Merle Marvin Roscovius, 88, went to be with the Lord on Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, at Serenity House Tomah of complications from COPD and a cancerous lung tumor.
He was born Nov. 13, 1927, in Monroe County to Edgar R. and Ella (Rosenow) Roscovius. Merle married Marie H. Degler on May 14, 1949, and they were divorced in February 1987. To this reunion, four children were born: Linda, Dale, Donald and Duane. Merle was united in a second marriage to Cheryl A. Hughes on Sept. 17, 1988, at Immanuel Ev. Methodist Church in Norwalk.
Merle worked in Rockford, Ill., for about 10 years, and then moved back to Monroe County to farm. He went to work for the Monroe County Highway Department in 1970 and retired in 1990. He was a faithful member of First United Methodist Church and a past member of the Norwalk Lions Club. In his spare time, Merle enjoyed spending time on his pontoon boat, fishing, and doing carpentry work. He was a very loving husband and kind soul to everyone he meet.
Merle is survived by his wife, Cheryl; three sons, Dale (Dawn) and Donald (Bonnie), both of Tomah, and Duane (Tammy) Roscovius of Kendall; two sisters, Alice Prechel of Westby and Arlene Waege of Tomah; his grandchildren, Andrew (friend Chris) Schultz of Bells Prairie, Minn., Joshua (Cody) Schultz of Bells Prairie, Minn., Justin (Colleen) Scholze of Norwalk, Emily Scholze of Tomah, Tanya (Jason) Klingbiel of Portage, Wis., Amy Roscovius of Tomah, Jesse Roscovius of Tomah, Kate (Chad) Brown of Metropolis, Ill., Ashley (Josh) Lamb of Kendall, Laura (Josh) Satterlee of Hillsboro, and Allen Roscovius, U.S. Army, stationed in Fort Hood, Texas; 17 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Marie; a daughter, Linda Scholze; his parents, Edgar and Ella Roscovius; two sisters, Lorna Emden and Joan Olsen; a brother, Robert; and four brothers-in-law, Norbert Prechel, Bob Waege, Ronald Olsen and Richard “Dick” Emden.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 17, at First United Methodist Church, 1105 Butts Ave. Tomah. Pastor William McBride and Fran Hughes will officiate. Burial will be in Mount Vernon Cemetery in the town of Tomah. Relatives and friends are invited to call from 12:30 p.m. until the time of service Sunday at the church. The Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to www.sonnenburgfamilyfh.com.
