Grace M. Mielke

Grace M. Mielke, 90, of Fond du Lac, died Wednesday, May 22nd, 2013, at St. Francis Home.She was born on November 16th, 1922, in Fond du Lac, to Emery H. and Selma J. Utke Wegner.Grace was a graduate of Fond du Lac Senior High School, Class of 1940. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from North Central College, Naperville, Illinois and attended Spencerian College, Milwaukee. She taught at Seymour High School in Seymour, Wisconsin for four years and it was during this time she met her future life-mate, Gerald "Jerry" G. Mielke.On August 21, 1946, the couple married at Salem Evangelical Church, Fond du Lac.After starting their married life in Seymour, Wisconsin, Grace and Jerry moved to Fond du Lac to join her family's business, Wegner Office Supply Company, Inc. The business was located at 45 South Main Street and was later relocated to 15-17 Court Street. Grace and Jerry became the owners in 1972 and operated the store together for over 20 years. During this time, Grace was also a business education teacher at Woodworth Junior High School for ten years. In 1994, the couple sold this business to their daughter, Gerianne and her husband. In 1978, Grace and Jerry opened the Kristmas Kringle Shoppe, Ltd., within the Wegner Office Supply location. In 1994, they relocated the Kristmas Kringle Shoppe, Ltd., to its present location at 1330 South Main Street. In 1997, their daughter Mary Grace Murray joined the Kristmas Kringle Shoppe, Ltd., as manager.Grace was a highly active member of Salem United Methodist Church, serving in various capacities including Sunday School Superintendent and Co-Founder of Books Between Bites. She was Guardian of Job's Daughters for over ten years, as well as an active member and leader in the Eastern Star, and a longtime member of Soroptomists. As an AAUW member, she chaired the book sale for the organization for many years. She enjoyed volunteering and spending time with Investment Club, Thursday Round Table, and her bridge clubs.She and Jerry enjoyed traveling extensively around the world. Often they were in search of new and unique items for their Christmas Shoppe, but their real love was experiencing new cultures and broadening their knowledge of the world.Grace loved her family and especially enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.She is survived by two daughters: Mary Grace (Michael) Murray, Libertyville, Illinois; Gerianne "Gigi" Pertl, Fond du Lac; four grandchildren: Melinda (Christopher) Hubbard, Loveland, Ohio; M. Geoffrey Murray, Fond du Lac; Andrea and Benjamin Pertl, Fond du Lac; three great-grandchildren: Aiden, Gavin, and Mearen Hubbard.Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, Jerry, on December 21st, 2008; two brothers: Norman (Emily) Wegner and Robert (Mary Lou) Wegner.The funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 28th 2013, at Salem United Methodist Church, 120 Sheboygan Street, Fond du Lac, with Rev. Jack Stubbs officiating. Entombment will be in Rienzi Cemetery.The visitation will be held from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Monday, May 27th, 2013, at Mach Funeral Chapel & Crematory, 31 E. Division Street, Fond du Lac, and on Tuesday at the church from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service.Memorials may be directed to Salem United Methodist Church or St. Francis Home.

Grace M. Mielke

November 16, 1922 - May 22, 2013