Virginia Marie Pagel (Kleman)

Virginia (Kleman) Pagel, age 91, life long resident of Mosinee, WI, died peacefully in her sleep of natural causes at Atrium Health & Senior Living in Weston, WI on November 19th, 2016.

Virginia was born August 13, 1925, to Alex and Mary (Gorski) Kleman in Mosinee, WI. Virginia spent her entire life in Mosinee growing up and raising her own family. Her love of family, faith, and simple ways of living were the core of her earthly life.

Virginia was also a life long member of St. Paul Catholic Church. She was a proud member of St. Paul’s first graduating class of students. She went on to graduate from Mosinee High School. Her life was deeply rooted in the changing of time in Mosinee.

On May 17, 1947, Virginia married Merlin Pagel of Marathon, WI. After serving his country in the U.S. Air Force in WWII, returning to his home Merlin met, fell in love, and married Virginia. They settled in Mosinee where Merlin worked at the Mosinee Paper Mill. Virginia worked for over 50 years at Mosinee Drug and Pharmacy for the Wenstadt, Pennings, and Mueller families. She loved to cook, travel, play bingo, and spend time with the “golden girls” on Friday evenings. Virginia was a member of St. Monica’s Council and the VFW Ladies Group.

Merlin and Virginia raised three daughters Pam, Patti, and Peg at 901 Western Ave. Together, Merlin and Virginia cooked and traveled together. They journeyed throughout the US and also to Mexico, Canada, and Europe. In their three trips to Europe, Virginia treasured her visit to Lourdes, France and the Village of St. Bernadette in 1976. Throughout her life, Virginia was dedicated to her rosary beads and the message to pilgrims that visit the grotto in Lourdes:

“Mary asked that people should come here in procession, as if to signify that dialogue cannot be limited to words, but must become a journey at Her side along the pilgrim way of faith, hope, and love.”

After 40 years of married life together, Merlin died in 1993. Later in her widowed life, Virginia’s eyesight began to fade but she clung to her rosary beads and her way of faith, hope, and love. In her final years, Virginia was happy and smiling when visited by family. In recent months, her old and worn hands reached out eagerly to touch her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. A kiss on the cheek and “I love you” were the moments she treasured until she died.

Virginia was preceded in death by her husband of 45 ½ years, Merlin, her parents Alex & Mary Kleman, her sister and brother-in-law Margaret & Robert Treptow, her sister and brother-in-law Laurine & Philip Senski, her son-in-law Ronald Small, and her nephew Robert Treptow Jr. Survivors include her daughter Pamela (Ronald) Small of Mosinee, her daughter Patti (George) Knoedler of Mosinee, and her daughter Peg (Don) Frickenstein of Middleton, WI. Survivors also include 8 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Virginia’s family would like to thank the nurses and staff at Atrium Health & Senior Living, Beste Funeral Home, Fr. Don Przybylski and St. Paul Catholic Church for the care they gave our mother and grandmother during her final days.

To her family left behind, her name will be etched in stone but her memory etched in our hearts forever. In Grandma Gina’s memory, we pray together with St. Bernadette, “Good Mother, have mercy on me, I give myself entirely to You, that You may give me to Your dear Son, whom I love with my whole heart.”

Services will be at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, November 26, 2016, at St. Paul Catholic Church, Mosinee. The Rev. Donald Przybylski will officiate. Burial will be at St. Paul Cemetery, Mosinee. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at Beste Funeral Home, Mosinee, where at 4 p.m. there will be a rosary service. Visitation will be again from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday at the Funeral Home. Online condolences can be made at www.bestefh.com