Ninth Generation

640. Lila May FARMER was born on 17 May 1936 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.¹³⁰ She lived at her home in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI in February 2003.⁷⁵ She died on 13 February 2004 at the age of 67 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁶⁹

Obituary Notes: "Lila M. Sommerfeldt, 67, of Tomah passed away Friday, Feb. 13, 2004, at her home surrounded by her family. She was born May 17, 1936, to Curtis and Violet (Kewit) Farmer at Wilton, Wis. She was united in marriage to Richard "Dick" Sommerfeldt on Aug. 13, 1954, at Wilton by Pastor C. Schulte.

Prior to her retirement Lila worked at Camp Williams USP&FO as an accounting technician. She was recognized by both the Federal Government and the State of Wisconsin for 20 years of faithful service.

Lila was community minded and was always willing to volunteer her time to help others whenever she was asked. She was a member of and very active in the Tomah American Legion Auxiliary. She served as Auxiliary President and also served as Deputy Representative for the Auxiliary.

She loved to golf and was a member of the Holiday Lodge Ladies Golf League and the Couples League. She was also a longtime and faithful member of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Tomah.

Lila especially enjoyed the time she spent with her husband Dick and the family. She enjoyed traveling and family outings. Dick and Lila had the good fortune to travel to and visit almost every state in the United States. She was a loving and devoted daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, and sister.

She is survived by her husband, Richard of Tomah; a daughter, Susan Solberg of New Hope, Minn.; two sons, Richard "Rick" (Yvonne) of Warrens, Wis., and Kurt (Marilyn) of Rochester, Minn.; five grandchildren, Alicia Hardimon, Aaron, Joslyn, Brian and Danielle Sommerfeldt; a sister, Beverly Schroeder of Chandler, Ariz.; and a brother, James (Jeanne) Farmer of Janesville; a sister-in-law, Arline Budde of Wilton; a brothr-in-law, Gordy (Carol) Summerfeld of Holmen, Wis.; four aunts, Jeanette Becker, Ardella Gerke, Jean Kewitt, all of Tomah; two uncles Harold (Gladys) Kewit and Jim Kewit all of Tomah; many cousins, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by six aunts, Evelyn Rogge, Ada Miller, Helen Westpfahl, Gertrude Oakes, Beatrice Wakefield, and Margaret Drews; nine uncles, Harry Westpfahl, Carl Miller, Ovid Oakes, Rolland Wakefield, Carl Drews, Edward Becker, Allan Gerke, Ernest Rogge, and Kenneth Kewitt.

Funeral services will be held on held on Monday, Feb. 16, 2004, 11 a.m. at the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 310 W. Elizabeth St., Tomah. Pastor William Rice and Pastor Martha J. Hampton will officiate. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery at Tomah.

Relatives and friends are invited to call at the Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home, 801 E. Monowau St., Tomah, on Sunday from 4 to 8 p.m. and at the church Monday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. Family request memorials be given to Tomah Hospice Touch care of Tomah Memorial Hospital, 321 Butts Ave., Tomah, WI 54660 in memory of Lila Sommerfeldt."
Lila was buried on 16 February 2004 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁶⁹ in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Lila May FARMER and Richard R. "Dick" SOMMERFELDT were married on 13 August 1954 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.⁶⁹ at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Richard R. "Dick" SOMMERFELDT, son of Reinhold G. H. SOMMERFELDT and Dorothy C. DOMKE, was born on 2 October 1933 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.¹³⁰ He lived at his home in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI in February 2004.⁷⁵ He died on 22 November 2023 at the age of 90 in Sparta, Sparta Township, Monroe County, WI. Obituary Notes: "Richard “Dick” R. Sommerfeldt, 90, of Tomah, passed away on Wednesday, November 22, 2023, at the Morrow Home in Sparta, WI.

Dick was born on October 2, 1933, to Ronald D. and Dorothy C. (Domke) Sommerfeldt on the Raliegh Clark farm south of Wilton, WI where he lived his entire youth life. He was a member of the Wilton High School Graduating Class of 1952. After graduation, Dick enlisted into the United States Air Force and was stationed overseas in England for two years during the Korean War and was honorably discharged as an Airman Third Class.

He returned home in 1954 to marry his high school sweetheart, Lila M. Farmer on August 13, 1954, in Wilton. She preceded him in death on February 13, 2004. Dick and Lila moved to Montana for a few years before returning to Tomah in 1957. They resided in the Lemonweir area until 1961 when they purchased their forever home on Elm Street. Dick worked for Ranney’s Dairy from 1957-1967, for the 7-Up Bottle Company from 1967 to 1970 before returning to Volk Field as a contracting officer, retiring in 1993 as an Air Guardsman. Dick was fortunate to find love again in 2005 when meeting Myrna Giraud. They were united in marriage on March 19, 2006. She preceded him in death on January 3, 2023.

Throughout his lifetime, Dick enjoyed golfing. He was a member of the Holiday Lodge golf league and competed in couples’ league with Lila in his earlier years. He and Myrna took many golf trips to Tennessee in the later years. Dick enjoyed traveling and had the good fortune to travel with Lila to almost every state in the US. They also went to Niagara Falls, on family camping trips to Yellowstone, trips to the Grand Tetons and Florida are just a few of the countless trips that Dick was able to enjoy throughout the years.

This time of year, Dick would look forward to planning snowmobiling trips around the state. He never passed up the opportunity to enjoy a turn around the dance floor. Dick also enjoyed hunting and was always excited when deer season was approaching. He loved to hunt with his kids and his grandkids through the years. Many memories were made. Watching and cheering his grandchildren and great grandchildren on at their sporting events brought him a tremendous amount of joy and he looked forward to every time he was able to spend time with them. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather who will be dearly missed by those that loved him.

He is survived by his son; Kurt (Marilyn) Sommerfeldt of Rochester, MN; a daughter-in-law, Yvonne Sommerfeldt of Warrens; grandchildren and great great grandchildren; Aaron (Krista), their children, Reed and Kinzie; Joslyn (Mark), their children, Madisyn and Emma; Brian (Danielle) their children, McKinley and an expected grandchild in December, Danielle (Sam) their children, Nyah and Camden; Alicia (Curtiss), their children, Davisyn and Kallyn; stepchildren, Don (Sherri) of Tomah; Keith of Tomah; Craig (Michele) of Norwalk, Todd (Laurie) of Sparta; and Diane Sesolak of Lodi; step grandchildren and step great grandchildren. He is further survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Preceded in death by his parents, Ronald and Dorothy, his first wife Lila; second wife Myrna; son, Richard “Rick” Sommerfeldt; daughter, Susan Solberg – her partner in life Ray Hardimon; sister, Arlene Buddy; brother, Gordon Summerfield, sister-in-law, Beverly Schroeder, and brother-in-law Jim Farmer and his faithful four-legged companion, Lexus.

A Funeral Service will be held on Friday, December 1, 2023, at 11:00 AM at the Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home, 801 E. Monowau Street, Tomah, WI. Pastor David Dahl will officiate. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery with military honors by Grassman-Sowle-Larsen-Senz American Legion Post #201 following the funeral. Lunch will be served at the Sonnenberg Funeral Home after the visit to the cemetery.

Relatives and friends are invited for a time of visitation on Thursday from 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM at the funeral home and on Friday from 10:00 AM until the time of the service. Online condolences can be offered by visiting www.sonnenburgfamilyfh.com."

Lila May FARMER and Richard R. "Dick" SOMMERFELDT had the following children: