Full Obituary

     DIANE E. VERKUILEN, age 80, of Thorp, WI, passed away surrounded by her family on Sunday, March 1, 2026 at Dove Healthcare West in Eau Claire, WI.  Funeral services will be held at 10:30am on Saturday, March 14, 2026 at St. Bernard-St. Hedwig Catholic Church in Thorp.  Rev. Stanislaus Michael Antony will officiate, and burial will follow in St. Bernard Catholic Cemetery.  Visitation will be held at the church on Saturday from 9am until time of service.
     Diane Elizabeth Bowers was born on November 19, 1945 in Appleton, WI, the daughter of Russell G. and Aurelia S. (Kauth) Bowers.  She was raised and received her education in Appleton, graduating from Xavier High School in 1964.  After high school, Diane studied and became a Licensed Practical Nurse, and worked in Appleton as a surgical scrub nurse until her marriage to Marvin H. Verkuilen on October 25, 1969, at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Appleton.  They resided in Thorp on the Verkuilen family dairy farm, where they raised their five children.  When her children were older, Diane attended Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire, earning an associate’s degree as a Medical Lab Technician.  She worked at Medford Memorial Hospital in Medford, WI, from 1989 to 1995 until retiring.
     Diane had many interests, but especially loved listening to Johnny Cash and Paul Harvey, traveling, hunting deer from the deck of their house, tuning in to the 5:30pm news, ocean sailing and skydiving in her 70s, riding her Ural motorcycle, geocaching, four-wheeling, and collecting geodes.
     She was a member of St. Bernard-St. Hedwig Catholic Church, a 4-H Leader, a Girl Scout Leader, and always attended her grandchildren's activities.
     Diane will be dearly missed by her husband, Marvin, of Thorp; her five children: Bill of Maple Grove, MN, Cyndy (Matt) Miklasz of Boyd, WI, Greg (Brenda) of Brainerd, MN, Cathy (Todd) Hein of Cadott, WI, and Barbara (Douglas) Mederos of Hollywood, MD; her 16 grandchildren: Emma, Connor, and Adam (Bill); Angela, David, Ben, and Emily (Cyndy); Barrett and Kimber (Greg); Ruby, Hudson, and Henry (Cathy); and Maggie, Cara, Jack, and Sam (Barb); one sister, Nancy (Willie) Webster, of Casa Grande, AZ; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
     She was preceded in death by her parents.