Martha DeGrave, 90, of Waterford, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 16, 2019 in Waterford. She was born on the family farm in Berwick, N.D. on July 12, 1928 to John and Margaret (nee Koenig) Jaeger. She attended the country school in Berwick. She enjoyed caring for her younger siblings and living on the family farm until moving to Milwaukee. There, Martha met a handsome young farmer while out dancing. She was united in marriage to Arthur T. DeGrave at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Waterford on June 9, 1951. They lived on their town of Waterford farm for 56 years until he preceded her in death in 2007. Not only a devoted farmer’s wife, Martha was a homemaker, foster mother, Town of Waterford treasurer and bus driver for Graf’s and S&J Bus companies. She was a dedicated member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, where she enjoyed helping with fish fries and the funeral committee. Martha loved dancing. She never turned down a polka! She liked weekly games of sheepshead and entertaining and socializing with family and friends.
Martha survived by daughter Connie (Terry) Knutson of River Falls and their children Kristen and Kevin (Lisa); son Chuck (Tammi) DeGrave of Lake Villa, Ill. and their children Jonathan, Joel and Jacob (Sydney); daughter Carol (Bill) Haddon of Boscobel and their children Summer Olson and Amber Grohall. She is also survived by great-grandchildren, Izack, Elijah, Liam, Sawyer, Robert, Matthew and Cynthia; her sisters, Sylvia Brook, Lydia (Bruce) Leighton and Lorraine Jaeger; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
Martha is preceded in death by her parents, beloved husband Arthur, her sisters Anna Marie (Al) Zacher and Irene Jaeger, her brother Virgil (Sandy) Jaeger, brother-in-law Phil Brook, and grandson-in-law Greg Olson.
A memorial gathering will be held at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 305 S. First St. in Waterford on Saturday March 30, 2019 from 9 to 10:45 a.m. with Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. with Fr. Ed Tlucek officiating. Inurnment at St. Thomas Cemetery will follow Mass.
Mealy Funeral Home is serving the family. Well-wishers may visit www.mealyfuneralhome.com.
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