Fourth Generation

124. Gerhardt Louis VON HADEN¹⁶ was born on 2 August 1918 in Wellington Township, Monroe County, WI.^16,53 He appeared in the census in 1930 in Wellington Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁸ He graduated in 1936 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁵³ from Tomah High School. Gerhardt died on 17 April 1999 at the age of 80 in Madison, Dane County, WI.⁵³ He was buried on 20 April 1999 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^17,53 at Oak Grove Cemetery.

Gerhardt Louis VON HADEN and Vera Genevieve GRUEN were married on 18 August 1943 in Norwalk, Monroe County, WI.⁵³ Vera Genevieve GRUEN, daughter of Edwin Emil GRUEN and Ella A. SCHENDEL, was born on 23 August 1921 in Dorset Valley, Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.^39,53 About 1940 she was a school teacher.²¹¹ at the Sunny Ridge School. She died on 27 July 2007 at the age of 85 in Baraboo, Washington Township, Sauk County, WI.⁵³ at the St. Clare Meadows Care Center.

Obituary Notes: "Vera Genevieve Von Haden, 85, of Baraboo, and formerly of Tomah, was called to her eternal rest on Tuesday, July 31, 2007, at St. Clare Meadows Care Center.

She entered this life on Aug. 23, 1921, being born to Edwin and Ella (Schendel) Gruen in Dorset Valley, near Wilton. She became a member of God’s family of believers through Holy Baptism on Sept. 11, 1921, at St. Jacob Ev. Lutheran Church, Norwalk. She grew up in Dorset Valley and attended the Dorset Valley School. She was confirmed in the Christian faith in October of 1933 at St. Matthew Ev. Lutheran Church, Ontario. She graduated from Wilton High School in 1939. Vera attended a two year Teacher’s Training Course at New Lisbon, WI. She went on to further her education, getting an Elementary Teachers Degree at La Crosse State Teachers College.

On Aug. 18, 1943, she was united in marriage to Gerhardt Von Haden at St. Jacob Ev. Lutheran Church, Norwalk. He preceded her in death on April 17, 1999. In her work life she taught first through eighth grades in a country school at Kendall for seven years; she then moved to Baraboo, where she taught for 24 years as a first grade teacher at St. John Ev. Lutheran School. She retired from teaching in 1979 to be caretaker for her husband who suffered a severe stroke. She enjoyed doing volunteer work at Jefferson Meadows Care Center, and St. Clare Hospital gift and luncheon cafeteria, meal site, and tutoring children of special needs. In her later years she enjoyed Senior Citizen Experience classes, reading, playing cards, games and dominos, and her many bus tours with friends, and especially spending time with her family. Vera was a faithful member of St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Baraboo.

She will be remembered as a devoted wife of 55 years; a loving and caring mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, who showed incredible courage, strength and faith when she was diagnosed with cancer.

She is survived by one son, Gary (a special daughter-in-law Patricia) Von Haden of Freedom. She also had two special “adopted” daughters, Fran (Michael) Cole of Baraboo and Sharon Von Haden of Green Bay; three grandsons, Gary Scott, Scott Anthony, and Daniel Lee; a granddaughter, Linnea (Rich) Forney; 10 great-grandchildren, Mason, McKenzie, Logan, Jordan, Ashley, Alec, Austin, Avery, Cody and Chalisse; a sister, Laurita (Howard) Pingel of Tomah, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a sister, Bertha Mitchell; one brother, Edward Gruen, and two special nephews, Dan and Edward Mitchell.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 7, at 11 a.m. at St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church, 505 Superior Ave, Tomah. Pastor Myron L. Schwanke will officiate. Burial will be in Oak Grove Memorial Gardens, Tomah."

Vera was buried on 7 August 2007 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁵³ in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Gerhardt Louis VON HADEN and Vera Genevieve GRUEN had the following children: