DASCHER, Lois M., age 95

Died: Friday, April 7th, 2017

Funeral Service: 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 13, 2017
at the funeral home

Visitation: two hours prior to service on Thursday

Interment: Rest Haven Cemetery, Town of Washington, Wisconsin

Lois M. Dascher, age 95, of Altoona, died on Friday, April 7, 2017 at Dove Healthcare - West in Eau Claire under the care of St. Joseph's Hospice and the caring nursing staff of Dove. 

Lois was born on March 24, 1922, on Water Street in Eau Claire above the Pentecostal Mission where her father ministered. Lois was the daughter of the late Pastor Joseph and Artilda (Jensen) Rulien. She attended school in Eau Claire and enjoyed growing up with an extended family of six half-brothers and one half-sister and their children. Her father held gospel meetings and started some churches in the Ashland area in Northern Wisconsin where her grandparents lived. Lois played her guitar and sang at the meetings.

On July 23, 1941, Lois married Lloyd Dascher at the Mission with her father officiating. The young couple moved to Milwaukee where Lloyd was employed at A.O. Smith Co. where parts were manufactured for the war effort during WW II.  While living there, they had two children. After the war, they moved back to Eau Claire buying a house on Hudson Street and had their third child. Lois was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She was a housewife most of her life, but had been employed for a time at Presto Industries manufacturing parts for the Korean War during the 1950s. She was also a retail clerk at Kresges Department Store in Eau Claire. Later she became an Avon representative enjoying that part of her life and the friendships she made for 17 years. During that time, she learned to drive to assist with her Avon deliveries and to type which led her to enter contests and sweepstakes by submitting product jingles; winning a stereo and a Zenith TV.

Lois and Lloyd lived in their home on the 600 block of Hudson Street for 45 years. They rented out part of their home to female college students for several years. In 1991, they celebrated their 50^th Wedding Anniversary and moved to a four-plex-apartment in Altoona where Lloyd passed away in 1994. Lois was blessed with many relatives, friends and neighbors who gave her support through the years. She had an attitude of gratitude and a strong relationship with Jesus Christ living her life as a shining example of her faith. She prepared many meals for guests in her home through the years and sent an untold number of greeting cards and shared visits with friends in several nursing homes bringing them hope and cheer.

Lois is survived by her children, Loren (Inez) Dascher of Eau Claire, Luanne (Wallace) Balts of Modesto, CA, and Rebecca (David) Steagall of Eleva; grandchildren, Tami, Kim, Mark, Tracy, April, Tim, Jeff and Amy; as well as great-grandchildren, Bailey, Landen, Merci, Cameron, Kendra, Morgan, Whitney, Gracie, Tiffany, Reese, Ellie, Connor, Zander and Madison; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lloyd; grandson, Robbie Balts; great-granddaughter, Freedom Steagall; half-sister, Ebba (Rulien) Hatch; and half-brothers, Freidolph, Richard, Lawrence, Werner, Paul and Carl Rulien; and several nieces and nephews.