Full Obituary

JANIS "JAN" L. VOLLRATH, 82, of Marshfield, WI, passed away peacefully on Friday, June 27, 2014 at Golden Living Center Three Oaks in Marshfield. A memorial service will be held at 11am on Friday, August 22, 2014 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, in Marshfield, with Rev. Peter Ruggles officiating. Burial will follow in the Greenwood City Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the church, on Friday, from 10am until time of service.
Janis Louise Henrietta Langfeldt was born in Town of Beaver, Clark County, WI, on January 9, 1932, a daughter of the late Louise (Esbach) and John H. Langfeldt. She was baptized and confirmed at St. John's Lutheran Church in Riplinger, WI. Jan attended Oak Grove School and graduated from Loyal High School. After graduation, she was employed as a bookkeeper at Thorp Finance in Thorp, WI. She was united in marriage to Kenneth G. Vollrath on November 11, 1950 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Loyal, WI. They resided and farmed in the Town of Warner, Clark County, WI. Jan became "chief" bookkeeper for the family businesses and was a dedicated wife, mom to their three children, and home keeper.
In 1963, she became a certified nursing assistant and then a certified surgical technician. She retired from surgery at St. Joseph's Hospital, in Marshfield, in June of 1980.
Jan, with her beloved husband, Ken, enjoyed their many ventures in a busy life. They enjoyed the numerous winter vacations to Florida, and after retirement in 1980, they spent winters at Largo, FL and the summers at O'Neill Creek Campground at Chippewa Falls, WI. In 1984, they returned to live at Mead Lake, near Willard. She returned to the workforce in 1987, working in the Marshfield Clinics Ambulatory Surgery Department. They moved to Marshfield in 1992, and Jan retired in June of 1994.
Through the years, she enjoyed sewing clothes for herself, her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She had many hobbies, including; woodcrafts, ceramics, needlework of all types. Jan had a passion for quilting and aimed to give each of the grandchildren a quilt as a wedding gift. She also crocheted afgans as gifts. Jan also enjoyed being close to nature; camping, hunting, fishing and boating with family and friends. She and Ken loved dancing for many years, playing cards, and they supported their children and grandchildren in their participation in athletic events and school activities. Jan always had a great satisfaction when she could get the family gathered together. She enjoyed cooking and baking family favorites.
She was a past and active member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Greenwood, where she was involved in the women's groups and was a Sunday School teacher. She was also a Cub Scout leader when her sons were young. Jan was currently an active member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Marshfield.
Jan will be dearly missed by one son: Randy (Linda) Vollrath of Wautoma; 11 grandchildren: Aaron (Bernice) Vollrath of Cupertino, CA, Josh (Amy) Vollrath of Fall Creek, WI, Jake (Erin) Vollrath of Saranac Lake, NY, Seth (Amber) Vollrath of Verona, WI, Sam Vollrath of Madison, WI, Trent (Kristi) Vollrath of Mosinee, WI, Tracy (Larry) Keller of Neshkoro, WI, Tina Auman of Wausau, WI, Holly (Derek) Mensink of Preston, MN, Wade (Jennifer) Backus of Aurora, CO, Derek Backus of Phoenix, AZ; 21 great grandchildren; daughter-in-law: Deb Vollrath-Karlen of Greenwood; son-in-law: Les Backus of Stewartville, MN; sister-in-law: Eloda "Tootie" (Bill) Vollrath; brother-in-law: William "Bill" (Vi) Rogers; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Ken, on May 8, 2003; one son, Darwin, on April 3, 2005; one daughter, Janene Backus, on December 1, 1984; 6 sisters: Leona Schmidt, Elsie Cain, Violet Efram, Mavis Augustine, Dorothy Shanks and Carmen Huth; and 5 brothers: Lester Hotchkiss, Max, Edwin, Clarence and Erwin Langfeldt.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Jan's name to Children's Miracle Network.