Evelyn Brettingen

Madison Evelyn D. Brettingen, age 92, surrounded by her loving family, passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 31 at UW Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. Evelyn was born in Wilton, Wisconsin to Vilas and Esther Friske, December 5, 1917 and was the oldest of ten children. In 1935 she left "the ridge" behind and moved to Madison to work at 3F Laundry where she met her husband, A.O. "Bret" Brettingen. Together they raised five children. In 1955, Evelyn and Bret moved to Middleton Junction where together they owned and operated Brets Bar and Grill for the next 29 years. Evelyn is survived by two daughters, Sheryl (Bill) Batten of Blue Mounds, and Bonnie (Scott) Mast of Madison; nine grandchildren, Nicki (Joe) Prestigiacomo, Brett Bollenbach, Aaron Brettingen, Jason Currie, Jamie (Quinn) Currie, Casey (Alison) Batten, Adam Batten, Kate (Ariel) Ladd, and Libby Mast; four great-grandchildren, Paige Prestigiacomo, Jackson Currie, Jada Currie, and Emma Currie; two sisters, Mae Nelson and Audrey (Charles) Backeburg, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her three sons, Larry, Ronnie, and Dickie; her daughter-in-law, June (Ronnie); four brothers, Raymond, Clarence, Carol and Gaylord; and three sisters, June, Shirley, and LaVonne. The family would like to thank the staff at Oakwood Village Apartments and Hebron Hall Nursing Home for 16 years of wonderful care and kindness; to Dr. Cleary and the Palliative Care Unit at the UW Hospital, and a special thank you to Dr. Bruce Harms and his family for their never ending support. Memorials can be made to The Oakwood Foundation in Evelyns name. Funeral services will be held WEST MIDDLETON LUTHERAN CHURCH, 3763 Pioneer Road, (corner of Mineral Point Road and Pioneer Road) Verona, at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday August 4, 2010. The Rev. David Brandfass presiding. Burial will be in Middleton Junction Cemetery. A visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 3, 2010 at Gunderson West Funeral Home, 7435 University Avenue, Middleton, and also from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at the church on Wednesday. Words cannot express how much Gram Evie and her gentle spirit will be missed. She was the rock of her family, a tremendous role model, always supportive, never critical and, simply the best mother, grandmother and great-grandmother a family could be blessed with. Cemetery: Burial will be in Middleton Junction Cemetery Visitation: A visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 3, 2010 at Gunderson West Funeral Home, 7435 University Avenue, Middleton, and also from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at the church on Wednesday. Service: Funeral services will be held WEST MIDDLETON LUTHERAN CHURCH, 3763 Pioneer Road, (corner of Mineral Point Road and Pioneer Road) Verona, at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday August 4, 2010. The Rev. David Brandfass presiding.