Obituary for Mary Hemker

Mary Schober was born August 7, 1935, at home in Wet Coulee, Mindoro, WI, the daughter of John and Mildred (Berg) Schober.

Mary graduated from West Salem High School in 1953. She worked for many years at Lakeview Foods in West Salem. She later worked for the United States Post Office in Bangor and Sparta WI.

Mary Schober married Herbert Hemker January 26, 1963, at St Leo the Great Catholic Church in West Salem, WI. They were married for 34 years until he preceded her in death on August 26, 1997. They had 3 children and 4 grandchildren.

Faith, family, and friends were at the core of Mary’s life.

Mary loved to bake, cook, can, and try new recipes that she shared with many family members and friends. She was especially known for baking yeast breads/sweets and lefse. She passed her love of these baking and canning skills down to many friends and family over the years. She was known to many as “the cookie lady”. Her favorite place to be was in her kitchen doing these things and spending time at the table with those she loved and cared for.

Mary was able to travel with family to Norway and visit special family there, creating a lifetime of memories and visits.

Mary was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Bangor for many years, involved in the PCCW, parish and finance councils, teaching CCD, and many other activities helping others.

Survivors include her children, John (Shelli Rice) Hemker, Bangor; Julie (Chris) Linhart, Bangor; and Joe (Lisa) Hemker, Sparta; grandchildren Michael Linhart, Andrew Linhart, Eli Hemker, and Ella Hemker; sisters Eldora (Tom) Larson of Hudson, WI; Eileen (Doug) Crubaugh of Middleton, WI; and Ellen (Bruce) Stuhr of Melrose, WI; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, and many special friends. Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Herbert; parents; brother and sister-in-law, Raymond and Carol Schober; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Walter (Arlene) Hemker; Charles (Joyce) Hemker; Elsie Hemker; Raymond (Donna) Hemker; Dorothy (Merle) Solberg; Eldor Hemker; Edwin (Elberta) Hemker; special cousin Evelyn Kastenschmidt, other relatives, and many special friends.

A visitation will be held on Friday, January 24, 2025, at the Fredrickson Funeral Home in Bangor from 4:00-7:00 pm. A mass of Christian burial will be held Saturday, January 25, 2025, at 11:00 am at St Teresa of Kolkata Parish in West Salem WI, with visitation starting at 9:00 am until 10:45a.m. when a eulogy will be held at the church. Monsignor Jeffrey Burrill and Deacon Robert Zietlow will officiate. Burial will be at Fairview Cemetery in Bangor, WI.

Online condolences and expressions of sympathy may be offered at www.fredricksonfuneralhomes.com.

A special thanks to all her family, friends, and “caregivers” who spent time with her in her special place, “Mary’s Kitchen”.