Barbara Ann Blader

Barbara Ann (Draves) Blader, 83, of rural Wautoma, passed away peacefully in her home on November 20, 2025, surrounded by her loving family after enduring a courageous battle following complications from surgery. Barbara was born on June 19, 1942. On April 1, 1961, she married her childhood sweet heart, James Arthur Blader, and together they began their life in the Town of Dakota raising their family pursuing James’s life-long passion for farming. A devoted wife, Barbara tirelessly worked alongside James on the family farm, where they spent their lives together building a successful farming operation and raising their six children.

Barbara played a vital and indispensable role in the farming operation, assisting with field work, daily chores, and bookkeeping. Her work ethic was extraordinary - often starting at dawn and working until sunset, and many nights continuing even longer as she canned and froze the bountiful harvests from her garden. Barbara loved tending to her garden and flowers, taking great pride in watching the fruits of her labor flourish. She was well-known for her delicious dill pickles -earning her the affectionate title of the “pickle queen”- and for making the endless kettles of potato and vegetable soup she lovingly prepared. What brought Barbara the greatest joy was spending time with her family, caring for her grandchildren and listening to Country and Christian music.

Her life was deeply grounded in her faith, family and the farm, all of which truly defined who she was. Barbara supported her children wholeheartedly in their service to country and in their education. She took enormous pride in each of her children’s accomplishments. She was a woman of exceptional strength, grace and unwavering love. She was truly the heart of her family and of the farm she leaves behind. Throughout her life, she displayed remarkable faith, courage and kind-heartedness. Her warmth, generosity, and her feisty, sassy sense of humor will be deeply missed, yet she is forever cherished by all who knew and loved her. To know Barbara was to love her.

Barbara is survived by her six children who admired her faithful and selfless devotion to motherhood until her very last breath: Dean Blader of Wautoma, Brian (Denise) Blader of Wautoma, Quinn (John) Shirley of Westfield, Robyn (Edward Lucht) Blader of Wautoma, Frank Blader of Iowa, and Melody Blader (Special Friend Brent) of Berlin. She is further survived by 12 grandchildren, Alisha, Brianna, Cyle, Ashley, Samuel, Mary, Brooke, Bailey, Kristin, Dylan, Zachary and Matthew. 14 Great-grandchildren; Olivia, Mariah, Kurtis, Emily, Kailey, McKenzie, Maxwell, Liam, Luca, Brielle, Reed, Emi, Jameson and Malachi. Barbara is further survived by her sister Jan O’kon; brothers-in-law Marvin Mischka and John P. (Jill) Blader, Douglas (Edna) Reilly sisters-in-law Joyce Blader and Lois Semrow, and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband; James Blader, her parents; Millard and Loretta Draves, her sisters; Arlene Fenner, Jeanette Sturgel, Marion Mischka, her great-grandson Landon. Sister-in-law Eleanor Reilly, Brothers-in-law; Tom Sturgel, Don O’kon, Richard Blader, Chester Blader, Donald Semrow, and niece, Lisa O’kon.

A celebration of life visitation will be held at the Crossroads Family Church at 640 S. Water Street, Wautoma, WI on Friday November 28, 2025, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and again on Saturday November 29, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. until the time of service at 1:00 p.m. with the burial following at Maple Grove Cemetery. Family and friends are invited to join the family for a luncheon at Crossroads following the burial. Barbara’s nephew, Pastor Dave Reilly will be officiating the service. Stahl Funeral Home is assisting the family, www.stahlfuneralhome.com

Barbara’s family would like to extend a special thank you to Dr. Freeman, and St. Croix Hospice who were Earthen Angels instrumental in granting Barbara’s last wish to pass in her home surrounded by her loving family and to Stahl Funeral Home for the compassion and care they have provided during this difficult time.