Joyce Elaine Kaspar

COTTAGE GROVE – Joyce Elaine Kaspar, age 74, of Cottage Grove, is now resting peacefully in the arms of our Lord Jesus Christ. She passed away at home surrounded by her loving husband and children on December 18, 2011 after a courageous six year battle with cancer. She was born on July 14, 1937 in Richland County, Wisconsin to Floyd and Veva (Unbehaun) Welker. The family moved from Richland Center to a farm located on Hwy 37 near Eau Claire, Wisconsin when she was in the 5th grade. Being raised on the farm, Joyce became skilled in cooking for the family and for threshing crews. Cooking and baking is something she always enjoyed. At times, she helped to contribute to the family income by caring for other neighboring families and children as a live-in helper. Joyce graduated from Eau Claire Senior High School in 1955 and then took a job with Marcus Clothing Store as a bookkeeper. That skill served her well all her life working as a bookkeeper/accountant for various companies in Wisconsin including Mobile Oil in Milwaukee. On July 9, 1966 she married Kurt Kaspar. Joyce and Kurt moved to Monona, Wisconsin to start their married life and raise a family. Together they enjoyed 45 years of marriage; many ski trips; and countless Badger football, basketball and hockey games over the years. In Madison, she pursued bookkeeping first at the Edward Mayland Company and then worked for Roger Kobe at Property Management Company. Joyce acquired a realtor’s license and became co-owner with Phyllis Kanvik of Canopy Realty Inc. where she sold real estate and both owned and managed rental properties in the Madison area. Upon retirement from Canopy Realty, Joyce worked as an accountant for Madison Bookkeeping and Tax Service until her final retirement. About this time, Joyce and Kurt built a home and moved from Monona to Cottage Grove. She served for many years on Eastside Lutheran Church’s funeral committee where she was famous for her German potato salad. Affectionately known as the “pie lady”, she made many dozens of pies for church and school bake sales. She also baked for the Madison Elks Lodge as a member of their Ladies Auxiliary. Joyce was also honored with the Distinguished Service Award from the UW Hockey Blue Line Club for her work during the 2006-2007 season. Joyce also spent 10 years caring for a single elderly aunt, Mary M. Welker, until the time of her death in January 2009. Always a Badger fan, Joyce and her husband followed the Badger football team in the Daniel’s RV for 30 years along with very special friends Irene and Joseph Daniels and their children, and other friends Mary & Doug Poole, Dorothy & Clarence Goldsworthy, Marion & Earl Mylrea, Emily & Roland Knoche, Jeanette & Lex Duschak, Moody & Willard Voss, Monica & Rich Voss, and Eve & Dick Engelbrecht. Joyce is survived by her husband Kurt; daughter Patricia (Douglas) Ferge and son Kurt Jay Kaspar; two granddaughters Katherine Ferge and Abigail Ferge; a sister Lois (Darrell) Wittwer; two brothers Judge James (Jeanene) Welker and Clinton (Nyla) Welker; a sister-in-law Jean (Harold) Bradham; and nieces and nephews: Carol (Lee) Edwards, Carrie (Larry) Simmons, Brad (Jakki) Wittwer, Troy (Kristin) Welker, James (Mary Carol) Bradham, Susan (William) Wickemeyer, Michael (Laura) Bradham, and many wonderful great-nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father Floyd Welker on July 31, 2002 and mother Veva Welker on September 11, 2001; father and mother-in-law Kurt and Ruby (Braff) Kaspar; and several aunts, uncles and cousins. Funeral services will be held at EASTSIDE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH,2310 Independence Lane, Madison, at 1:30 PM on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011, with Pastor Glen Schmiege presiding. Visitation will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL HOME, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, from 4:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011, and at church from 12:30 P.M. until the time of service Thursday. Burial will be at Roselawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Monona. Many thanks to Dr. Michael Huie and the nurses and staff of the University of Wisconsin Carbon Cancer for their kind care and support these last years. Memorials may be made to Eastside Lutheran Church or UW Carbon Cancer Center, 600 Highland Ave., Madison, WI 53705. Cemetery: Burial will be at Roselawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Monona. Memorials may be made to Eastside Lutheran Church or UW Carbon Cancer Center, 600 Highland Ave., Madison, WI 53705. Visitation will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL HOME, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, from 4:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011, and at church from 12:30 P.M. until the time of service Thursday. Funeral services will be held at EASTSIDE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH,2310 Independence Lane, Madison, at 1:30 PM on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011, with Pastor Glen Schmiege presiding.