Mary A. (Detlor) Bloch Gardner

Mary Bloch Gardner, 91, of Wild Rose passed away on November 20, 2023 in Appleton, Wisconsin.

She was born on June 18, 1932 in the town of Oasis, near Plainfield Wisconsin, to Glenn and Eva (Sawyer) Detlor. Mary attended Prairie Center grade school for grades 1-8 and graduated as valedictorian from Tri-County Area Schools in 1950. She graduated from Stout University in 1954 with degrees in home economics and science. Mary was then selected to participate in the International Farm Youth Exchange (IFYE) through 4-H where she spent six months living with farm families in Denmark. On her return, she worked as the home agent for Winnebago County. Mary married Richard Bloch, of Berlin, in 1956. She then taught Home Economics and Art at Wild Rose High School while Richard and she took over the dairy farm where she was raised. Five children were born to Mary and Richard: Ron (Tammy) Bloch of Plainfield, WI; Glenn (Irmgard) Bloch of Freudenstadt, Germany; Ken (Robin) Bloch of Quincy, IL; Dean Bloch of Rockland, WI; and Karen (Mark) Tremaine of Oconomowoc, WI. Mary and Richard hosted many foreign exchange students on the farm from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Germany, and Poland. Richard passed away in 1975. Later Mary married Robert Gardner of Pittsville, Wisconsin who passed away in 2010. Surviving stepchildren are: Jean (Steve) Steinkopf of Shakopee, MN; Wayne Gardner of Pittsville, WI; Jan Gardner of Honolulu, HI; Tom (Janeen) Gardner of Pittsville, WI; and Tammy (Randy) Freeberg of Waupaca, WI. Grandchildren include: Dannielle Bloch, Chantalle (Tyler) Beggs, Beatrice (Philipp) Mengs, Bernadette Bloch, Benjamin Bloch, Benita Bloch, Bertina Bloch, Kristen (Jamie) Drew, Stephanie Bloch, Jacob (Nicole) Bloch, Luke (Christina) Tremaine, Heidi Tremaine, and Hannah Tremaine. Great grandchildren include: Emmett and Braelyn Beggs, Ellie and Ezra Tremaine, and Mathea Mengs. Besides her two husbands, Mary was also preceded in death by her parents, brother Lowell (Lauretta) Detlor, and two step-daughters, Connie and Nancy.

Memorials made to wild Rose Library and Wild Rose Historical Society Museum.

Services will be held at the Plainfield United Methodist Church on Saturday, December 16, 2023. Visitation will be from 9:00-11:00 a.m. The service will be at 11:00 a.m. A meal will follow at the church.