Ella Gaeu, age 97 of Merrill, passed away at Bell Tower Residence under hospice care. Ella was born September 12, 1917 to Wilhelm and Martha (Utecht) Barttelt in the Town of Maine. Ella was united in marriage September 12, 1936 to Edwin Gaeu at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Town of Maine. He preceded her in death on July 9, 1990. Together they farmed the Gaeu Homestead in the Town of Scott. She was a member of Faith Lutheran Church (formerly St. John’s Lutheran Church, Town of Scott) and a member of St. John’s Ladies Aid.
Ella enjoyed playing cards, gardening, sewing, crocheting and cut work embroidery. In her younger years she sewed most of the family’s clothes. She especially enjoyed tending to her beautiful outdoor flower gardens and houseplants.
Survivors include daughter, LuAnn (Wayne) Hanke, Marathon; son, Daniel (Sally) Gaeu, Hudson; daughter-in-law, Doreen Gaeu, Merrill; eight grandchildren: Connie Fryman, Terry (Jill Rydell) Gaeu, Jodi (Lon) Wilkosz, Wendy (Kent) Reinhardt, Jayme (Mike) Buttke, Brian Gaeu, Kevin (Lisa) Gaeu and Beth (Ron) Weiskopf; twenty great-grandchildren: Elisa Harrer, Andrea (Nick Sebold) Hanke, Nicholas (Katelyn Leonard) Gaeu, Michelle Gaeu, Kelsey (Ben LaVake) Wilkosz, Alyssa (Jeff) Rhoades, Matthew Reinhardt, Marcus Reinhardt, Kyle Wilkosz, Mikayla Fryman, Michael Fryman, Matthew Fryman, Mason Reinhardt, William Weiskopf, Kaitlyn Gaeu, Jacob Weiskopf, Benjamin Weiskopf, Dexter Gaeu, Oliver Gaeu and Henry Buttke; three brothers: Elgart Barttelt, Delbert (Marilyn) Barttelt, and Vilas (Ila) Barttelt, all of Wausau, and many nieces and nephews. Ella was blessed with three sets of twin great-grandchildren, one set from each of her children.
Besides her parents and husband, Ella was preceded in death by a son, James Gaeu; and two grandchildren, Timothy Hanke and Tami Gaeu. She also was preceded in death by three sisters: Leona (Leonard) Howard, Lorena (Walter) Sense and Doris (Wilbur) Prochnow; and one sister-in-law, Lorna Barttelt.
The funeral service will be at 11:00 A.M. Friday, June 12, 2015, at Faith Lutheran Church, Town of Maine. The Rev. Kevin Hoogland will officiate. Burial will take place at Faith Lutheran Cemetery-West, Town of Scott. Visitation will be from 4:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. Thursday at the Taylor-Stine Funeral Home, Merrill, and after 10:00 A.M. Friday at the church. The Taylor-Stine Funeral Home, Merrill, is assisting the family with arrangements.
The family would like to thank Bell Tower and Ministry Home Care and Hospice for the care shown to our mother.
Online condolences may be made at www.taylorstinefuneralhome.com.