Barbara Pagel

Barbara Jean Pagel, age 87, of Wausau passed away on Monday, August 29, 2022.

Barbara was born on September 12, 1934, in Merrill to the late Hugo and Alma (Kleinschmidt) Zemke.  She married James L. Pagel on June 23, 1956, in Merrill.  Throughout their 66 years of marriage Barbara and James raised their daughter, Roxann, and were active in their granddaughter and great-grandson’s lives working on their Blue Jay Angus farm.  Barbara was also a long-time employee for the State of Wisconsin working in the local Probation and Parole office.

Barbara and James danced together frequently as part of the local polka club and traveled throughout the United States in their fifth wheel camper.  They traveled often to National Parks including Yellowstone, Glacier and Grand Canyon National Parks.  They are also members of St Mark’s Lutheran Church in Wausau where she would volunteer to help with many church activities and events.  Barbara enjoyed the outdoors, especially feeding the birds, gardening and walking.  Holidays were a favorite time for her to cook and share time with her family.  As a sports fan, you could also find her frequently enjoying a Brewers or Packers game when you walked in the door.

Barbara is survived by her husband James Pagel, daughter Roxann (Barry) Rozmenoski, granddaughter, Courtney (Jordon) Doran, great grandson Laken Doran, sister Dorothy Woller and sister-in-law Diane (Lee) Pfaff, many nieces and nephews and her dog Teddy and cat Chippy.

She is preceded in death by her parents, sisters Audrey Krueger and Marian Heckendorf and brothers Ronald and Richard Zemke, as well as her father-in-law and mother in-law, Dietrich and Martha Pagel.

Funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, September 7, 2022, at St Mark’s Lutheran Church, 600 Stevens Drive, Wausau, Wisconsin.  The Rev. Eric Hauan will officiate.  Visitation will take place from 9:00 AM until the time of service at the church on Wednesday.

The family would like to thank the staff at Aspirus for their compassion and care.