Obituaries

De Forest—Ramona Mae Hesselberg, age 95, of De Forest, WI, died on Friday, November 17th, 2023, at Our House Senior Living in Lodi. She was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, on August 9, 1928, the first child of Sydner and Sally Uphoff. She briefly attended the UW - Madison and it was during that time, while working at the Madison Club, that she met and eventually married Harland R. Hesselberg on November 5th, 1948, at Bethel Lutheran Church in Madison, WI., and together they raised eight children.

Ramona’s wide smile, welcoming arms and hearty laugh were the family’s foundation, upon which was built a sense of mutual affection and loving concern. She somehow wrangled and tamed a diverse brood with equal parts efficiency, arched brows and laissez faire.

When she wasn’t busy raising her family , Ramona worked as a waitress at the Olde Towne Truck Stop for a time. She also drove school bus for the De Forest School District for several years after most of her children had grown. In her youth, she was a female athlete before being a female athlete was popular, once boasting to her children about a time she swam across Madison’s Lake Monona while a boyfriend followed behind her in his rowboat. She often said she preferred playing ball with the boys rather than socializing with the girls. As a mother, she was the consummate homemaker. Ramona made the best homemade bread and jams, and she was also an accomplished seamstress, patching blue jeans and creating some of the most beautiful clothing for her children. She was also an accomplished pianist. After her husband Harland died, Ramona took up bicycling at the age of 84 and would routinely pedal her way from De Forest to her little church in Morrisonville. Yet her favorite past time was reading, and if she wasn’t reading, she was likely watching a tennis match.

Survivors include seven children: Blaine, Pueblo West, Colorado; Bruce, Minocqua, Brent, Baraboo; Ramona Haley, Durango, Colorado; Barclay (Barbara) Columbus; Rhonda (Susan Thurston) French Island; and Rana Hughey (Jeffrey) Lodi. In addition, Ramona is survived by her siblings, Sydner Uphoff; Sally Radecke (Dennis) and Louise Uphoff Jencen; brother-in-law, Gordon Hesselberg (Valeria); her sisters-in-law Evelyn Uphoff and Carolyn Hesselberg. She is also survived by sixteen grandchildren, twelve great grandchildren and three great step-grandchildren. Ramona was preceded in death by her parents; son, Brian Douglas; husband, Harland; brother Warren Uphoff; sister, Roberta Edgington; daughter-in-law, Meredith Salmon.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 29th at the Spring Prairie Lutheran Church, N 509 Co Rd C, De Forest, WI. A visitation will be held at 9:00 a.m. until the time of service.

In lieu flowers, memorials can be made to the Cornerstone Community Center in De Forest or to the United in Christ Lutheran Church in Morrisonville where our mother was a life-long member who served as the church organist for many years.

The family would like to thank the staff at Our House Assisted Living in addition to the Agrace Hospice Care for their loving care and services.

To view and sign this guestbook, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com