Eunice A. (Wagner) Tess

As the poet Mary Oliver once asked, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” And, for a life well-lived, the question becomes how do you capture the essence of that one wild and precious life in a few meager paragraphs? Yet, the time has come for us to make that attempt as Eunice Adeline Wagner Tess passed from this life on Friday, April 16, 2021, at UW Hospital in Madison, WI, where she was surrounded by her family, in person, virtually, and in spirit.

Eunice, or, as we called her, “Mom”, was born on October 14, 1929, in Edgar, WI to George and Margaret (Fischer) Wagner. She was the fifth of ten children and we never tired of hearing her stories of growing up on a farm, during the Depression era, with such a large and loving family. In fact, family was so important to the Wagner clan, that in 1946, a tradition was established that continues to this day as the annual Wagner Family Reunion, held each year at the “home place”. This summer we will gather for the 75th year of this time-honored event, and Mom was so looking forward to being part of the celebration. She has never missed a reunion and her smile, her laughter, and her sense of humor will leave a void that cannot ever be filled. She is survived by two brothers, George (Ann) Wagner, Valparaiso, FL and Daniel (Joan) Wagner, Anoka, MN and one sister, Dolores (Paul) Gohdes, Madison, WI. She was preceded in death by sisters Marie McWatters, Germaine Zweck, Sister Margaret Wagner, FSPA, and Joan Baeseman; and by brothers Roman and Gerald.

On August 16, 1958, Eunice married the love of her life, Earl Tess, in Edgar, WI and together they raised five children: Sheila Rossmiller, Wausau, WI; Bill Tess, Edgar, WI; Julie (Neil) Tess-Michek, Highland, WI; Bob (Laura Belanger) Tess, Stevens Point, WI; and Kathy (Jack) Blume, Mequon, WI. Eunice was also known as “Grandma” to her eleven grandchildren: Will Rossmiller, Hudson, WI; Sam Rossmiller (Cailin Scherer), Sheboygan, WI; Elizabeth Tess (Travis VonBruenchenhein), Edgar, WI; Nate Michek, Morgantown, WV, Alex Michek, Platteville, WI; and Adeline Michek, Highland, WI; Augie and Charlie Blume, Mequon, WI; and Ava, Ella and Nia Tess, Stevens Point, WI; and grand-dogs Leroy, Lima, Clover and Stan. Earl preceded her in death on December 16, 1997. Mom was fond of saying that “we have the best family ever” and she played an incredible role in making that true. She was the matriarch, the guiding light, the example to follow for us, for the 51 Wagner cousins, and countless great and great-great nieces and nephews. Now it is our turn to carry forward her legacy within our own lives.

Eunice was our Mom first and foremost, yet also pursued a career at a time when that was unusual for a woman with a family to raise. She was a leader and a trailblazer. Her career as bookkeeper for Edgar Public Schools spanned 35 years, and began with her filling ledgers with numbers penned in ink from a fountain pen and ended with her converting the accounting system to computer. During her time there she made countless friends among the faculty and staff and knew every student by name. In her book, there were no “hey yous”, one of her many nuggets of wisdom.

Our Mom traveled through life with a humble servant’s heart. She was a servant leader, perhaps even prior to the term being coined. And, in her understated and unassuming way, Mom positively impacted her community and church through sharing both talent and time. She was a member of St. John’s Catholic Church her entire life, and participated in parish life as a member of the choir, CCD teacher, fish fry volunteer, reader, and communion minister, both in church and to the homebound. Mom loved the village of Edgar, and was active in her community in many ways, serving as part of the history committee, medical center board, and Edgar Centennial Committee. In her retirement, she worked at the food pantry and at the polls and was honored for her lifelong volunteerism as Edgar’s Citizen of the Year in 2003.

Mom certainly made the most of her one wild and precious life, and in doing so, taught us the importance of living in the moment and embracing the joy of being alive. She instilled in us a life-long love of reading, music, and nature. The top shelf of her bookcase showed a diversity of word and thought and it is therefore not at all surprising to realize both how intelligent she was, and how accepting she was of everyone she met, without exception. Mom’s record collection was no different, and we grew up listening to Danny Kaye and Burl Ives, jazz and rock, country and opera, cowboy folk songs and symphonies. A walk through the woods with Mom was never a dull moment. She had such a sense of wonder as she enthusiastically pointed out a rare nodding trillium, the song of an oriole, or the whisper of the wind through the poplar trees.

Mom possessed an unshakeable faith and eternal optimism. She believed in brighter days ahead, and in God’s goodness and his ultimate plan, which she relentlessly held onto in times of joy, times of struggle, and during all the seemingly ordinary days in between. She was, and will continue to be, a shining example to us and to all those whose paths she crossed.  

Another well-known writer, A.A. Milne, once said, “How lucky are we to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” Genuinely fitting words for our family at this time. And, while we know Mom will be missed immensely, by many, we rejoice for her, and feel deeply grateful to have known her as an extraordinary human . . . and most importantly, as our Mom.

Visitation for Eunice will be held on Saturday, April 24, from 9:00 a.m. to Noon, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edgar, WI. A Funeral Mass in celebration of her life will follow at Noon. All are welcome. For those unable to attend in person, the Funeral Mass will be live streamed through the Peterson Kraemer Funeral Home Facebook page, and will be uploaded to her obituary page the following week. Burial will be held as part of the 75th Annual Wagner Family Reunion in July.  Social distancing guidelines will be observed as well as facemasks required by all who attend.  Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com

Our gratitude goes to the staff at UW Hospital in Madison, where Mom received outstanding and truly compassionate care during her final days; and to the staff at Our House Assisted Living, where, especially during these COVID times, the staff and residents became an important part of her family. She loved you all!

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Eunice Tess Servant Leader Scholarship at Edgar High School (please make checks payable to School District of Edgar, PO Box 196, Edgar, WI 54426) or to a charity dear to your heart, as Mom had too many worthy causes to list here.

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