Wilma Fechter Erway

OREGON- Wilma Fechter Erway, age 92, died on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015, at home. She was born on May 24, 1923, in Chicago, Ill., the only child of Joseph and Alma (Lefren) Fechter. Willie graduated with honors from Lindblom High School in 1940 and received a B.A. (Summa Cum Laude) from Kalamazoo College in 1944 with a major in zoology and an M.A. in zoology from the University of Wisconsin in 1945, where she was a research assistant in endocrinology. On June 9, 1945, she and Norman D. Erway were married at their college chapel in Kalamazoo and together they moved to Chicago for a year, where Norm worked on the Manhattan Project and Willie worked for the Toxicity Laboratory, both at the University of Chicago. In 1946, they moved to Oregon, Wis., and in 1947, they formed a partnership and started a scientific glassblowing business making and repairing scientific glass apparatus for the University of Wisconsin, other universities and laboratories all over the country and overseas. With their three daughters, the Erways traveled all over the United States and Canada. In 1964, they built a vacation home on the Petenwell Flowage of the Wisconsin River where they spent much of their time. Willie loved downhill skiing, and skied frequently in the Midwest and Western states, as well as Austria and Switzerland. She continued to downhill ski until she was 85 years old, even after breaking a leg skiing in her early eighties. Willie also enjoyed cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, whitewater and flat water canoeing, camping, hiking, boating, sailing, swimming, snorkeling, hunting, and visiting and photographing light houses. She loved collecting arrowheads that she found while beach combing on the Petenwell. Willie and Norm traveled extensively visiting six continents, most recently China in 2007, and took adventurous trips on dories through the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River; on old sailing ships off the Maine Coast; and on river cruises in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. With their family they took a horse pack trip in Montana, chartered sailboats in the Caribbean, whitewater rafted in Idaho and Utah, and enjoyed houseboat vacations in Utah, Minnesota, and Missouri. Willie enjoyed a good joke, a good meal, good times, good dogs, and good friends. Willie is survived by her three daughters, Kim (Bill) Birck of Missoula, Mont., Tracy (Baxter) Burton of Effingham, Ill., and Ricky Erway (Ted Brooks) of Redwood City, Calif.; a granddaughter, Catherine Rose Burton, who is attending graduate school at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio; and by friend and co-worker, John Ames and his family. She was preceded in death by her husband, Norman in 2013; and her parents. There will be no visitation or formal services. Her ashes will be scattered at their vacation home on the Petenwell. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Friends of the Library, 256 Brook Street, Oregon, WI 53575. The family would like to thank the staff of Agrace HospiceCare, the caregivers of Always Best Care Senior Services, and especially John and Carol Ames and their daughter Dana Ames for the loving care provided to Willie and the family. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson Oregon Funeral & Cremation Care 1150 Park Street (608)835-3515