Marcella Gagnow

Marcella Lucille Gagnow, Seymour passed away at Forest Glen Assisted Living in Seymour on Saturday, May 9, 2020.

The daughter of the late Sidney and Lillian (Neitzke) Steward, Marcella was born on December 28, 1926. On December 26, 1945, Mom married the love of her life, my dad Orville O. Gagnow at the Methodist parsonage in Shawano. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1995 with family and friends at the Seymour Hotel. Dad passed away at their retirement home at Shawano Lake on December 20, 1998 with mom and me at his side. Mom continued to live at this home until 2004 when she built a home in Seymour, moving back to the city that she and dad lived most of their married lives raising Susan, Larry and Dennis.

While mom and dad raised us kids, mom waitressed at Olsen’s Restaurant in Seymour, retiring in 1966 to help with the care and raising of her granddaughter, my daughter Bobbi Jo while her son-in law Russ was serving overseas in the Air Force enabling me to work. My dad worked a full time job and also worked for over 40 years as an appliance salesman for Seymour Lumber Co. and through this part time job, dad won several trips enabling them to travel to several destinations around the world with Harold and Agnes. After dad passed away, Russ and I included mom in the long weekend trips to go to Packers games in Jacksonville, FL and San Francisco, CA. The three of us also went on a couple of Las Vegas trips, spent time in Door County, and many other long weekend destination trips. Many day trips took us to White Lake to visit mom’s brother Calvin.

Mom loved to watch anything sports related and loved the Packers and Brewers whether it was going to games with Russ and Susan or watching them play on TV. She was very proud to wear the green and gold colors while watching the Packers play, cheering with the best of them. She and Russ had many conversations regarding their beloved Brewers.

In 2014, mom ended up going to the hospital with a blood infection which resulted in the removal of her gall bladder. After rehab for a month, Russ and I decided to half move her into our home. So when mom was healthy enough, she spent her days at her home doing her wash, making her lunch and whatever and we would pick her up for supper, watch TV, play cards, Chinese checkers, or just talked. She slept at our home and we ate breakfast either at our home or would go out to breakfast and if she wanted she would go to her home.

Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017 was mom’s special day when she was honored with an open house celebrating her 90th birthday. With a smile, she greeted all that took the time to make her day special, including a week-old great grandson.

Mom had a collection of pigs of all sorts and after my brothers and my dad passed away, mom started to collect angels. In the early years, mom sewed and made patchwork tree skirts so that all of the grandkids would have one. She also made many sets of Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls and took great pride in the hair, measuring each looped strand so that they were perfect. Her fruit cake at Christmas was the best ever.

Mom was a member of the New Life Methodist Church in Seymour and had been a member of the bell choir which she loved participating in, playing her bells to perfection.

On June 15, 2019, mom attended the wedding of one of her great granddaughters and was so happy to be a part of this day, being ushered walking down a flight of stairs to her special seat to watch Whitney and Dominic say their vows.

Mom moved from rehab into Forest Glen Assisted Living on July 29, 2019 to heal four broken ribs, where she enjoyed the company of other residents, playing bingo, going on field trips and going to events that included music. Mom celebrated her birthday last December when I provided music for the Forest Glen family and we danced. I visited mom on a daily basis until March 13 when COVID-19 and isolation came into the picture.

Mom was preceded in death by her husband, my dad Orville and by her two sons, my brothers; Larry on April 4, 1991 and Dennis on Dec. 26, 1997. She was also preceded in death on Feb. 4, 2019, by her son-in-law Russ Moeller, my husband who treated mom like a 2nd mother.

Survivors include me, her daughter Susan Moeller and her granddaughter, my daughter Bobbi Jo (Ted) Eisenreich and great granddaughters Vanessa Eisenreich (Eric Letter) and Whitney and Dominic Strack.

Further survivors include Larry’s family: Kristin and Jason Krahn and their four kids and Kristal and Randall Skenadore and their four kids and Kristin and Kristal’s mom Janice Henn. Dennis’s family: Sam and Pauline and their two kids, Jered and Ashley and their daughter, and Jodell and their mother Jodie Endres.

Mom was the last surviving sibling, being preceded in death by sisters and brothers-in-law: Lilyan and Hap Meyer, Lenora and Edward Schmit, Marion and John Babbitt, and Darlene and Bill VerBruggen and brothers and sisters-in-law: S. James and Marie Steward, Calvin and Jane Steward, and Howard Steward.

When mom and I were by dad when he passed away, his last words to me were “take care of mom”. My heart is broken as isolation can be a death sentence, but deep down I really feel that Russ and I truly did what dad asked of me.

Due to COVID-19 a private family service will be held. Burial will be in the Seymour City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established. Muehl-Boettcher Funeral Home in Seymour assisted with funeral arrangements.

Online condolences may be expressed to Marcella’s family at www.muehlboettcher.com

A special thank you to the staff at Forest Glen Assisted Living. Thank you for being there for mom when I could not be and treating her with love and care. You have a special place in my heart. And to the residents of Forest Glen, thank you for becoming a part of mom’s extended family and mine. Take care of yourselves and stay safe!

Mom, I never dreamed in a million years that things would happen like they did and for that I am so sorry. My heart is broken, but always remember that I love you! Susan