Martha Z. Blanke, 96, formerly of Athens and the mother of a Plover woman, died Monday, April 14, 2008, while under the care of Ministry Home Care-Hospice Services at Bethel Center in Arpin.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Christ United Church in Athens, with the Rev. Kenneth A. Dix officiating. Burial will be in the Athens Village Cemetery.
Visitation will be at the Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home in Athens from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday and at the church from 10 a.m. Saturday until the services.
A memorial in lieu of flowers has been established in her name.
Condolences may be offered online at www.petersonkraemer.com.
Mrs. Blanke was born Aug. 1, 1911, on a farm in the town of Johnson, a daughter of the late Frank and Anna (Herout) Beran.
She was married to Fred Blanke on May 8, 1943, at Christ United Church in Colby. He died on Feb. 7, 1976.
She worked at the National Shoe Factory in Wausau and also in Manitowoc at a tinsel factory for many years.
She and her husband owned and operated a dairy farm in the town of Bern in Marathon County until her retirement.
She was an active member of the Women's Club and also the Women's Guild at the Christ United Church in Athens.
Survivors include three daughters, Barbara (Donald) Binder, Marshfield, Jean Holland, Plover, and Janice (John Bastian) Blanke, Weir, Quebec, Canada; 10 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
She was also preceded in death by one brother, four sisters and one grandson.