Contact: History Buffs 

Surnames: Von Besser, Lafferty, Hoffman, Hill, Damm, Roe, Lawson, Gregory, Hamland 
 

----Source: Marshfield News Herald (Marshfield, Wood County, Wis.) Monday, 15 June 2009 
 

Von Besser, Gerriann R. (4 Apr. 1958 - 14 June 2009) 
 

MARSHFIELD -- Gerriann R. Von Besser, 51, of Marshfield died June, 14, 2009, at Ministry Home Care Hospice. 
 

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. June 17 at the East Gate Alliance Church. Burial will be in Hillside Cemetery. 
 

Visitations will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. June 16 at Rembs Funeral Home, in Marshfield, and again from 10 a.m. until service time Wednesday. 
 

----Source: Marshfield News Herald (Marshfield, Wood County, Wis.) Tuesday, 16 June 2009 
 

HEWITT -- Gerriann R. von Besser, 51, of Hewitt died Sunday, June 14, 2009, at her home in Hewitt. 
 

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 17, 2009, at East Gate Alliance Church in Marshfield. The Rev. Mark Lafferty will officiate. 
 

Visitation will be held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at Rembs Funeral Home, Marshfield; and one hour before the time of service at the church Wednesday. 
 

Gerriann was born April 4, 1958, in Flint, Mich., the daughter of Gerald Hoffman Sr. and Onalee (Hill) Hoffman. She attended school in Fenton, Mich., and finished her last year at Colby High School in 1976. She then attended Mid-State Technical College and received her certificate as a health unit coordinator. 
 

Gerriann worked 26 years as a health unit coordinator at Saint Joseph's Hospital, Marshfield, then worked for one year as a communications specialist for Spirit Medical Transport. 
 

She married Kurt von Besser on Dec. 30, 2000, in Marshfield. 
 

She is survived by her husband, Kurt; her three children, Heather (Matthew) Damm of Stetsonville, Amanda (Jesse) Roe of Colby and Matthew Lawson of Madison; her parents, Gerald Hoffman Sr. and Onalee (Hill) Hoffman of Milan; and seven grandchildren. Gerriann is also survived by five siblings, Howard (Deb) Hoffman of Marshfield, Sarah (Randy) Gregory of Spencer, Lynn (Richard) Hamland of Medford, Gerald Jr. (Linda) Hoffman of Abbotsford and Richard (Denise) Hoffman of Sun Prairie. She also leaves behind many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. 
 

Gerriann was very involved at East Gate Alliance Church serving as a deaconess, leader in the Awana Program and a Sunday school teacher. Church and family were most important in Gerriann's life. Gerriann will be dearly missed. 
 

Memorials in Gerriann's name can be made to the family.