Obituary for Elaine A. (Wuensch) Bina

Elaine Ann (Wuensch) Bina, 88 from St. Joseph Ridge died peacefully on Thursday, June 22, 2023, at Benedictine Community Living in La Crosse, where she had been a resident since December 2021. She was a beautiful, hardworking woman and was an active Christian who was comforted by her faith and prayed countless prayers on her most cherished possession, her rosary. Her family was a huge part of her life and she often bragged that one day her ‘family’ would be her legacy.

Elaine wore many aprons. She was a loving wife, mother, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, Godmother and a friend to many! She was a mother to 11, grandmother to 23, and great grandmother to 28 with one more baby due this summer. She was so proud of all of them, and her face smiled for miles when talking about them!

She was born June 15, 1935, at St. Ann’s Hospital in La Crosse, WI and was the oldest of Edgar and Elsie (Hohlfeld) Wuensch’s five children. Elaine lived in La Crosse as a young girl and walked to school at Holy Trinity. She liked school and was a good student. Her favorite classes were U.S. History, music and art class.

In 1942, Elaine was in 3rd grade when her father moved the family to her grandparents’ farm in Mormon Coulee. There she bonded with her grandmother, Elizabeth Wuensch and her aunt, Leona Zietlow. She especially loved to put on an apron to help her mother and grandmother with the cooking and baking. Her mother also taught her to sew, and her grandmother taught her to crochet and embroider.

Farm life brought more responsibilities and hard work! No more walking to school or to the local butcher shop and grocery store. On the farm she was responsible for her younger siblings when her parents were busy on the farm. Chores included carrying wood in for cooking and heating, taking out the ashes, feeding chickens and gathering eggs, mowing lawn, making hay, peeling potatoes and preparing supper. The neighbor families helped car-pool kids to St. Joseph Ridge School where Elaine attended from 3rd through 8th grade. Only once did she have to write a hundred times, “I will not whisper in class”. She enjoyed singing and sang several solos in 5th grade when she played Sunny in the school musical, “Sunny from Sunnyside.”

Elaine could be found reading a book or taking walks in the woods to look for flowers. She would fish for trout in the creek or cool off with a swim. She caught fireflies, listened to the whip-poor-will and often climbed to the top of the big hill on the farm just to view the beauty of the coulee below. When the farm work was done, it was time to celebrate! There was card playing, picnics, monthly birthday parties, beer drinking and dances! Elaine’s Uncle Syl would play his concertina in the large kitchen at the Hohlfeld farm, and everyone would sing and dance.

After she graduated from 8th grade on St. Joseph Ridge, she attended Aquinas High School. There she enjoyed playing clarinet in the band. It was an escape from the farm to stay after school and practice for concerts, parades and half time shows. She was a good daughter and contemplated being a nun but realized that she liked the boys too much.

In 1952 her father purchased his own farm in Barre Mills on County FO and Elaine continued her education at West Salem High School. Elaine had a crush on a handsome Aquinas boy named Donnie Bina. He was older, shy and had a great smile! They attended the same church, where they were in the same youth group. They also attended the same 4-H Club. She didn’t think he noticed her and was surprised when he showed up at her uncle ‘s wedding dance and asked if he could take her home. Elaine’s folks knew Donnie’s parents and allowed it; however, Elaine would not take the ride until Donnie agreed to dance with her. Elaine said it was the first time Donnie had ever danced. There were many more car rides, movies, ball games, and dances. The couple decided to be dance partners for the rest of their lives and were married on September 3, 1952, at Saint Joseph Ridge Church. It was on a Tuesday; the only day Donnie’s farm employer allowed him to take the day off. Don and Elaine were blessed with 70 years of marriage last September 2022.

In October 1952, Elaine contracted polio and was in isolation for two weeks and hospitalized till nearly Christmas that year. She continued to take treatments in La Crosse three times a week and was very frail. Elaine was expecting their first child during her polio episode, and sadly, in 1953 they lost their first born, a son. Elaine and Don kept their faith and over the years God blessed them with TEN more children.

Don enlisted in the Army in April of 1955 and Elaine and their family of 3 children went to live with her parents on the farm. During this time, Elaine put on her first real waitressing apron at the La Crosse Country Club for one summer. She wrote Don every day and visited him in Arlington, VA and Washington D.C. by train. After Don’s 2-year enlistment, part of which was an assignment in Japan, the family moved to Osseo, Minnesota for Don’s work and their little family continued to grow!

The family moved back to Wisconsin in 1962, and rented a farm on the ridge above Coon Valley. They continued to grow their family and many crops. With her children by her side learning, Elaine was an avid gardener and enjoyed canning for her family. She helped plant and raise tobacco and raised fryer chickens to be sold for extra spending money. She was a great cook and made the best poppy seed coffee cake for her family and social events.

In 1965 Don bought his parents’ farm (Wenzel and Georgia Bina) on Saint Joseph Ridge where the couple continued to grow their family and teach their children hard work, responsibility, kindness and how to cook. Elaine found an escape from farm life wearing the apron of a waitress again in the evenings, at Shorty’s Tavern, The Ridge restaurant, and then Ridgeview Inn where she waitressed for 37 years and became friends with many colleagues and patrons. Even though Christmas was not Elaine’s favorite holiday because of the chaotic love that occurs with a large family, she proudly wore a favorite white sweatshirt designed with each of the grandchildren’s names in a string of Christmas light bulbs. Of course, the family continued to add many new great grandchildren and that called for a new and improved sweatshirt. At Elaine’s request, the two great grandchildren, yet unborn should have a bulb. Now, each grandchild and great grandchild has a place on the string. The sweatshirt summarizes Elaine’s legacy and the children she loved and was so proud of. Each child was a bright and shining light for Elaine, and a part of something really special. Wearing her sweatshirt always meant family was gathering, and as the work was done, it was time for food, drink, joy, laughter and new memories.

Elaine and Don watched their children work on the farm, grow up and eventually leave home to make lives of their own. As the nest emptied, the couple found time to be more involved with Farmers Union, both locally and nationally. Elaine was a member of the Wisconsin Board of Vocational, Technical and Adult Education from 1978 until 1991. She put on a painting apron and took painting classes with the La Crosse Society of Arts and Crafts where she gained many art skills, and dear friends. Beautiful watercolor and oil paintings were her favorite, and she loved to personalize birthday cards for friends and family. Giving away and donating her precious artwork was a gift she loved. She and her friend Irene sold their artwork off the walls at Ridgeview Inn Supper Club.

Together Elaine and Don visited many cities and states including, San Diego, New York City, Portland, Oregon, South Dakota, Missouri and Florida. She especially cherished several extra special trips she and Don took including a trip to a Farmer’s Union Convention in Phoenix, Arizona, a trip in 2011 to Las Vegas, Nevada to renew their wedding vows with Elvis, a sibling vacation to Florida and trips to Washington D.C. In 1976, Elaine was a Wisconsin delegate to the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in New York City, NY, and was again a delegate in 1980 at the DNC in Salt Lake City, Utah. Elaine and Don were invited to dance with President Jimmy Carter and Roselyn Carter at his Inaugural Ball in 1977, after many months of campaigning for him. On several occasions, Elaine and Don personally delivered Newburg’s Corner Creamery cheese to the White House!

Over the next several decades, Elaine and Don enjoyed singing in the church choir, following the Packers and Brewers, attending La Crosse Community Theater productions, West Salem High School summer musicals and concerts at Riverside Park. Elaine retired from waitressing at Ridgeview Inn after an unfortunate fire destroyed the restaurant in 2002. With no waitressing job, Elaine had more time to paint, attend grandchildren’s sporting, musical and theater events, and to travel out of town to visit friends, their children and their families. She also enjoyed her time fishing, reading a book, or she painted or embroidered special birth announcements for grandchildren and great grandchildren. There were many wedding and baby showers, family reunions, dinner and drinks at two of her favorite restaurants, Westview Inn, and Schmidty’s Bar & Grill, and parties and picnics with the Ridgeview Gang. She took on a new job and apron, later in life at the Villa Saint Joseph as Activities and Social Coordinator. Elaine adored the time she spent working with the nuns. Life was good and was full of love with family, friends and community.

Elaine went to God on Thursday, June 22, 2023, surrounded by her family. The Lord took her apron and carefully placed it on the hook and said, “Your work is done here, and it’s time to relax and rejoice”.

She is survived by her husband, Donald Bina and their 10 children: Karen Gilster of West Salem, Randy (Lori) Bina of Rice Lake, Nancy (Ed) Pilmonas of Holmen, Laurie (Scott) Perry of West Salem, Kevin (Ann) Bina of West Salem, Diane (Tim) Groth of West Salem, Steven (Kelly) Bina of La Crosse, Janice (Jerry) Seeger of La Crosse, Lisa (Jim Bruehlman) Bina of Argyle, and Stacey (Mike) Norris of Madison.

Her legacy continued with 23 grandchildren: Norman (Chelsea) Gilster, Ethan (Kirsten Gilbertson) Sobkowiak, Andrew (Julia) Sobkowiak, Ben (Katie) Bina, Alex (Anna) Bina, David (Emily) Adams, Lee (Tricia) Adams, Cassie (Loren) Carrell, Ross (Cara Cook) Perry, Rachel (Kevan) La Porte, Whitney (Danny) Ditlevson, Jacob (Emily) Bina, Audra (Adam) Jandt, Trevor (Samantha Strom) Groth, Caralyn (Ben) Mulder, Saphra Bina, Christopher (ElizaBeth) Konze (step grandson), Douglas (Lizette) Steiger, Justin (Kayla) Steiger, Taylor (Kyle Bisek) Pataska, Stuart (Anna Paraskevoulakas) Pataska, Derek (Madie Ward) Norris, and Natalie Norris.

Her love lives on with 26 great grandchildren: Hazel, Grover, and Laken; Charlie, Callen, Quinn, and Luke; Emma, Eli, and Mason; Samuel, Nora, and Perry; Connor, Peyton, and Owen; Stevie; Fallon; Bronson and, Cooper; Jude, Elliott, Ivy, Emery, and Emerson; Rosalie and Kosta.

She is also survived by her siblings James (Shirley) Wuensch, Charles (Carol) Wuensch, Mary Litchie and Gloria Severson; in-laws: Robert Bina, Joyce Nolden and Daniel Bina.

Elaine was preceded in death by an infant son, Stephen Donald Bina, her parents, Edgar and Elsie (Hohlfeld) Wuensch, in-laws Wenzel and Georgina (Arenz) Bina, sister and brother-in-laws; James Lichtie, Kenneth Serverson, Therese Bina, Robert Nolden, David and Marcie Hundt, Garnet Bina, a son-in-law, David Amborn and a great-granddaughter, Elaina Maria Paraskevoulakos.

The family would like to thank Mayo Hospice, Benedictine Living Community, and Elaine’s dear roommate Barb. Thanks also goes to Doctor Kevin Fitzgerald and his nursing staff whom she respected very much. Thank you to Father Bijou of St. Joseph’s Ridge Parish and Deacon Bob Zietlow who is also Elaine’s Godson. And also, to Fredrickson Funeral Homes and Crematory for their guidance during this difficult time.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., on August 12, 2023, at the St. Joseph Ridge Catholic Church. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

A visitation will be held at the church on August 11, 2023, beginning at 4:00 p.m. and concluding with the recitation of the Rosary at 7:00 p.m. A visitation will also be held at church prior to the Mass from 9:45 a.m. until 10:45 on Saturday, August 12.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred and will be donated by the family, to Elaine’s favorite charities.

We would like to acknowledge that almost 25 years ago, Elaine wrote a journal about her life, where most of the memories contained in this memorial came from. The family invites you to a luncheon after mass, to enjoy some of her art work, song, Ridgeview memories and more family and friends photos.