Jean F. Laehn

Cheers to a wonderful life!

Jean Florence (Alft) Laehn was born on July 10, 1930, to Lyle and Iva (Verg) Alft at home in the Town of Fairbanks with her grandmother Ottilie Bonikowski Alft attending as the midwife. She passed away at Homme Home in Wittenberg on March 26, 2023.

Jean attended St. James Lutheran School in Shawano. In 1948, she graduated from Shawano High School. After high school, she became a dental assistant for Dr. Lorenz.

She married the love of her life, William “Cold Water Bill” Laehn on Aug. 26, 1951, and they were blessed with six children. He preceded her in death in 2016. While Bill served in the Korean War, Jean lived in San Diego, California, and Honolulu, Hawaii. After Bill’s military service in the U.S. Navy on the USS Winston, Bill and Jean shared their early married life in Shawano and later moved to Merrill.

Upon retirement, they moved to “The Comet Hilton” on the Comet Creek in the Town of Germania near Tigerton. Jean enjoyed gardening and had a large vegetable garden for many years with her father, Lyle, canning the fruits of their labor.

Jean was an accomplished cook, making many delicious meals for family and friends or taking a meal to someone in need. In addition, she enjoyed golfing, sewing and playing bridge with friends. She knit and embroidered, making beautiful afghans, dish cloths and towels. Jean was also a longtime member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, whose motto is “Life, Learning and Friendship.”

She is survived by six children, Kathryn (Russell) Krueger, Kennesaw, Georgia, William R. (Deborah) Laehn, Neillsville, David (Sandra) Laehn, Merrill, Mary (Richard) Akey, Merrill, Jeannine (Gregory) Geiger, Eau Claire, and Elizabeth (Thomas) Moris, Fountain City; grandchildren, Billi Jo (Nathan) Johnson, Kristen (Steven Vander Geest) Akey, Richard R. (Lisa) Akey, Melissa (Brian) Kilzer, Russell L. (Erin) Krueger, Jessica Krueger, Elizabeth (Lane) Reeves, Reid (Savanna Johnson) Geiger, Alyssa (Jesse) Bates, Grant Geiger, Bridger (Danuka) Moris, Tanner (Anna) Moris and Adam Laehn; great-grandchildren, Sydney Hutton, Oliver Krueger, Emerson Krueger, Nolan Krueger, Ella Johnson, Liv Firnstahl, Hailee Borowski, Hanna Falls and Payton Geiger; sister, Fern Henke; brother-in-law, Gary Laehn; and sister-in-law, Joan Laehn.

She is preceded in death by her husband, William; parents, Lyle and Iva; brother, DeLail Alft; sister, Carol Rotter; in-laws, Ardis Alft, Henry Henke, Robert Rotter, George and Shirley Schneider, and Gene and Carol Breitrick; and her son-in-law, Russell Krueger.

Services will be held at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Tigerton, on Saturday, April 1, 2023. The family will receive friends from 9-11 a.m., with the service starting at 11 a.m. A luncheon will follow.

The family would like to thank the nurses at Homme Home and those who took the time to visit Jean. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to a charity of your choice or the Tigerton Public Library.

The Eberhardt-Stevenson Funeral Home and Crematory of Marion is assisting her family. www.eberhardtstevenson.com