Joyce A. Soldner, age 83, of Waterloo, formerly of Reeseville, passed away on Friday, September 22, 2023 in Columbus. She was born September 10, 1940. She was the daughter of Clarence and Marie (Tschan) Soldner. Her parents lived on the family farm 5 miles S.W. of Reeseville. She is survived by her brother; Glenn Soldner,Continue Reading
Joyce A. Soldner, age 83, of Waterloo, formerly of Reeseville, passed away on Friday, September 22, 2023 in Columbus.
She was born September 10, 1940. She was the daughter of Clarence and Marie (Tschan) Soldner. Her parents lived on the family farm 5 miles S.W. of Reeseville. She is survived by her brother; Glenn Soldner, 3 nieces; Regina (Brent) Mosher, Chelsea (Michael) Harris, Jessica Soldner, grandnieces, a grandnephew, and cousins both in Switzerland and the US. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, parents, sister, aunts, uncles, and several cousins.
Joyce graduated from a one-room country school, grades 1-8. She was a 1958 graduate of Reeseville High School, a 1960 graduate of Columbia County Teacher’s College, a 1965 graduate of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh with a Bachelor’s of Science and Lower Elementary Education degree, and a 1986 graduate of the University of Wisconsin Whitewater with a Masters of Education and Professional Development degree.
Joyce began teaching in a one-room country school for 2 years until it closed. Then she joined the Watertown School District and was a teacher of the lower elementary levels for 34 years.
She enjoyed being on baseball, basketball, and bowling teams. Her hobby was taking photos of one-room county schools all over the state. Her best interest and enjoyment was to play with her brother in her band, consisting of accordion and drums, known as “The 2 Tones”, named by their mother. They enjoyed and had much fun with the people, and playing for various events. She also sang and yodeled for special occasions on her own.
Joyce was a lifelong member of the United Church of Christ in Reeseville. She belonged to the Youth Fellowship, she sang in the choir, and served on the church consistory.
Funeral services will be at First United Church of Christ on Tuesday, October 3, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. Visitation will be held at church on Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. Burial will be at the Ev. Reformed Cemetery in the Town of Lowell.
All memorials may be made to the United Church of Christ in Reeseville, in Joyce Soldner’s name.
Dale Hensler, Amanda, Chelsea, Jordan and families
left a message on September 27, 2023:
Jean Fitzgerald
left a message on October 3, 2023:
My sincere condolences to the Soldner family on Joyce’s passing. We sure had a few good times together!🙏
Erika Stueber
left a message on October 3, 2023:
My deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Miss Joyce Soldner.
Joyce Soldner, former educator at Lincoln School, was my 1st grade teacher in 1984-1985. For nearly 40 years, we kept in touch via handwritten letters.
I fondly remember my time in Miss Soldner’s classroom, though the memories are fading. She always had the classic scratch-n-sniff stickers that I loved so much for graded papers. She helped to instill my love of reading by encouraging me and recognizing me for my efforts. She selected me for leadership roles at a time when I was uncertain about myself and needed to develop confidence. She also set healthy boundaries, as I vividly remember having to sit by the door when I violated the “three strikes and you’re out!” rule (probably for talking based on her comments in my report card). And, most importantly, I always felt loved and safe in her presence.
Miss Soldner attended my high school graduation party and soon after drove me to UW Oshkosh (her alma mater) to tour the campus with me before my first year of college. When I had gathered all of my textbooks at the campus bookstore, Miss Soldner purchased all of them for me. Years later, she attended my college graduation along with her mother. When I decided to go back to school (again) to become a teacher, she cheered me on.
Our letters to one another through the years were typically around holidays and birthdays but also “just because”. Miss Soldner always wrote in perfect cursive and had a lot to say. After she retired, she spent a lot of time traveling, playing the accordion at various venues, and driving through Wisconsin in search of remnants of one-room schoolhouses. She attended a one-room schoolhouse as a child and later taught at one. She used remnants of the Goebel schoolhouse she attended to create an art piece in tribute to it. I was always fascinated by her creativity and her adventures; I admired the vivacious life she lived.
Having spent the last 16 years out of state, it had been a long time since I visited Miss Soldner. (Even though she’d signed her letters as “Joyce” for many years, I always referred to her as “Miss Soldner”.) In September of 2021, I saw her for the last time. Although her memory no longer allowed her to remember me, I knew my place in her life mattered. There, nailed to her treasured Goebel schoolhouse replica, was a card I had sent to her. My heart was overcome with joy and gratitude for this lifelong mentor who had so wonderfully enriched my life. My greatest hope is that she knew how much she meant to me.
Anonymous
left a message on October 2, 2023:
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Dale Hensler, Amanda, Chelsea, Jordan and families
left a message on September 27, 2023:
Jean Fitzgerald
left a message on October 3, 2023:
My sincere condolences to the Soldner family on Joyce’s passing. We sure had a few good times together!🙏
Erika Stueber
left a message on October 3, 2023:
My deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Miss Joyce Soldner.
Joyce Soldner, former educator at Lincoln School, was my 1st grade teacher in 1984-1985. For nearly 40 years, we kept in touch via handwritten letters.
I fondly remember my time in Miss Soldner’s classroom, though the memories are fading. She always had the classic scratch-n-sniff stickers that I loved so much for graded papers. She helped to instill my love of reading by encouraging me and recognizing me for my efforts. She selected me for leadership roles at a time when I was uncertain about myself and needed to develop confidence. She also set healthy boundaries, as I vividly remember having to sit by the door when I violated the “three strikes and you’re out!” rule (probably for talking based on her comments in my report card). And, most importantly, I always felt loved and safe in her presence.
Miss Soldner attended my high school graduation party and soon after drove me to UW Oshkosh (her alma mater) to tour the campus with me before my first year of college. When I had gathered all of my textbooks at the campus bookstore, Miss Soldner purchased all of them for me. Years later, she attended my college graduation along with her mother. When I decided to go back to school (again) to become a teacher, she cheered me on.
Our letters to one another through the years were typically around holidays and birthdays but also “just because”. Miss Soldner always wrote in perfect cursive and had a lot to say. After she retired, she spent a lot of time traveling, playing the accordion at various venues, and driving through Wisconsin in search of remnants of one-room schoolhouses. She attended a one-room schoolhouse as a child and later taught at one. She used remnants of the Goebel schoolhouse she attended to create an art piece in tribute to it. I was always fascinated by her creativity and her adventures; I admired the vivacious life she lived.
Having spent the last 16 years out of state, it had been a long time since I visited Miss Soldner. (Even though she’d signed her letters as “Joyce” for many years, I always referred to her as “Miss Soldner”.) In September of 2021, I saw her for the last time. Although her memory no longer allowed her to remember me, I knew my place in her life mattered. There, nailed to her treasured Goebel schoolhouse replica, was a card I had sent to her. My heart was overcome with joy and gratitude for this lifelong mentor who had so wonderfully enriched my life. My greatest hope is that she knew how much she meant to me.
Anonymous
left a message on October 2, 2023:
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