Thirteenth Generation

473. Wesley James ROOT (`~) was born on 18 July 1920 in Redwater, McCone County, MT.^{124,182,228,229} He appeared in the census in 1930 in Adrian Township, Monroe County, WI.⁹⁴ He appeared in the census in 1940 in Adrian Township, Monroe County, WI.²³⁰ He was living with his mother and siblings and his occupation was "Farm Hand, Dairy Farm."

. Wesley died on 26 April 1985 at the age of 64 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^124,182,228

Obituary Notes: "Services for Wesley J. Root, 64, of Tomah, were today (Monday) at 2 P.M. at the Tomah Baptist Church. The Rev. Eldon Bergen officiated and burial was in Mount Vernon Cemetery.

Root died Fri., April 26, 1985 at his home. He was born July 18, 1920 in Montana to Ervin and Minne (Jones) Root. He married June R. Moore on July 25, 1955. They farmed in the Coles Valley area until 1977 when they moved to Tomah.

Survivors include his wife; four sons, Donald, Gerald and Marvin, all of Tomah, and Allen of Des Moines, Ia.; three grandchildren; his mother of Tomah; two brothers, Norman of Onalaska and Harold of Minneapolis; three sisters, Marita Root of Wheaton, Ill., Lois Ness of Kendall and Ruth Ann Wilson of Racine. The White Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements." He was buried on 29 April 1985 in Jacksonville, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^124,182 in the Mount Vernon Cemetery. He graduated in Sparta, Sparta Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁴⁷ from Sparta High School.

Wesley James ROOT (`~) and Roxanne June MOORE were married on 2 July 1955 in Chicago, Cook County, IL.^{124,280,281,282} in the Edgewater Baptist Church. Roxanne June MOORE²⁸³, daughter of John Eldred MOORE and Harta Delight WHEELOCK, was born on 12 September 1929 in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, MN.^228,284 She appeared in the census in 1930 in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, MN.²⁸⁵ She appeared in the census in 1940 in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, MN.²⁸⁶ Roxanne appeared in the census in 1950 in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, MN.²⁸³ Between 1977 and January 2009 she was in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁸⁴ at the Band Box Cleaners. She died on 1 June 2023 at the age of 93 in La Crosse, La Crosse County, WI.²⁸² Obituary Notes: "June Root passed unexpectedly, quickly and peacefully the afternoon of June 01, 2023 at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse. She had been successfully recovering from a broken hip, when her situation turned the morning of June 01. Her final hours were spent surrounded by family, receiving phone calls from those unable to come, and exchanging personal sentiments. She was fully aware of her situation and of all she conversed with. It was a precious, blessed send off to her new home in Glory.

June was born in Minneapolis, MN, to Eldred and Harta Moore. Her growing years were primarily spent outdoors. She loved swimming, tennis, and fishing with her dad. Her family had a small cabin on a lake 120 miles north of Minneapolis. There she earned the nickname “the frog girl” by catching and playing with frogs. When she was about 12 the girls next door got bicycles. She got one soon thereafter, which she said “started a new life for me.” She was well-known in and around Tomah for her faithful bike riding into her late 80’s.

Upon graduation from Edison High School in 1947, she enrolled at Northwestern Bible School in Minneapolis. Her three years there included playing on the basketball team. For two of her three years there the school’s president was a young, upcoming preacher named Billy Graham.

In 1950, she moved to Chicago, IL, and worked at Scripture Press. She wound up rooming with two Root girls from Coles Valley (between Tomah and Sparta) who had an unmarried brother back on the farm. At the wedding of Ruth Anne Root, she met Wesley Root and married him less than a year later on July 02, 1955. The wedding took place at Edgewater Baptist Church in Chicago, where June had attended. In her autobiography she described her apartment life, church life, and work life as rich experiences.

Her married life began by learning what a shivaree is. She said hers was the only one she ever attended. Her early life on the dairy farm was a source of entertainment for the Coles Valley country folk. She confided that one of Wesley’s contemporaries told her later on, “In my mind I only gave you a couple of months to last.” Over time she adapted well to farm life, due to her love of all things outdoors. In those years she developed her love of lawn mowing. She was well known for push mowing her own lawn until her 90th birthday, becoming “upset” if anyone stopped to help her (“Honestly, do they think I’m old!!).

In early 1973, Wesley began showing the effects of a new disease called Alzheimer’s. In October of 1977 the farm was sold and they moved into Tomah. June soon gained employment at Band Box Cleaners, where she worked until January of 2009 (at age 79). She truly enjoyed her work there and the people she worked with. In addition, she also worked a while for Denny Carlson Engineering, who she had known in Chicago. From the onset of Wesley’s disease until his passing in April of 1985 (at age 64), June cared for him. It was difficult, but she said, “I know he would do the same for me.”

Her entire life was characterized by faithful devotion and service to her Savior Jesus Christ. She did many things to serve Him from her childhood years until the final days of her life. She taught her four sons to serve God, and in her final hours personally commended her grandchildren for their service to God. She was a faithful member of Tomah Baptist Church, where she served in the nursery for decades, sang in the choir and various music groups, and worked in Light Bearing Printing Ministry. In the days following her retirement, as long as she was able, she made regular visits to shut-ins, elderly friends, and neighbors from her Coles Valley days. She was a faithful letter writer and regularly sent out cards for all occasions, or just to let people know she cared about them.

She is survived by her four sons and their wives, seven grandchildren and their spouses, and 19 great-grandchildren:

Don and Debbie (Camp Douglas, WI)
      Donni-Anne, married to Nathan Doyel (5 children and a son-in-law)(Victorville, CA)
      Bryan, married to Danielle (4 children) (Indianapolis, IN)
      Lisa (Tunnel City, WI)
Allen and Joy (Pleasant Hill, IA)
      Katie, married to Ben Wooster (2 children) (traveling missionary church builders)
      Kevin, married to Sarah (4 children) (Denver, CO)
      Krisanna, married to Daniel Sternquist (4 children) (Alton, IL)
Jerry and Leslie (La Crosse, WI)
      Matthew (La Crosse, WI)
Marv and Jodi (Tomah)

She is also survived by her very special friend, Robert Crook. He was a constant companion over her last years, including appearing together as Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty in many area parades.

She was preceded in death by her parents, one brother Stanley Moore, and her husband Wesley.

A visitation will be held at Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home on Monday, June 05, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.  The funeral will be held at Tomah Baptist Church at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 06, with visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. Pastor Aaron Smith of Tomah Baptist Church will officiate. Burial will be at Mt. Vernon Cemetery in Tomah. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Tomah Baptist Church, Light Bearing Printing Ministry.

The funeral service will be livestreamed and viewable on the Facebook page of Tomah Baptist Church and Academy, and the church’s website: https://tomahbaptistchurch.com/livestream-services/."

Roxanne was buried in Jacksonville, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁸² in the Mount Vernon Cemetery.

Wesley James ROOT (`~) and Roxanne June MOORE had the following children: