Clara Laura Emma Kroetz

STOUGHTON - Clara Laura Emma Kroetz, age 98, of Stoughton, went peacefully to her heavenly home on Thursday, November 28, 2024, at Stoughton Meadows. She was born on February 4, 1926, in Fox Lake, Wis., the daughter of Fred and Marie (Eggert) Wobig.

Clara married Earl Kroetz on June 1, 1946, in Fox Lake, Wis. They raised their family in Madison where Clara lived until moving to Stoughton Meadows at age 95.  She and Earl were previously members of Bethel Lutheran Church where they were involved in XYZ Club and Earl served as an usher.  Most recently, Clara was a member of St. John's Lutheran in Evansville where she enjoyed visits and communion from Pastor Jerry.

Clara worked for over 50 years for American Family Liddicoat Insurance Agency as a customer service assistant and maintained her agent’s license up until age 86 when she decided it was time to retire. She did, however, continue to “work” by making birthday calls for the agency until she was 94!  When Earl had his lawncare business, Badger Weed Control, she was his unpaid bookkeeper and accountant. In her earlier years, she enjoyed cross stitch, sewing and crocheting. Clara enjoyed gardening, especially roses, and even after moving to a senior apartment always had potted flowers on her deck. While living at Stoughton Meadows, she enjoyed watching the birds at her bird feeder, playing bingo and balloon volleyball as well as reading and doing word search puzzles.  She was a loyal Packers and Brewers fan and was very displeased when Craig Counsell left to coach the Cubs!

Clara was a lifelong animal lover, especially cats and kittens.  As a little girl, she loved playing with the mama cats and their babies in the barn as well as she and Earl having cats (sometimes as many as four) during their married life, and having a cat as a roommate in her years living in a senior apartment.

Clara is survived by her daughters, Shirley (Richard) Richards and Sharie (Mark) Hansen; grandchildren, Cynthia (Joseph) Cheramy, Paul (Jessica) Richards, Rachel (Shawn) Powell and Matthew (Denise Jones) Hansen; great-grandchildren, Scarlet and Emmit Richards, and Kate and Haley Powell; and other relatives. She was preceded in death by her husband, Earl; parents; brother, Herbert Wobig; and sister, Hilda Wobig; and infant brother.

Clara will be deeply missed by those that loved her.

A memorial service will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, at 12 noon on Friday, December 6, 2024. A celebration of life will be held at the funeral home from 10:30 a.m. until the time of the service on Friday. Burial will be at Highland Memory Gardens.

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East

Funeral & Cremation Care

5203 Monona Drive

(608) 221-5420