Obit: Schade, Marquerite
Transcriber: George Plautz

----Source: The Thorp Courier October 3, 2001

Marguerite Schade

Marguerite "Marge" Schade, 81, Abbotsford, Wisconsin, died on Sunday, September 30, 2001 at St. Joseph’s Hospital Palliative Care in Marshfield.

Funeral service for Marge was on Tuesday, October 2, 2001, 5:30 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church, Abbotsford. Reverend Dr. Paul C. Hunsicker officiated. Burial was in the Abbotsford Public Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers were: David Schade, Shawn Drew, Aaron Sperduto, Andrew Ferraro, Butch Hargraves and Arlan Hamm.

Visitation was at the Maurina Funeral Home, Abbotsford on Tuesday, October 2, 2001 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Marguerite Elizabeth was born on July 19, 1920, in the Town of Holton, Marathon County, the daughter of Nedry and Elizabeth (Brown) Sterling. She received her early education at the Wright school in the Town of Holton. Marge and Ernest F. Schade were united in marriage on February 20, 1939. Ernest died April 4, 1993.

Building on her "green thumb" reputation Marge and Ernest owned and operated the family business "Marge’s Flowers" established in 1951. Their shop was originally located on the present site of the Abbotsford Post Office. In 1968, Marge’s Flowers moved to its current location on Highway 13. During this time they also owned and operated flower shops in Owen and Thorp.

Marge was a member of F.T.D. (Florist Transworld Delivery) since 1956; the Wisconsin, Upper Michigan Florist Association and throughout her 50 years in the florist business, she received numerous awards for excellence in floral design. She was a lifetime member of the Priscilla Guild and Christ Lutheran Church.

Marge was an avid Avon bottle collector and with her husband enjoyed model "O" gauge railroading, building and operating their own railroad layouts. She enjoyed traveling throughout the United States with friends, and for many years sponsored Marge’s Flowers bowling team.

Marge is survived by her family including: a son Wayne (Diane) Schade of Kalamazoo, MI; two daughters: Patricia (Dennis) Bowen of Wausau, Elaine (Ron) Gosse of Abbotsford; six grandchildren: Pamela (Jeff) McBride, David Schade, Jeff Bowen, Jody (Aaron) Sperduto, Dawn (Shawn) Drew, Dana Gosse and fiancé Andrew Ferrero; one baby great granddaughter Sophia Rose Sperdutto; two sisters: Nila (Corkey) Sossaman of Colby, Evelyn (Chuck) Elstrom of Lake Forest, IL.

In addition to her parents, Marge was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest, sister Lucille and brother Lester.

Memorials May be designated to your personal charity in her name.