Elaine E. (Valentine)
Servais, age 94, passed away on October 17, 2019 at Aspirus Care and Rehab
under the care of Hope Hospice, where she had been residing for the past 3
weeks.
Elaine was the fourth of nine
children born at home in Detroit, MI on July 8, 1925 to Cecelia (Detloff) and
Alphonse Valentine. After graduation from Annunciation Catholic High School in
1943, she was employed at Hudson Motor Company and the Veterans’ Administration.
At the end of WWII, the adventurous Elaine, along with one of her sisters and
two friends, traveled to Great Lakes Naval Base for the opportunity of earning
$50 a week to process the large volume of naval personnel returning home from
the war.
It was while employed there that she met her
future spouse, Donald Servais, from Kenosha, WI. The couple was wed on June 7,
1947 in Detroit, MI. They then moved to Madison, WI, where Donald pursued his
education at the University of WI and Elaine held various clerical jobs. After Donald completed his studies, the
couple made their home in Kenosha, WI. Like many other woman of her generation,
Elaine was primarily a housewife and mother until her children were raised. She
was a member of two monthly Women’s Bridge Clubs, an Adoptive Mothers’ support
group, Sweet Adelines Chorus and
Catholic Women’s Club. Once her daughters were older, she was employed at
S.P.E.B.S.Q.A (Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop
Quartets of America) in Kenosha.
After Donald’s death in 2005,
Elaine moved to Medford, WI to be closer to family and she became a much loved
resident at Country Gardens, Care Partners and most recently, Our House
Assisted Living. While she was able, she enjoyed participating in the Country
Gardens float in the Halloween parade, the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, the Red Hat
Ladies visits, playing cards and bingo. She was a member of Holy Rosary
Catholic Church.
In addition to her spouse and
parents, Elaine was preceded in death by sisters: Cecilia Allor, Mary Dietz,
and Jean Valentine and brothers: George Valentine and Anthony Valentine.
Elaine is survived by
daughters: Terri (Mark) Hubbard of Medford, WI and Nancy Servais-Ford of Norfolk,
VA; sisters: Lenore Biebel of Michigan, Margaret Ramant of Florida and Carol
(Frank) Ferri of Illinois and sister-in-law: Janet Valentine of Michigan. She
is further survived by four grandchildren: Vanessa (Ryan) Hillebrand, Jared
(Tara) Hubbard, Noah (Kim Smith) Hubbard and Chelsea (Jeremy) Zenner and 10
great-grandchildren: Ezra, Raina, Brandon, Ethan, Isaiah, Kai, Myah, Tanner,
Bryer and Willow.
A memorial service will be
held at 11 AM on Friday, November 1, 2019 at Hemer Funeral Home, Medford, with
Rev. David Clements officiating. Visitation will be on Friday, November 1, 2019
at Hemer Funeral Home, Medford from 10 AM until the time of service. Interment
will take place at a later date.
In lieu of gifts or flowers,
the family requests donations be made to a charity of your choice or perform a
random act of kindness in Elaine’s memory.
Hemer Funeral Service of
Medford and Rib Lake serving the family. For online condolences, please visit
hemerfuneralservice.com.
