friends may call on Tuesday, February 1, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, 1302 Sixth Street, Wausau.  A Rosary Service will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday.  Visitation will also be held at the church from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service.

A special heartfelt thank you to Dr. Pablo Abrego, Dr. Grace Laynes, and staff of Marshfield Clinic and Aspirus Wausau Hospital, including Palliative Care and Hospice House, for the exceptional and compassionate care Mom received.  Your kindness will always be remembered.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com