Anderson Funeral Home
Homeserving families for over 70 years
312 South Stone St.
Augusta, WI 54722
715-286-2222
Edna Bethke
Edna Bethke, 97, of Eau Claire and formerly of Augusta, passed away Saturday, August 21, 2021, at Heritage Assisted Living in Eau Claire.
Edna Louise Bethke was born Feb. 19, 1924, in Augusta to Albert and Lydia (Kuehn) Sieg. Her mother passed away when she was just a month old and after that she and her father made their home with her aunt and uncle, Selma and Henry Sieg and their family. A few years later her sister Elfrieda also joined them.
Edna was baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Haycreek and attended country school in the Haycreek area. She had worked at the Gillette Tire Company in Eau Claire and during W.W. II she traveled out east to work in an ordinance plant. When she returned to Augusta she was employed as a housekeeper on the Emanuel farm outside of Augusta. It was there that she met Albert Bethke, who she later married on Oct. 14, 1945, in Augusta. The couple farmed in Bridge Creek Township until moving to Eau Claire in 1981. In addition to helping on the farm, Edna also worked as the Bridge Creek Town Clerk for many years. In the early 1970’s she started as the clerk in the Augusta Post Office and then went on to work for the Eau Claire Post Office. When she fully retired she worked an additional 31 years and over 7400 hours as a volunteer with Mayo Hospital in Eau Claire.
Edna’s faith was always an important part of her life and after moving to Eau Claire had transferred her membership to St. John’s Lutheran Church. While in Augusta she enjoyed her involvement with St. Pauls Lutheran Ladies Aid.
Edna will be dearly missed by her son, Tom and Celia Bethke of Augusta; daughter Pat Taschner (Bob Pecor) of Eau Claire; 4 grandchildren, Cyndi Piel of Eau Claire, Mike (Juli) Bethke of Augusta, Brad (Melissa) Bethke of Fairchild, Chris Bethke (Nathan Peterson) of Augusta; 8 great grandchildren, Dustin (Shana) Yule, Renee (Jesse) Olson, Jake Yule, Zachary (Jessica) Brown, Logan Brown, Tory (Lindsey) Walker, Blake Bethke and Payton Bethke; 7 great great grandchildren, Madeline and Owen Yule, Lincoln and Lainey Olson, Callen and Noelle Brown and Declan Walker.
Edna was preceded in death by her parents; husband Albert on Oct. 18, 2007; sister Elfrieda Haug; and Fred, Ervin, John and Victor Sieg who she was raised with and considered her brothers.
A visitation will be held Thursday, August 26, 2021, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Anderson Funeral Home in Augusta, where funeral services conducted by Pastor Julie Brenden will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral home.
Burial will follow in the East Lawn Cemetery in Augusta.
Online condolences can be left at www.andersonfhaugusta.com
