Eileen June Bender

Eileen June Bender, 96, formerly of Mosinee, peacefully passed away on June 28, 2024, surrounded by her loving family.

Eileen was born June 1, 1928, in Colby, Wisconsin, the daughter of the late Elroy and Anna (Engel) Gutenberger. After graduating from Colby High School in 1946 she moved to Milwaukee where she worked in a factory sewing piecework. On June 16, 1948, she married the love of her life and favorite dancing partner, Melvin Bender, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Colby. He preceded her in death on April 15, 2013.

Eileen was a homemaker while they lived in Dorchester until 1961 when they moved to Mosinee where Melvin managed the Rocky Ridge Co-operative Dairy Company. Together they worked side-by-side for nearly 15 years. In 1965 Eileen earned a cheesemaker’s license. At that time she was one of about twenty females to have a cheesemaker’s license in the State of Wisconsin. She worked as a lab technician testing milk for the Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) for ten years until her retirement in 1986. She was a member of St. Monica’s Ladies Council at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Mosinee, the Marathon County Extension Homemakers and the Central Wisconsin Cheesemakers and Buttermakers Association.

Mel and Eileen enjoyed dancing, playing cards, yardwork, boating, and traveling in their fifth-wheel camper. They wintered in Mission, Texas for twelve years. Eileen liked to sew, do counted cross-stitch, jigsaw puzzles and tend to her flowers and garden. In December 2013 Eileen moved to Renaissance Assisted Living, Weston.

Eileen was devoted wife, a loving mother and proud of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandson. She valued education and was pleased that her family pursued further schooling and felt that when you educated a woman you educated a family. Survivors include her children, Lynn (Richard) Heil, Weston, Bob (Vicki) Bender, Tomahawk, Kathy Vesely, Mosinee, and Barry (Ellen) Bender, New London; nine grandchildren Jeffrey (Allison) Heil, Carrie Heil, Mark Heil, Jennifer (Peter) Bender, Jackie (Ryan) Bartelak, Brenda (Cory) Cooper, Gina (Jesse) Machak, Kelly (Seamus) Wedge, Kyle Bender; 15 great-grandchildren, Nathan and Jenna Heil, Cody and Drew Brehm, Hatie, Rio and Willa Bender, Bennett, Charlotte and Brady Bartelak, Harlie (Forest )Landwehr, Jack and Jerry Machak, Elise and Lydia Wedge and one great-grandson, Russell Landwehr. She is also survived by one sister, Eldora Schuster; two sisters-in-law, Ann Gutenberger and Shirley Walsh. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, brothers, Roy Gutenberger, Jim (Grace) Gutenberger, and sisters, Rita (Armin) Walsh and Sharon (Dave) Treutel, brother-in-law Gordie Schuster and son-in-law, Jerry Vesely.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Mosinee. The Rev. Eric Masick will officiate. Burial will be in St. Paul Cemetery, Mosinee. Visitation will be from 9:30 -11:00 a.m. until the time of service, all at the church. Beste Funeral Home, Mosinee, is assisting the family with arrangements, online condolences can be directed to the family at www.bestefh.com.

The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the staff at Renaissance Assisted Living for the kindness and care given to Eileen during her time with them and St. Croix Hospice during her last days.

In lieu of flowers, memorials made in Eileen’s name may be directed to a charity of your choice.