Lillian Ruth Lundberg

HURLEY, Wis. - Lillian Ruth Lundberg, 88, of Hurley, passed away on Dec. 14, 2021, with her loving family surrounding her.

Born on July 8, 1933, in Mosinee, she was the first-born daughter of the late Wallace Sutton and Ilo Sutton. She lived for most of her childhood on the "Punkin Hollow" family farm in the Arpin, Wisconsin, area with her eight siblings. She walked daily to a one-room schoolhouse for grades 1 – 8 and then attended the Marshfield school where she graduated from high school in 1951. After high school, she attended the Wood County Normal School in Wisconsin Rapids for teachers' college and following graduation taught at a one-room school south of Marshfield.

She was united in marriage on June 11, 1955, to Charles Lundberg in Wisconsin Rapids; and they started their first home in the Plainfield, Wisconsin, area. They were married for 62 years and were blessed with five children. Lillian decided to be a stay-at-home mom, but always had a great desire to work with children. After teaching school for a semester in the town of Saratoga in Wood County, she started a 4-H club in that community, which grew to a Junior and Senior club involved in many activities. All her adult life she worked with children, be it in 4-H, a countywide clowning program, puppetry, children's church, the Awana Club, and in all areas of children's ministries.

In 1971 the family moved to Iron Belt. She managed the food services at Whitecap Mountain Ski Area for many years and then in 1985 started her own honor snack business, "Honey's Kitchen" which she operated for about seven years. Her first love of working with children called her back again, and she became the first teacher at the newly started Northwoods Christian Academy in Hurley for four years, before deciding to retire in the spring of 1996. In 2013, Chuck and Lil sold their home in Iron Belt and moved to Villa Vista Apartments in Hurley.

She is survived by her five children, Joy (Steve) Peterich of Marinette, Tami Lundberg of Wausau, Randy (Barb) Lundberg of Ashland, Debbie (Keith) Stoner of Siren, and Vicki (John) Binsfeld of Ripon; siblings, Carolyn Palosarri of Wausau, Sherry (Merle) Owens of Palatine, Illinois, Elaine Sutton of Louisville, Ohio, Barbie Paris of Mosinee, and David Sutton of Washington, Missouri; and also surviving are seven grandchildren and 5.5 great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents and husband who passed away on June 2, 2017, Lil was proceeded in death by her brothers, Arland, Dale and Ralph.

A celebration of life is to be held in spring 2022 with a date to be determined at that time.

The family has chosen McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home of Ironwood to honor Lillian's legacy of life. You can leave a condolence or a tribute at mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com.