Melanie “Lanie” Marie Krebsbach February 13, 1927 – June 29, 2024 Angels came early Saturday morning on June 29 to lead Melanie “Lanie” (Kaiser) Krebsbach to her eternal home and into the arms of her husband, Ray, and son, Darrel. Lanie was born in Stratford on February 13, 1927, the eighth of eleven children born to Alphonse and Pauline (Weber) Kaiser. She was a graduate of Edgar High School’s class of 1945. On June 11, 1946 she married Raymond Krebsbach at St. John Catholic Church in Edgar, Wisconsin.
The early years of their marriage were spent farming in the Edgar area and then later purchasing the farm in Colby in 1955. There Lanie enjoyed working outside on the farm with her husband and tending a large garden with her family. She was the mom who gathered up the neighborhood kids for a swim at Cherokee Park in the summer or to ice skate on the river in the winter. Lanie was an active member of St. Mary Catholic Church, belonging to St. Theresa’s Group, the Christian Home and School Association, and the Christian Mother’s Organization. She also held office in the Colby PTA. Lanie spent countless hours volunteering including working to protect the unborn. She possessed a strong faith and devotion to God which she passed on to her family.
In 1971, Lanie took the Betty Crocker Search for the American Homemaker of Tomorrow exam on which she received an Excellent score, again proving her expertise in running a busy household. But the award she was most proud of receiving was being chosen a “Woman of Light” in 2014 by the Diocese of La Crosse for her commitment to safeguard life from conception to natural death.
Lanie enjoyed gardening, baking, quilting, and playing softball and volleyball with her home team of children. The weekend would often include a Friday night fish fry and Saturday night dancing with Ray to the Howie Sturtz Band. As her children grew up and left the nest, she began selling World Book Encyclopedias and made many World Book friends. She and Ray had many traveling adventures visiting Lourdes, Ireland, Fatima, Medjugorie, and Hawaii. In 2009 Melanie was able to complete her bucket list of travel to visit the Holy Land with two of her daughters and her sister.
Lanie was blessed with a quick laugh which helped her survive and thrive raising 13 children. A favorite adage cherished by her family is “to eat dessert first.” She is survived by Sandra (Richard) Gawryleski and their children: Greg, Stefanie, and bonus children Linda, Sharon and Charlene; Patricia (Alan) Ridderbusch and their children, Scott, Jennifer, and Carol; Daniel (Diane) and their children: Heather, Tiffany, and Tara; Dale (Linda) and their children: Dallas and bonus children Heather and Holly; Keith (Sherri) and their children: Amanda, Joseph, Nicholas, and Jacob; Roger (Laurie) and their children: Katie, Janelle, Lyndsey, and Emily; Mary (Kevin) Lieders and their children: Nathan, Trenton, Andrew, and Lauren; Sue (Jerry) Grunow and their children: Drew and Christina; Kevin (Beth) and their children: Keegan and Lexi; Dawn (Jack) Wood; Renee (David) Phillips and their children: Leasay, Clayton, and Samuel; Jill (Joe) Goodwin and their children: Jenna, Jared, and Jadyn. Melanie is further survived by 36 great-grandchildren, five bonus great-grandchildren, and two soon-to-be-born great-grandchildren. Her sisters Anna Mae Rasmussen, Margie Krautkramer, and sister-in-law Winnie Kaiser also survive.
We are grateful for the team of caregivers who so lovingly cared for Lanie, under the guidance of Compassus Hospice, allowing her to remain in her home these past several months.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, July 10, 2024 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Colby. Monsignor Joseph Diermeier, Rev. Arockia Amirtha Raj Stanislaus, and Deacon Greg Kaiser will officiate. Family and friends are invited to a visitation from 11:00-1:00 prior to the funeral service. A rosary will be lead by the family at 10:45 for those wishing to pray with us. The Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home in Colby is entrusted with the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be designated for St. Mary Help of Christians Parish or Wisconsin Right to Life.
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