Rose M. Wettstein

Rose M. Wettstein, age 95, of Chilton, died on December 15, 2018, at Villa Loretto Nursing Home in Mt. Calvary, WI. She was born September 4, 1923, in Charlesburg, WI, daughter of the late Richard and Mary Meier.  She married Joseph Wettstein on November 29, 1939, and together they had two children, Mary and Jerome.



Rose was a member of Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Chilton, the Daughters of Isabella, the Christian Women’s Group, and the Chilton Eagles Club. She was caring, kind, and family-oriented. Her giving nature led her to start creating wedding cakes in the 1960’s, which turned into a hobby that lasted over 40 years. She played in numerous card clubs and was always up for a game of Sheepshead. She enjoyed gambling and traveling, where she managed to visit all 50 states. 



Rose’s love for her family, specifically her son, Jerry, led her to be a champion for those less-abled.  In 1954, she was among a group of 10 mothers that formed an advocacy group for children with disabilities in Calumet County, which led to the implementation of special education services in the public schools and the founding of the New Hope Center in Chilton in 1965.  Rose continued her work with disabled adults and co-founded an annual prom for them in the 1980s that still continues today.  She also volunteered for Special Olympics, took calls for the Cerebral Palsy Telethon, volunteered at the Calumet Medical Center and helped with various other fundraisers. 



Rose is survived by her daughter, Mary Schaefer of Mount Calvary; her grandchildren: Cyril (Julie) Schaefer Jr., Geri Anne (Chris) Lein, Lisa (Dan) DesJardin, Thomas (Jodi) Schaefer, Amy Smith, and Mary Beth (John) Rank; great-grandchildren: Jennifer (Dan), Melissa (Rob), Tim, Ashley (Nathan), Amanda, Brian, Brandon, Adam, Aaron, Dane, Makayla, Katie, Noah, Owen, and Payton; great-great-grandchildren: Kayleigh, Kennedy, Aiden, and Carter; sisters: Hildegard Heimermann and Janet (Nick) Meyer-Steinmetz; and sisters-in-law: Louisa Meier, Terry Meier, and Diane Meier.



Rose is preceded in death by her husband, Joseph; her son: Jerome “Jerry” Wettstein; her parents: Richard and Mary; son-in-law: Cyril Schaefer Sr.; a great-grandson: Matthew; sisters: Isabel (Hugo) Stemper and Irene (Anthony) Hoerth; brothers: Zeno (Norma) Meier, Clarence (Bernita) Meier, Severin (Marie) Meier, Gilbert (Marian) Meier, Orville Meier, Alvin Meier, and Patrick Meier; and brothers-in-law: Harvey Meyer and Leonard Heimermann.



Funeral services are set for 12:00 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2018, at St. Isidore Catholic Church (308 Calvary St.) in Mt. Calvary with Fr. Gary Wegner and Dn. Dennis Bennin officiating. Friends may call at the church from 10:00 am until 11:45 am on the day of the service. 



In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in the name of Rose Wettstein.