Grace Sabatke

Madison - Grace H. Sabatke, age 99, passed away on Wednesday, October 19, 2011, at Oakwood Village East. She was born on September 26, 1912 in the town of Seneca, Shawano County, Wisconsin, the daughter of Albert E. and Amanda (Reinke) Voelz. Grace graduated from Wittenberg High School and from Wausau Normal School. She then taught in a one room school house in the town of Morris, Shawano County. Grace was united in marriage to Elmer W. Sabatke on March 24, 1934 in Hermansfort Church Parsonage in Shawano, County. They had over 60 years of wedded bliss until his death on September 26, 1994. She was a seamstress for Kehl's School of Dane for many years and helped out a Madison bridal store. Grace was also treasurer of the Wisconsin Vocational Homemakers for ten years and was honored in May of 1983 at the State convention. She was a long time member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Madison, prepared Lenten suppers, was in charge of funeral receptions, was a money counter with Elmer for many years and a quilter. She enjoyed traveling throughout the U.S.A. and Canada, besides playing cards with friends and loved to cook and entertain friends and family.

She is survived by her daughter, Janet Sabatke of Madison; sister, Myrtle James of Shawano; brother, Albert A. (Rhonda) Voelz of Tigerton, WI and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Elmer; brothers, Leroy and Marvin Voelz; sister, Ruth Ashenbrenner Kuhn and a dear niece, Janice Ann Dallman

A funeral service will be held at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, 3610 Speedway Road, Madison, on Saturday, October 22, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Al Wahl officiating. A visitation will be held at the funeral home on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. Burial will follow at Sunset Memory Gardens.

A special thank you to the staff of the Meadows at Oakwood Village East Prairie Ridge for their wonderful care during Grace's short stay with them, the staff of Agrace HospiceCare for their compassion and services for Grace's congestive heart failure and Dr. Randall Haas at Dean Clinic West.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Oakwood Village East, 5565 Tancho Drive, Madison, WI 53718 or Agrace HospiceCare, Inc. 5395 E. Cheryl Parkway, Madison, WI 53711.