Eunice M. Guell, 80, of rural Fond du Lac, passed away on Saturday, January 4, 2014, at her home with her family at her side.
She was born on October 11, 1933, in Waukau, the daughter of the late Frank and Bernice (Hildebrant) Bradley Jr. Eunice was a graduate of Oshkosh High School and Oshkosh State Teachers College. She taught school in Winnebago County for two years. On January 29, 1955, she was united in marriage to Henry Guell at Waukau United Methodist Church, and the couple moved to the Guell-Crest farm homestead in September 1956. Together Eunice and Henry raised six children with the adage “work hard, respect others and love God”.
Eunice was an avid reader and writer. She edited three devotional books and wrote a biography, “The Ice Box and Other Stories”. She toured China, Japan and Hong Kong and shared those experiences with others upon her return.
Eunice was a very active volunteer. She was a 4-H leader for 14 years, a director for six years on the Agri-Business Council, secretary of the Golden Advantage Club, was a 40 year member of the Extension Homemakers where she served as county president, was a charter member of the Lomira FFA Alumni where she was president, was a member of Wisconsin Women for Agriculture where she served as president, vice president and secretary and was a member of the American Agri-Women where she served as a lay chaplain for many years.
Eunice promoted education, specifically agriculture. She was honored by U.W. Madison CALS for outstanding contributions to agriculture. She received Extension’s Ardith Murphy Award for volunteerism and Homemakers Leadership award, was named Woman of the Year by Business and Professional Women and received the President’s Award from AAW twice and their national Leaven Award.
Eunice was a faithful member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Lomira where she taught Sunday school, served on several boards and coordinated Rural Life Sundays. She planned ecumenical services at the county fair for 15 years.
Eunice held several part-time jobs, besides working on the family farm. She was a census taker for the Lomira School District for 20 years, did farm surveys for Wisconsin Agriculturist for 15 years and hosted interstate 4-H exchanges from five states and a German farmer for seven weeks.
Eunice loved to go dancing with her husband, making chocolate cake and sugar cookies for her family, traveling across the United States to agriculture conventions promoting agriculture and enjoyed seeing her children and grandchildren become successful.
Those Eunice leaves behind to cherish her memory include her loving husband of 59 years, Henry; six children, Steven (Sue) Guell of Waupun, Dean (Sylvia) Guell of Ankeny, Iowa, Denise (Tom) Retzleff of Fond du Lac, Brian (Debbie) Guell of Turlock, California, Jan Guell of Fond du Lac and Brent (Dena) Guell of Malone; a brother, Leonard (Dianne) Bradley of Madison; two sisters, Joyce (Lee) Roberts of Oshkosh and Shirley Zeatlow of Rush Lake; a brother-in-law, Melvin (Maryann) Guell of Menomonee Falls; a sister-in-law, Marjorie Kaiser of Brookfield; 13 grandchildren, Kirsten, Gina (Curt), Evan, Lydia, Adam, Erin (Hugo), Nicole (Jon), Ericka, Deidre (Matthew), Joey, Ashley, Caitlin and Bradley; five great-grandchildren, Cruz, Oliver, Jimena, Ainsley and Victoria; a special neighbor, Marilyn Abbey, many nieces, nephews and other friends throughout the United States.
In addition to her parents, Eunice was preceded in death by a brother, Dale; a sister, Vivian (Marvin) Tews; four brothers-in-law, Donald Kaiser, Irvin Lippert, Louis Schultz and Melvin Zeatlow and a sister-in-law, Louise Schultz Lippert.
Funeral services for Eunice were held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 9, 2014, at Trinity United Methodist Church in Lomira. Rev. Kerry Wilson officiated and burial followed in Ebenezer Cemetery in the town of Lomira.
The Guell family greeted relatives and friends at the church on Thursday from 11:00 a.m. until the time of services.
Memorials to Trinity United Methodist Church, the American Agri-Women Resource Center or the charity of one’s choice are appreciated.
The Kietzer-Miller Funeral Home in Lomira was entrusted with Eunice’s arrangements.