Mercedes E. Rolling

Mercedes E. Rolling, 93, Wausau, passed away Wednesday, July 20, 2016, at Mount View Care Center, Wausau, under the care of Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Services. She was born November 5, 1922 in Marathon City, to the late Hugo and Olivia (Baur) Eisenman and attended school at St. Mary's. On September 9, 1944, she married Valentine J. Rolling at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Marathon. He preceded her in death on April 9, 1996. Prior to marriage, Mercedes worked as a switchboard operator for Bell Telephone Company in Chicago, IL. Their young family relocated to Wausau in 1958, where Mercedes continued to be a devoted and supportive wife, mother, and homemaker, working together with her husband inside and outside at their residences. Having grown up during the Depression, Mercedes learned to be content with the simple pleasures of life, often sacrificing things for herself for the benefit of her family. As a charter member of the Pine Tree Quilters Guild, Mercedes shared her passion for quilting with others including her sister, Annette Hoffman. Her quilt entries at the biennial Wausau show, received several awards in the hand-stitched quilt category. She was a gracious individual who loved to cook, bake, preserve fruits, and garden vegetables, as well as to share her delicious creations with family and friends. To name a few, she will be remembered for her homemade soups, spaetzels and chimichangas. Family gatherings often included card games, and in retirement she and Valentine along with mainly sister Annette and her husband, John, enjoyed playing cribbage and dominos. After their husbands had passed, Mercedes played Scrabble with Annette as well as doing word searches and crossword puzzles. Mercedes met new friends, and subsequently caregivers, among the senior living community residences she lived at after her husband passed away; this includes in mid-January of this year, while residing at Stoney River Rehabilitation in Weston, and subsequently Mount View Care Center rehabilitation and palliative care/hospice in Wausau. Mercedes is survived by, sons Michael (Mary Oelrich) Rolling, Weston and Gregory Rolling MD, Tucson, AZ; grandchildren; Jamie (Eddie Mikeska) Moon, Brian (Marsha) Moon, Charles (Kimberly) Moon, Michele (Joseph) Petruska, Brett (Nora) Lepak, Alexander (Meghan Brennan, MD) Lepak MD, Casey Rice, Jonathan Rolling and Benjamin Rolling; step-grandchildren, Brody (Michelle) Rice and Megan (Chad) Olson; 20 great-grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; sons-in-law; James (Linda) Moon, Tucson, AZ and Harry (Diane) Rice, Plover; sisters, Monica Rolling, Fond du Lac, Annette Hoffman, Wausau, Catherine Baumann, Germantown and Doris (Larry) Hanz, Schofield; sister-in-law, Celestine Bieschke, Fox Lake, IL; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband and parents, Mercedes was preceded in death by daughters, Charmaine Moon and Margaret Rice; great-grandson Christopher Moon; son-in-law James Lepak; brother, Winand (Ruth) Eisenman; sisters, Gertrude (Ambrose) Sicklinger and Marie (Jacob) Dix; brothers and sisters-in-law, Elizabeth (Leonard) Seiler, Marie (George) Meyers, Theresa (Oliver) Sherman, George (June) Rolling, Constance (William) Leisten and Rita (William) McCarthy; and brothers-in-law, John Hoffman, Peter Rolling, Louis Rolling and George Bieschke. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 at The Church of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, 621 Second Street, Wausau. Rev. Robert Schaller will preside. Friends may call on Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. until time of services at the church. A private family burial will be held at a later date at St. Mary's Cemetery in Marathon. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Services (333 Pine Ridge Blvd, Wausau, WI 54401) or Church of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ (621 Second St, Wausau, WI 54403). Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, Wausau is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com