Beloved Mom, wife, Grandma and Great Grandma, Jean (92) was born on February 19,
1927, in St. Paul, MN. She was the first child of Donald H. Wolfer and Esther P. Hanson
Wolfer. After her brother, Donald H. Wolfer, was born the family moved to Chicago, IL in
1934.
Some of Jean’s warmest and happiest memories were of the time she spent with her
church group at St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chicago. She was active in
youth and senior choirs and service groups, and loved to tell stories about the activities
of her close knit group of friends there. Most of her lifelong friends were made during her
years in the church. It’s where she met her husband, Bill, and where they were married
on March 3, 1951.
She graduated from Nicholas Senn High School in 1945 and went on to receive her
Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL in 1949.
Jean and Bill dated throughout her college years and during his service in the Navy and
Army. After they married, she followed him to Monmouth, NJ where he was stationed
during the Korean War as a Telecommunications instructor for the Signal Corps. After
Bill’s honorable discharge, they set up their first home in Waukegan, IL. Once settled,
they adopted their son, Joseph (deceased) and daughter, Kathleen (Oxnard, CA).
Daughter, Linda (Brian Clark) Wisconsin Rapids, WI, and son, Steven (Jeanne), Sun
Prairie, WI, were born and the family was complete.
Jean is survived by her daughters Kate and Linda, son, Steve, five grandsons (Daniel
[Kirsten]), Ross [Erin], Aaron, Nicholas and Alex) and five great grandsons (Deklin,
Cormac, Brooks, Waylon, and Levi). Her journey home will reunite her with her beloved
husband, Bill; parents, Donald and Esther Wolfer; brother, Don; sons Joseph and Eric;
and her large, loving Hanson family.
In 1968, Bill’s job was transferred to the small country town of Richland Center, WI where
they realized their dream of raising their family and building their own home on beautiful
land, far away from the big city. Together they created a wonderful life for our family and
became part of the community for the next 30 years.
Jean was the head Medical Transcriptionist for the Richland Center Hospital for 16 years
until she retired in 1992. She was active in her women’s groups and sang in the choir at
Town & Country Presbyterian Church. She loved to dance, sing and read and both she
and Bill were members of local bowling leagues. Her biggest joy was being a Grandma
and Great Grandma so after retirement, she and Bill moved to Wisconsin Rapids in 1997
in order to be closer to their kids and grandkids. Their years there were full of fun, family
adventures, laughs, travels and much love and happiness.