Adelle Walling

ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin

Adelle Walling

1907 - 2007

Adelle E. Walling, 100, of Watertown, passed away Wednesday morning, Sept. 5, 2007, at Marquardt Memorial Manor.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday at 4 p.m. at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Watertown with the Rev. Anthony Schultz and the Rev. Mark Gartner officiating.

Burial will be in St. Henry Catholic Cemetery. [see Adelle Richter entry]

Family and friends may call to pay their respects at the church on Sunday from 3 p.m. until the time of the service.

Memorials, if desired, may be directed to St. Luke's Lutheran Church or to the charity of one's choice.

Adelle was born May 12, 1907, in Watertown, daughter of the late Gustav and Bertha (Heiden) Erdmann. She attended Lincoln Grade School and was a 1925 graduate of Watertown High School. On Feb. 6, 1932, she married Bernard Richter at St. Henry's Catholic Church in Watertown. They lived in Watertown while Adelle worked in the office of the former G. B. Lewis Company. She accompanied her husband during his military career to Walla Walla, Wash., where she was a nurse's aide in the Volunteer Special Services Unit of the American Red Cross. Bernard and Adelle also lived in Manitowoc and Eau Claire where she worked for the court system. He preceded her in death on Dec. 6, 1966.

On Nov. 5, 1967, she married Dr. Ronald D. Walling at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Baraboo. They moved to McAllen, Texas, in 1977 and shared interests of golf, bridge, crossword puzzles and travel, which provided many happy memories during their retirement years. He preceded her in death on May 12, 2003, at the age of 101. Adelle then returned to her native Watertown.

She was a member of St. Luke's Lutheran Church, the Ladies of the Elks and American Legion Auxiliary Post No. 189, all in Watertown. She enjoyed bowling and was the first secretary of the Watertown Women's Bowling Association in 1937. Adelle was a master bridge player and in 1992, she received a Life Master Certificate from the American Contract Bridge League. Her golf career, which began at the Watertown Country Club, earned her many club championships (Watertown 1946). In recent years, she enjoyed golfing with her nephew, Larry Erdmann, and her niece, Debbie Bortz.

Adelle enjoyed many activities, but her favorite was painting, which she began in 1979. She was an accomplished artist. Her paintings of flowers, nature and landscape are especially treasured by her relatives. She also enjoyed pencil sketches.

Adelle is survived by a stepson, Garth (Esther) Walling of Neenah; stepgranddaughters, Nicole (Bill) Smith of Neenah and Nancy Walling of Nichols; a stepgrandson, Scott (Heather) Neitz of Racine; four stepgreatgrandchildren, Michelle Perket, Ryan Perket, JT Rau and Pieper Grace Neitz; a sister-in-law, Gertrude Erdmann of Elkhorn; caregivers, Nancy (Michael) Klinger of Watertown; other nieces, nephews and special friends, Bill and Phyllis Schmidt of Watertown.

She was further preceded in death by a stepdaughter, Helen Kay (Walling) Neitz; three brothers, Carl, Raymond and George Erdmann; and three sisters, Irma Gritzner, Leona Heiden and Mildred Tessmann.

The family would like to thank the staff at Marquardt Memorial Manor and Jenny and Angie of hospice for the loving care they provided for Adelle.

Hafemeister Funeral Home 611 E. Main St. Watertown