MARCELLA A. “SALLY” (PITZEN) BIRSCHBACH

Marcella A. “Sally” (Pitzen) Birschbach, 91, of Sheboygan Falls, passed away Monday morning, April 19, 2010, at Aurora BayCare Medical Center in Green Bay.

Marcella was born Dec. 12, 1918 in St. Joe, Wis., daughter of the late Matthew and Eva (Goeser) Pitzen. She was a 1938 graduate of Goodrich High School in Fond du Lac.

On Nov. 30, 1939, Sally married Valentine Birschbach at St. Mary Catholic Church in Fond du Lac. Valentine preceded her in death Feb. 3, 1993, at the age of 88.

Sally worked a short time at both Schlichtings and Meisfelds grocery stores in Sheboygan Falls until she started at Bemis Manufacturing, where she worked for 22 years.

Marcella was a member of Blessed Trinity Parish in Sheboygan Falls.

Marcella enjoyed playing cribbage, bingo, and sheepshead. She took great pleasure in her plants in the house, and flowers in her home and around her house, especially the rose bushes in her garden. She was a Red Cross volunteer for 10 years. She enjoyed visits from her family and especially loved visits from Meggie, her daughter’s miniature poodle. Other favorite pastimes were watching “Jeopardy,” “Wheel of Fortune,” Daniel O’Donnell, Lawrence Welk, and the Brewers. Marcella also enjoyed going to the Senior Center, where she played bingo and sheepshead. She was a hard worker who was always finding things to do in the house and outside.

Marcella is survived by one daughter, Marilyn Schroeder of Green Bay and her daughter, Theresa (Tom) Richards and their sons Jacob and Matthew; four sons: James (Karen) Birschbach of Sheboygan and their children JJ (Rhonda) Birschbach and their children Josh and Ashley, Julie Birschbach and her children Adham and Cole, Kathy (Jeff) Griffey and their sons Michael and Nicholas, Karla (Steven) Brennan and their children Colin, Isabel and Peter, who is living in Hawaii; her second son, David of Green Bay and his children Amy (Mike) Dethloff and their children Eric, Samuel and Alexandri, and Sara (Chris) Woll and their son, Jackson; her third son, Gerald (Jerry) of Louisville, Ky.; and her fourth son, Peter (Mary) Birschbach of Eau Claire, Wis., and his daughter, Laurie (Eric) Heiden, daughter Nichole Bartzen; stepchildren Mitch (Mirann) Ward and their son, Merrick, John and his friend Katie Holmstrom, and Amy (Jason) Meister. Marcella is also survived by two sisters-in-law, Gladys Birschbach of Fond du Lac and Elizabeth Pitzen of California.

Marcella was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, granddaughter Monica, two brothers and three sisters.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 22, at Blessed Trinity Parish in Sheboygan Falls with the Rev. Bob Lotz officiating. Interment will take place in St. Mary Catholic Cemetery in Sheboygan Falls.

Relatives and friends may call at the Wenig Funeral Home in Sheboygan Falls on Wednesday, April 21, from 5-8 p.m. A rosary service will take place at 7 p.m. Friends may also call at the church Thursday from 10 a.m. until the time of Mass at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in Marcella’s name. Online condolences and additional information may be sent to www.wenigfuneralhome.com.

The staff of the Wenig Funeral Home of Sheboygan Falls is assisting Marcella’s family with arrangements. Marcella’s family would like to give special thanks to her doctors in the Sheboygan area and the staff at Aurora BayCare Medical Center in Green Bay for their wonderful care and compassion.