Nancy Lee Culbert (Schmidt), 71, of Athens, WI, passed away peacefully on June 17, 2021 at home with her daughter and son-in-law by her side. She was born February 18, 1950 in rural Hamburg, WI to Fredrick and Fern (Voigt) Schmidt. Nancy attended schools in rural Hamburg, Wausau and Merrill, WI. She was employed as a dietary aide at Holy Cross Hospital, then a certified electrician at House of Merrill Mobile Home Manufacturing, and a line worker at Anson and Gilkey Window and Door Manufacturing. She also worked at a Merrill cannery. Nancy married Kenneth “Ace” Culbert on December 28, 1973 at St. Stephens Lutheran Church in Merrill. They moved to Hooper, NE in 1975, where Ace’s military orders took them. Nancy enjoyed hunting with Ace and occasional visitor, Dave Spier, in the canyons of Western Nebraska. She was very proud of her reputation of “one shot Nancy”, taking several deer and turkeys as well as her prized antelope. Nancy was also an avid trout and crappie fisherman. She treasured trips with Len and Ivy Zoucha in Nebraska and outings with her son-in-law, Todd in Wisconsin catching “mother-in-laws”. Nancy’s hobbies included leatherwork, crocheting, knitting, sewing and going to casinos. She was a member of Chain of Friends in Hooper, NE for over 40 years, and forged lifelong friendships with many members in the group. Nancy and Ace managed a successful rental business in Hooper. They spent 20 years working side by side remodeling homes for rentals. Nancy was as proficient with a hammer and saw as she was with a mop and scrub brush. She managed 12 properties until she moved to Athens, WI in June 2015. Athens was her home until her passing, where she enjoyed spending time with Todd and Tess.
Nancy is survived by her daughter, Theresa “Tess” and son-in-law, Todd Barkow. She is further survived by one brother, William (Evelyn) Schmidt, Hamburg, WI; five sisters, Shirley Pysnack, New York, Marlene Hughes, Alaska, Rita (Dennis) Kremsreiter, Merrill, WI, Kathy Kessler, Green Bay, WI and Connie Hehling, Minnesota; two sisters-in-law, Judy (Philip) Hill, Irma, WI and Mary Kay (Jim) Donaghue, North Carolina; many nieces and nephews, as well as close friends in Nebraska. She will also be greatly missed by her adored puppies Shasta and Cheyanne. Nancy was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 42 years Kenneth “Ace” Culbert; two sisters, Marge Bauman and June Tesch; three brothers, Jerome, Randall and Robert Schmidt; three brothers-in-law, Dave Pysnack, Harold Bauman and Patrick Culbert; one sister-in-law, Victoria (Culbert) Prather; one infant nephew, Daniel Tesch; and her beloved cat of 16 years Furbee.
Visitation will be from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. on Friday, June 25, 2021 at Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, Athens. Private family service and interment will be scheduled for a future date at Central Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in King, WI. “All souls go to heaven no matter what happens to them on earth.” In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Marathon County Humane Society, 7001 Packer Drive, Wausau, WI 54401. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com