Clara Zietlow Williams

Of Northview Road, Waukesha and more recently of Traverse City, MI, died November 6, 2007 at her apartment home in her sleep. She was born July 13, 1913 to Carl (Charles) H. and Mary L. S. Zietlow in Vernon County, WI, the youngest of eight children. She attended school in Enterprise Rural School (Monroe County), Norwalk graded school, and graduated from Norwalk High School in 1930. In 1931 she graduated from Vernon County Normal School and later graduated from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee with a major in elementary education and minors in history and sociology. She married Donald D. Williams on March 26, 1938 in Immanuel Evangelical Church in Norwalk. They lived in Stuartville, Minnesota where they farmed, Wildwood, New Jersey during WWII when Donald was in the Navy, and then settled in the Waukesha area. Clara taught elementary school for a total of 37 years, the last 25 being at Northview School in Waukesha. She taught all eight grades during her career which started at a one room schoolhouse (Elmview School) in Cashton. She also taught in Leon, Cook Creek, Glengarry, Eagle, and Butler, all in Wisconsin. Her favorite grade to teach was 4th grade but she loved children of all ages. She retired from teaching in 1975. As a professional, she was a member of the NEA, WEA, and the WTEA where she served on many educational committees including chairman of Public Relations for WTEA and delegate to the state WEA convention. Later she was a member of the Retired Teachers Association of Waukesha. She belonged to Salem United Methodist Church where she was Chairperson for her Missionary circle. She loved the Northview Oakettes Homemakers group and served as Treasurer. Throughout her life her love of children was paramount, but she also loved gardening, maintaining family connections, giving to others, and music. At 94 she still played the piano and sang with enthusiasm. Surviving are her daughter Donna and son-in-law Gerald Klinefelter of Kewadin, MI, her granddaughters Ann Bean of Saginaw, MI, and Lisa Klinefelter of San Francisco, CA, her sister Hazel Kohlhaas of Whitewater, and numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. She is preceded in death by her husband, her parents, two sisters and four brothers. Visitation will be on Friday, November 9, 2007 from 4:00 until 8:00PM at Randle-Dable Funeral Home, 1110 S. Grand Avenue, Waukesha. Services continue on Saturday, November 10, 2007 with visitation from 9:30AM until the 10:30AM Funeral Service at Salem United Methodist Church, 541 Hwy 59 (Les Paul Parkway) Waukesha, WI 53186. Burial will be at Highland Memorial Park. A luncheon will be served at the church following committal. Memorials are suggested to Salem United Methodist Church (Address above), the American Heart Association, 660 E. Mason Street #200, Milwaukee, WI 53202, or any charity relating to children's welfare. For more information, please call Randle-Dable Funeral, Cremation, and Preplanning Services at 262-547-4035 or go to www.waukeshafunerals.com for directions or to leave condolences.