Emma Sears

Emma Clara Bertha Sears, 88, of Webster, died Friday, May 20, 2011, at the Frederic Nursing Home, in Frederic, WI. Emma had been a resident there for the past 5 years. Emma was born on February 21, 1923 in the Dunbar Township of Faribault County, MN. Emma was one of seven children born to Jesse and Gertrude Rasmusson. She graduated from the 8th grade in Blue Earth, MN. At age 14, Emma first went to work as a nanny and housekeeper, a role that she would continue to pursue for a number of years with various families across the country. Emma was adventurous, and liked to travel in her younger years. A number of times she would buy a train ticket to go and visit family, and then would take a part time job wherever she was to be able to buy a train ticket back. While working in Minneapolis, she stayed with an elderly friend, who lived across the street from a greenhouse where she met her future husband, Douglas Sears, originally from Webster, WI. Doug and Emma were married on June 26, 1943 in Minneapolis, MN. After Douglas was discharged from the Army (WW II), they moved to Webster, WI where Emma was a housewife and ran the home, while her husband worked away on road construction crews. She loved to sew little dresses and coats for some of her nieces. After 13 years of marriage, Emma and Doug were finally blessed with children of their own, Kevin and two years later, Darrell. Throughout the years as mother and homemaker, she was involved in the community as a Den Mother for Cub Scouts, member of the local homemakers group, a Sunday school teacher and exhibited at the Fair in Webster. She loved her hobbies of reading, gardening, knitting, crocheting, and refinishing wooden furniture as well as many other crafts to benefit family and friends. In 1977 Emma was baptized into the Burnett Co. Church of Christ, of Webster, where she was a very devoted and faithful member. Emma loved her God and was not afraid to share her faith. Emma loved her grandchildren and spent as much time as possible with them. They enjoyed tea parties, walks in the woods, made crafts, played games, and enjoyed Grandma’s adventurous stories of how she grew up. In May of 2001, Emma suffered a heart attack. Following her heart surgery, she was able to spend the next four years at home with help from family, friends and home health care. As Emma's health continued to decline and in home care was not sufficient, she took up residence in the Capeside Cove Nursing Home, in Siren, WI and eventually, to the Frederic Nursing Home. Emma was preceded in death by her husband Douglas, parents: Jesse and Gertrude, brother: Helmer, sisters: Gladys, Alice, Marion, and Donna and many dear friends. Emma is survived by her sons: Kevin (Eileen) of Eagle WI, and Darrell (Renelle) of Webster, WI, beloved grandchildren: Jennifer (Dustin) Hoyland, Aaron (Wendy) Sears, Bethany (Sebastian) McGean, and Andrew (Jessica) Sears, great grandchildren: Hannah, Hunter, Mallory, and Connor, sister: Ethel and many nieces, nephews, and friends. Funeral services will be held at the Swedberg-Taylor Family Funeral Home in Webster on Saturday, May 28 at 11:00 AM with a visitation from 9:30-11:00 AM. The luncheon will follow immediately after the funeral at the Webster Fire Hall. Emma will be interred at the Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spooner on Tuesday, May 31 at 9:30 a.m.