Loretta M. Waltz, age 83, passed away on Wednesday morning February 20, 2019 at the Fennimore Good Samaritan Society. Loretta was born on Jan. 3, 1936 in Marietta Township Crawford County, WI the daughter of Earl and Mary (Flesch) Rider. She was united in marriage to John F. Waltz on Nov. 22, 1956 in Boscobel, WI.
Loretta and John farmed in Marion Township for several years. Loretta enjoyed the farm life always willing to put in a hard days work next to her husband. She then went to work at Land’s End of Dodgeville until retiring after 17 years. Loretta enjoyed going on Warco bus trips to various places and liked to go dancing. She was a dedicated wife, mother, and grandmother who thoroughly enjoyed her great grandchildren.
Loretta is survived by her six children; Margaret (Gary) Sprague of Fennimore, WI, John M. Waltz of Rochester, MN, Laura (Dave) Martin of Boscobel, WI, James Waltz of Lone Rock, WI, William (Jeanne) Waltz of Sterling, CO, Theresa (Earl) Kaiser of Platteville, WI, son-in-law Kim Godfrey of Monroe, WI step daughter Mary (Max) Edge of Stitzer, WI, 14 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren, two sisters; Helen Schmelz of Cedar Rapids, IA, Maxine Wall of Eastman, WI, two brothers; Wayne Rider of Montfort, WI, Ricky Rider and Nancy of Patch Grove, WI, two brother-in-laws; Harold Stagman of Colchester, WI, and Chris Gebhard of Woodman, WI.
Loretta was preceded in death by her parents, husband John in 1979, daughter Suzanne Godfrey, daughter-in-law Wanda Jo Waltz, sister-in-law Minnie Rider, brother Lawrence (Ellen) Rider, two sisters; Leona Stagman and LaVonne Gebhard, brother Jerome (Marion) Rider, two brother-in-laws; Bernard Wall and Melvin Schmelz.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Monday February 25, 2019 at the St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Fennimore, WI with burial to follow in the Boscobel Cemetery in Boscobel, WI. Visitation will be held from 4-7:00 P.M. on Sunday afternoon February 24, 2019 at the Larson Family Funeral Home in Fennimore, WI and from 9:30-10:30 A.M. at the funeral home on Monday morning. In lieu of plants and flowers, a memorial fund is being established in loving memory of Loretta M. Waltz.