Vera Lou (Sponem) Eidsmoe

Vera Lou Nettie Emma (Sponem) Eidsmoe, age 89, of Oakwood Village - University Woods, Madison, formerly of Blanchardville, died on Thursday, February 3, 2022, at Oakwood Village. She was born in Green County on November 15, 1932, to Adolph and Nettie (Kably) Sponem. Vera was baptized and confirmed at Primrose Lutheran Church, rural Belleville. She attended and graduated from Mt. Horeb High School in 1949. Vera was a talented artist taking art correspondence courses after graduation and was even offered a job as a cartoonist in California. But she stayed rooted in Wisconsin and on March 11, 1951, she married Herbert “Bud” Eidsmoe at Primrose Lutheran Church. They farmed in a couple locations in the area until moving to Herbert’s home farm which had been in the family for over a century. They farmed there until Herbert retired due to health reasons and they sold the farm in 1978 to the Gary Gruenenfelder family. They moved just north of the family farm, across the river, to a connecting farmette which they also owned. On January 17, 1984, Herbert passed away and a few years later Vera moved to Belleville, then to Verona and eventually to Oakwood Village after she retired from working there.

Vera worked side-by-side on the farm with her husband until their first-born son, Dale, arrived but died five days later from pneumonia. She then began work at Green County Pre-Pack from 1954-57, when their second son, Gary, was born. This was followed by their first daughter, Shari, and then Vera went to work at Swiss Colony Bakery from 1963-1968, at which time their fourth child, Lori, was born. This was followed up by daughters, Marci, Kristi, Suzi and Debi. During those years Vera would work nights at Swiss Colony during the Christmas season as a supervisor, but it never stopped her from working on the farm. From 1985-1990, Vera worked at New Glarus Foods, then from 1980-1990 she worked as a cook at the Pecatonica Elementary School in Hollandale, then at that point to Verona Pre-School from 1990-1993 and finally at Oakwood Village starting out first as a server and then quickly moving into the finance department where she retired in 2011. After retiring Vera moved to Oakwood Village in 2011.

Vera loved to cook and bake, as many have enjoyed the fruits of her labor. She truly enjoyed their annual family Norwegian Baking Day each year with her daughters and grandchildren. Vera also was a talented seamstress, making most of her clothes when she was younger, all her maternity outfits and most of her girls’ clothes when they were younger. Throughout the years, she was known to be the go-to gal at Oakwood for any sewing needs. In her younger years, she was an avid bowler. She bowled on teams all the way up to 2011, when she started having shoulder problems. As much as she loved that, she loved even more to play cards and games – whether it was euchre with friends or family, a  Golf card game and Uno with her grandchildren, or a competitive game of Scrabble with her daughters; she was out to win no matter what. Vera also treasured her travel adventures making a few trips when Herbert was living with family and friends, traveling with her friend Isy Dobson, and trips with her daughters, mostly up to Minnesota. But, if truth be told, she would never turn down a trip to a casino! Family gatherings, however, were her biggest pleasures and would trump anything else (yes, pun intended!). 

Vera leaves behind her loving family; one son, Gary (Shirley) Eidsmoe of Blanchardville; and six daughters, Shari (Robert) O’Connor, Blanchardville; Lori Brown (fiancée Lee), Barneveld; Marci (Wesley) Watrud, Blanchardville; Kristi (Mark) McVay, Dodgeville; Suzi (Greg) Ohlhues, Farmington, MN; and, Debi Jensen, Beloit.

She is also survived by fifteen grandchildren: Geoffrey (Jenny) Eidsmoe, Tracy (Josh) Zweifel; Casey (fiancée Nika) O’Connor, Brady (Jenne) O’Connor; Maci, Sierra and Brooke Watrud; Tricia (Josh) McVay, Alex McVay, Kristal (fiancée Skylar) McVay, Kelsey McVay; Kailey, Autumn and Tabitha Ohlhues; and, Cassie (Griffin) Willard. Vera will similarly be greatly missed by her eleven great-grandchildren, Ikehm, Leyton, Keegan, Brantley, Aubree, Harvey, Harrison, Damon, Evelyn, Lorenzo and Ayvah. Lastly, she is survived by her oldest brother, Aldine (Avis) Sponem, Verona; and brother-in-law Allan (Lana) Eidsmoe, LaCrosse.

Vera was predeceased by her husband, Herbert, in 1984; son, Dale, in 1954; her parents; twin brothers Gerald and Harold Sponem, brother and sister-in-law Roger and Joan Sponem; sister-in-law Doris Scheidegger and her husband Fred Scheidegger; and, father- and mother-in-law, Oscar and Bertina Eidsmoe.

A visitation for Vera will be held on Thursday evening, February 10, 2022 from 4:00 until 8:00 PM at Blanchard Hall at 204 South Main Street in Blanchardville.  A funeral service will be held on Friday morning, February 11, 2022 at 11:00 am at New Hope Lutheran at 305 Madison St in Blanchardville.

The service will be live cast for the public on the Saether Funeral Service Facebook page.  

http://www.facebook.com/saetherfuneralservice

Rev. Chris Strohm of New Hope Lutheran will officiate.  Burial will be in the Moscow Cemetery in rural Blanchardville.  Saether Funeral Service of Blanchardville is assisting the family.  Online memories and condolences can be shared with the family at saetherfuneralservice.com

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