Leona E. Raasch, 97, of Sturgeon Bay, WI, formerly of Wausau, WI passed away Friday, June 8, 2012 peacefully surrounded by her loving family and caretakers at Cardinal Ridge Residential Care in Sturgeon Bay.

She was born October 13, 1914 in the town of Hamburg, WI, daughter of the late Henry and Louisa (Erdman) Wendt. She married Norman Raasch, who went on to own and operate Raasch Barber Shop in Wausau, on June 11, 1938. She was a member of First English Lutheran Church in Wausau and attended Bay View Lutheran Church in Sturgeon Bay.

Leona spent her life as a wife, mother, foster mother, grandma, great-grandma and care giver. People knew Leona as Mother Raasch or simply; Grandma. People also knew her as a patient, quiet, humble and caring woman. Her faith, love of God and her family were most important to her. Grandma was a foster mother to 33 special needs individuals.

Hers were the hands that reached out and touched so many and loved so much. Her hands held and comforted her loved ones, they did sign language to those who could not hear her voice. Her hands planted beautiful flower gardens, decorated many birthday and wedding cakes and rowed the boat and caught many fish at her cabin up-north. When her eyesight failed the biggest thing she missed was not being able to see the bobber.

Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law and longtime caregivers; Elizabeth and David Caillouette of Sturgeon Bay, two grandchildren; Paul Caillouette and Susan Wood of Nashua, NH and Jennifer and Mark Christman of Elkhorn, WI and two great-grandsons; Evan and Joseph Christman. She is also survived by a special daughter; Kathy Lutzke and her husband Tom of Irma, WI, all those she took care of as her own family and by many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her husband Norman in 1977, five brothers; Leonard, Alvin, Helmuth, Martin and Wilbert Wendt and a sister; Erna Henrichs.

Visiting hours will be held Sunday, June 10, 2012 from 2:00pm to 6:00pm at the Helke Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 302 Spruce St., Wausau. A funeral service will be held 10:30 a.m. Monday at First English Lutheran Church, 402 North Third Ave., Wausau. Interment will follow in St. John's Cemetery, town of Hamburg. Grief is the price we pay for love. Found in Grandma's bible was The Anglers Prayer. "God grant that I may live to fish until my dying day, and, when it comes to my last cast; I then most humbly pray, when in the Lord's safe landing net and peacefully asleep; that in His mercy I be judged as big enough to keep."

Huehns Funeral Home of Sturgeon Bay assisted the family with local arrangements.

Friends and family are welcome to sign the online guestbook on Leona's tribute page at www.helkefuneralhome.com.