Mernice E. Duesing Obituary (1920 - 2010)

Mernice E. Duesing, age 89, of Menomonie, WI passed away Thursday June 3, 2010 at the American Lutheran Home of Menomonie surrounded by her family. The excruciating pain and crippling disease of rheumatoid arthritis Mernice battled for more than 50 years has finally ended. Our dear Lord took her gently by the hand and said, "Come with me and I'll take you to a place where there is no pain and suffering." She looked forward to that for many years. Mernice was born June 25, 1920 in Menomonie, Wisconsin the daughter of Peter and Esther (Schroeder) Repseth. She graduated from Menomonie High School in 1938. Following graduation she was a secretary at the John Duesing Insurance Agency. Mernice married her high school sweetheart Don Duesing in Victorville, California on October 9, 1934, where Don was stationed in the U. S. Air Force. Following Don's discharge in 1946 they returned to Menomonie and Don joined his dad in the insurance business and Mernice resumed her secretarial duties once again. Mernice was talented in so many ways. She loved to knit, crochet, sew, play cards and fish. Before her arthritis became so bad she designed and built a collapsible heated fishing house with carpeted floors, a handy kitchen and holes that could be covered when not fished, for safety reasons. The past seven years she made her home at Autumn Village until her rheumatoid arthritis forced more care and she then moved to the American Lutheran Home. She loved the staff at both places for their loving and caring ways. It was her home away from home. She also wanted to thank Dr. Nathan Rich, the nursing staff at Red Cedar Clinic for their excellent services, Pastor Dave Whelan and the ladies of Peace Lutheran Church especially her dear friend Barb Gort, and dogs, Chance and Nutmeg. For all the pain Mernice endured during her life time she still accomplished what she set out to do. She was a tough lady and will be sadly missed especially by her sister. Mernice is survived by her loving sister Eliza Grandstaff Devoted friends; Dick & Laila Davis and Barb Gort As well as her friends and staff from Autumn Village and American Lutheran Home. She was preceded in death by her husband Don, parents Peter and Esther Repseth, her in-laws John & Julia Duesing, brother-in-law Preston Grandstaff and several aunts, uncles and cousins. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 pm Monday, June 7, 2010 at Olson Funeral Home in Menomonie, with Pastor Dave Whelan officiating. Burial will take place at Peace Lutheran Cemetery. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral service from 12:30 to 1:30 at the funeral home. The family suggests memorials be made to Peace Lutheran Church or the Arthritis Foundation.