Burdeen Merfeld Obituary

Burdeen (Burd) Marilyn Merfeld, 89, of Onalaska, WI died Sunday, February 9, 2025 at Mayo Clinic Health System, La Crosse, WI.

She was born April 28, 1935, in La Crosse, WI to Ralph Percival and Eleanor Beatrice (Stugen) Wilder. She married Raymond John Merfeld on February 7, 1959 at St. John's Catholic Church, La Crosse, WI.

She started her career as a secretary at Pittsburgh Plate Glass. Once she started her family, she was a homemaker until starting as a Tupperware dealer in the early 1970's. Her favorite pastime was working on crossword puzzles with her girls. She loved birds, collecting rocks and anything sweet.

She is survived by her three daughters, Jane (Brian) Hanson, Pam Kaiser and Marcia (Doug) Gourley, all of La Crosse; five grandchildren, Ben (Erin) Hanson, Emily (Shawn) Gallagher, Jenny Hemmersbach (Eric McKay), Angie Kaiser and Pete (Veronica) Kaiser; and 10 great-grandchildren, Ellie Hanson, Conner, Caleb and Caitlin Gallagher, Lacey, Lucas and Logan Hemmersbach, Aubriell McCoy, Matt and Ada Kaiser; as well as a special granddog, Murphey. She is further survived by her siblings, Barb Dostal, Oran (Terrie) Wilder, Dean (Pat) Wilder, Sue (Wayne) Womeldorf and Jann (Dave) Ryder.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ray; her parents and her brothers and sisters-in-law, Don (Kay) Merfeld, Bill (Mary) Merfeld, Pete Merfeld, Marian (Dick) Olloff, Darlene (Don) Weber, Jean Miller, Dorothy Christen, Phyllis (John) Schmidt and Jan (Jim) Jungen.

A funeral Mass will be held at 10 am Saturday, February 15 at St. James the Less Catholic Church, 1032 Caledonia St. La Crosse. Father Robert Letona will officiate with entombment to be held in the St. Francis of Assisi Mausoleum in the Catholic Cemetery, La Crosse. Visitation will be held from 9 am until the time of Mass in the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Burdeen's name can be made to:

Alzheimer's Foundation of America

322 Eighth Avenue, 16th Floor

New York, NY 10001

Phone: 866-232-8484

E-mail: [email protected]