Verna M. Mueller

Verna Mae Mueller, 84, of Rib Lake, died Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at Aspirus Hospital in Medford.

She was born August 16, 1941 in Rib Lake to Walter and Miriam (Manninen) Annala.  She grew up in Rib Lake.  In high school, while visiting her sister in Illinois, she met and fell in love with Edward Ebert.  Verna’s father blessed their relationship, but said Verna must finish high school.  They married in 1958, and she moved to Illinois to finish high school.

Verna worked as a beautician out of her home as they started their family.  Eventually the family moved back to the Rib Lake area, where Verna continued to do hair and also worked at the local nursing home which began her love of nursing. 

After Ed’s untimely passing in 1979, Verna worked at Tombstone Pizza while raising their children.  She went back to school earning a nursing degree in 1983.  She worked in various hospitals as an OB nurse, then became a traveling nurse, spending her winters in warmer climates.   

Later in life, Verna was given a second chance at love and met and married Jim Mueller in 1995.  During the beginning of their lives together, they resided in Schaumburg, IL, then moved to Poynette and finally to Pardeeville.  These two were quite a pair and enjoyed traveling, taking cruises all over the world, attending music festivals, going to NASCAR races, and snowmobiling.  When Jim passed away in 2020, Verna moved back to the Medford area to be near family.

To say Verna had a green thumb was an understatement. She had plants, flowers and bulbs throughout the house and even built a greenhouse in one of their garages for year-round gardening.  She also enjoyed spending time with family & friends, traveling, sewing, listening to country music, watching soap operas, and singing in the church choir.

She is survived by her two children, Fred (Kitty) Ebert of Medford, Valeeta (Scott) Ellenbecker of Dorchester; stepchildren, Eric (Wendy) Mueller, Theresa Piekarski, all of FL; siblings, Delores Bedgood of IL, John (Barb) Annala of Rib Lake, Darlene Erickson of Elkhorn; sister-in-law Janie Annala of KY; grandchildren, Nikki (Mike) Parks of Medford, Ryan (Susie) Ebert of Sheboygan, Michael Heins of Clintonville; step-grandchildren, Matthew (Becky) Musser, Katarina (Thibault) Musser-Coulange, Jessica Piekarski, Joseph Piekarski; six great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband Edward; second husband, Jim; siblings, Walter Annala, Diane Schlage, and Marian Chyllo; brothers-in-laws, Ken Bedgood, Tom Chyllo, Robert Erickson and George Schlage; and sister-in-law Sophie Annala.

A funeral service will be held at 4 p.m., Saturday, October 18, 2025 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Medford with Rev. Daniel Iwinski officiating.  Private interment will be held on Monday, October 20 at St. Andrew Lutheran Church Cemetery in Goodrich.

Visitation will be from 2 p.m. until the time of service at 4 p.m. Saturday at the church.

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