Melva Ella Nahring

Melva Nahring (Mueller) at the age of 102 joined her husband, Vernon, on March 9, 2026 at Aspirus Wausau Hospital with her children beside her.

Melva was born on February 20, 1924 in the Town of Wien to Edwin Sr and Alma Mueller (Grosskrutz) the oldest of 8 children. She went to the local one room schoolhouse and graduated from 8th grade. Melva was baptized, attended Sunday School and was confirmed at St. John ELCA on Hwy N, Edgar. At the same church, on June 25, 1947 she married her sweetheart, Vernon, and kept her promise to him for 73 years. They were blessed with four children, Dianne, Janet passed away as an infant, DuWaine and Dawn.

After their marriage they joined St. Peters Lutheran Church, Fenwood where mom was active in choir, women’s aid group, was the janitor, on altar guild and also belonged to the Fenwood Homemakers.

Her working career started at Marathon Electric until marriage and family became her next full-time job. She again went back to work at the Edgar Basket Factory which is now Edgar Standard Company. Her job was sewing liners for basinets, picnic baskets, doll furniture, etc. Sewing was her pride and joy. She became Fenwoods seamstress. If anyone had a sewing problem, needed something hemmed, a pocket put in a new pair of slacks or how about sewing a wedding dress? Well, she could do it all! She made several prom dresses, wedding dresses, miniature bride dresses and the list could go on. Thanks, mom, for sewing our wedding dresses.

Between sewing and gardening she had time to can fruit, make jelly, wine and bake. For our holiday dinner she would make apple pie (no one got that recipe), pumpkin pies (she’d say, just following the recipe on the pumpkin pie can), we knew that wasn’t true. Another thing everyone looked forward to was our birthdays. We always got a cool whip container of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies (her recipe). Then there was a time you would get a call, ’I just made a lazy daisy or a chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting, you want to come over and join me’?

Mom is survived by 3 children, 9 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild. Dianne Bauman and her family, Gwen (Ed) Zajac and their son Nick; Ken (Debbie) Bauman and his daughters, Chelsea (Wylie) Frahm, and Savannah (Will Raatz); Keith (Cassi) Bauman and their children, Korbyn (Shynia Stahel) and their daughter Lainey, Chase and Collins; Duwaine (Terry Weber-Nahring) Nahring and his sons Tyler (Janalee) and their sons, Caiden and Deklan; Eric (Dana) and their children, Claire, Colt and Camryn; Dawn (Burt) DeYoung and their family, Brenda Polivka (friend Amy); Brian (Jessie) Polivka and their children, Jeret, Jaxon and Brynn; Becky (Darrel Schwartz) Polivka and their sons, Branson and Hudson; and Jennifer DeYoung. The first gift any of the grandchildren received was a homemade baby blanket made by mom. Mom was also survived by one brother, Elgart Mueller of Edgar.

She was preceded in death by her parents, daughter, and husband, her brothers, Edwin (Sonny), Frankie, Allen, Elton; sisters, Darlene (Dotte), Arline, her sister in laws Shirley Mueller, Anita Mueller, Eleanor Mueller, and Angeline Woldt. Brother in laws, Ervin Mueller, Sr, Willard Wiesman, Lester Koehler, Lewis Woldt and son in law Gary Bauman, two infant granddaughters Beth Polivka and Connie DeYoung.

The village of Fenwood must have interesting things to offer their residents, as Vernon and Melva Nahring found it. They were the ones that lived there the longest and both reached the age of 102. Dad had found a new home for him and mom that is beautiful and peaceful. He waited five years with open arms for mom to join him. Congrats dad and mom in finding that beautiful and peaceful home with our Lord in heaven.

Funeral services for Melva will be 11:00 am Saturday, March 21, at Hope Lutheran Church, 224556 State Hwy 97, Edgar. Reverend Andrew Cave will officiate. Burial will be in the Fenwood Cemetery. Visitation will be on Saturday, from 9:00 until time of service at the Church.

Special thank you to Aspirus Hospital for the good care you gave our mom while she was there. She was always comfortable and well taken care of. The nurses and doctors were very concerning and compassionate.

Thank you, mom, for the apple pies, pumpkin pies and chocolate chip cookies. You will be missed dearly.