Herta Fountain

SPRING GREEN-Herta Louise Margarete (Kofler) Fountain, age 88 of Spring Green, and formerly of Waukegan, Ill., passed away peacefully after a courageous 6 ½ year battle with Alzheimer’s disease on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018, at The Meadows Assisted Living & Memory Care in Spring Green. She was born March 14, 1929, in Oberstedten in Taunus, Germany, later moving with her family to Ruesselsheim, Germany.  In early 1946, she fell in love with a handsome American soldier named Robert “Bob” Fountain while he was stationed in Frankfurt, Germany. They were engaged on Aug.18, 1946, and united in marriage on Sept. 10, 1947, in Germany. Herta and Bob had two daughters while stationed in Germany. On June 5, 1952, Herta left Germany with her 2-1/2 year old daughter, a 5 month old baby girl in her arms and two suitcases to join her husband in the United States where he had made their home in Waukegan, Ill., they then had two more children, a son in 1953, and another daughter in 1959. Herta became a homemaker and worked part-time as a private housekeeper for a few families in Lake Forest, Ill. while her children were in school. After the children were grown, she returned to work full-time as the Asst. Manager of the women’s clothing at The Globe Department Store in Waukegan. Herta flourished in this new career of fashion and was quickly promoted to Manager of men’s clothing.  She worked there for approximately 10 years. She then went to work at St. Therese Hospital for a number of years in the medical/surgical supply dept. She then returned to men’s clothing and went to work for Lindberg Men’s Shop in Downtown Waukegan, where she worked for 15 years before retiring with her husband to Spring Green. Herta fell in love with Spring Green as it reminded her of her homeland of Germany. She spent her retirement years collecting antiques with her husband Bob. Herta loved to bake banana bread and cookies, her home always smelled of yummy baked goods. She was an avid knitter since the age of 7 in Germany.  During her retirement she knitted hundreds of hats, scarves, sweaters, headbands and baby items, she also crocheted sweaters and blankets and would sell her crafts at local shops. Herta helped to raise and babysit her three grandchildren that lived in Spring Green, she looked forward to the holidays when all her children and grandchildren from all over would be coming to visit her. Herta had a passion for flowers and loved her numerous gardens she created at their home along the Wisconsin River, she spent many hours a day outside with hubby Bob and the grandkids caring for those flower gardens, her flower gardens were also in the Spring Green Garden Walk Tour.  Herta is survived by her four children, Christine (Michael) Bauldry of Oregon; Corinne Fountain of Winthrop Harbor, Ill., Robert (Ruth) Fountain of Mesa, Ariz., and Irene Fountain-Hilston of Spring Green; her beloved younger sister, Senta (Werner) Kant of Eagle River; sister-in-law, Darlene Nagle of Hubbell, Mich.; brother-in-law, Kenneth Robarge of Gay, Mich; ten grandchildren, Chandra Bell of Rock Falls, Ill., Melissa Brown of Sun Prairie, Tania (Dale) DeVoe of Winthrop Harbor, Ill., Diana (Billy) Vanderpool of Mesa, Ariz., Dereck Dempewolf of Ohio, Donuala (Bill) Burchard of  Wis., Bryan (Tami) Fountain of Mesa, Ariz., Jennifer (Shane) Whitaker of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Matthew and Michael Hilston of Spring Green; 21 great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren; four nephews, Robert (Carol Walton) Kofler of Gurnee, Ill., Gary (Ruth) Kofler of Beach Park, Ill., Gordy Schmitt of Brookfield, Ill., and Donald Schmitt of Calumet, Mich.;  four nieces: Kathy Harju-Grom, Vicky Robarge-Driver, Patty Robarge-Boyd and Barbara Robarge-Thomas of Illinois.  She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 55 years, Robert in 2002; her parents, Frederick and Louise Kofler; her brother, Karl Kofler; her sister-in-law, Edith Kofler all of Waukegan, Ill.; her in-laws, Edward and Victoria Fountaine of Gay, Mich.; her sister-in-law, Carol Harju-Robarge; a brother-in-law, Werner Harju; and nephews, James Harju, Michael Schmidt and Timothy Schmidt; and her cousin Renate in Germany.  Herta’s family wishes to express heartfelt appreciation and many thanks to Pastor Kendall Harger of Spring Green Community Church, the entire staff of The Meadows Assisted Living and Memory Care in Spring Green and Agrace HospiceCare for all the time, guidance, tender loving care and compassion you have given our mother and grandmother over the years.  A private service for immediate family only will be held on Monday, March 5, 2018, at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Dr., Madison.  Burial will follow at Roselawn Memorial Park where Herta will be laid to rest next to her beloved husband, Bob.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Herta’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association, South Central Wisconsin Chapter.  Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care 5203 Monona Dr. (608) 221-5420