On December 13, 2008, Ethel Knoblock, an angel on this earth for 88 years, passed on to be with her loving Lord, her husband Norm (the love of her life), her infant son Teddy, and all the dear relatives and friends who have been waiting for her arrival in heaven.
Ethel Elizabeth Engebretson was born on
December 11, 1920
in the Town of
Eau Plaine
to Andrew and Edith Engebretson, and lived in their loving care until they passed away when she was a young girl.
Ethel then found a loving home in
Wausau
with Ella and Walter Devantier, and their children Paul, Kathy, and Ruthie, who embraced her into their family.
When Ethel was ice skating at Marathon Park some years later, she literally bumped into (causing them both to fall down!) a handsome young man named Norman Knoblock, who she
married on June 8, 1939, and they spent the next 65 years blissfully in love with each other while raising and loving five children – Juanita (Roger) Landwehr (Wausau), Dan Knoblock (Wausau), Larry (Mary) Knoblock (Rothschild), Jim Knoblock (Wausau) and Terry (Bob) VanOrder (Wausau), and enjoying many grandchildren and great-grandchildren and even some great-great-grandchildren.
Ethel was employed as a Janitress for Marathon County Courthouse until her retirement, along with running the 124 Tap Bar in downtown
Wausau
with Norm for many years.
(That was a fun place and we have the pictures to prove it!)
She spent her life and retirement years enjoying garage sales, baking the best homemade bread & buns in the world, Christmas shopping all year long, going to stock car races to watch her grandson race (she was his biggest fan…go Neil!!!), having coffee & giggles with her girls, stopping by the Eagles Club with Norm for a beer, laughing often until the tears flowed from pure joy, feeding anyone who was hungry (including birds, bunnies, & stray cats), writing long letters to far-away friends & relatives, going on numerous adventures with Norm, (oh, the stories we could tell!), and just plain being there for anyone who needed her.
Ethel worked hard, gave unselfishly, and loved unconditionally all her life.
She made the world a better place.
She’s earned her reward.
We love you, mom.
Give dad a kiss for us.
See you soon!
The family would like to thank the staff at
Mount
View
Care
Center
for the respect and compassion that they showed Ethel these past few years….they are truly angels of mercy.
We are also so thankful to our own dear Mary Knoblock, one of Ethel’s girls, who possesses the gift of knowing when the time has come.
She is so gentle and strong.
We’ll celebrate Ethel’s life on this earth at Helke Funeral Home, 302 Spruce Street, Wausau, with a visitation on December 18
th
from 5 – 7 pm and a short visitation on December 19
th
from 12 noon - 1 pm, preceding the service to be held at 1:00.
Ethel’s brother, The Reverend Paul Devantier, will officiate.
Coffee and a selection of desserts will be enjoyed after the service, followed by a procession to the resting site at
Pine
Grove
Cemetery
in
Wausau
.
