Ethel-Anne "Chub" Mueller

POYNETTE/STEVENS POINT-Ethel-Anne “Chub” Mueller, age 92, of Poynette, died June 30th, at Brookdale Senior Living in Stevens Point.
  
Ethel-Anne Mueller was a positive force in this world from her birth on July 6th, 1925 to her last day, June 30th, 2018.  She made lasting impacts through her teaching, community contributions, and of course her family.  

Ethel-Anne was the second of five children born to Hubert “Gramp” and Joanne “Honey” (Aeschbacher) Haight.  On June 17, 1947 she married the love of her life, Herbert Mueller. They were married 51 years before his death, August 17, 1998.  Together they had three children, six grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren, with a fifth due in August.

As a teacher, Ethel-Anne cared deeply about all of her students and made sure every fourth grader at Arlington Elementary School could read at grade level and memorize all multiplication facts through 12 times 12.  She attended Lowville and Poynette Elementary Schools; graduating from Poynette High School in 1942 and Columbus County Normal School with a teaching license two years later. She then began her teaching career at age 18.  She returned to school at UWSP to complete her bachelor’s degree in 1963. She continued teaching at Arlington Elementary School for another 25 years until her retirement in 1987.

She tirelessly worked to make the world a better place through her volunteer work and donations to the historical society, humane society, mother’s club, homemakers, 4-H, and local food pantries. At one time she set up a tour of her nativity set collection as a fundraiser for the food pantry.  She and Herb volunteered for many years at the Columbia County Fair in Portage.

She was a lifelong member of the Poynette Presbyterian Church, where she was the first female elder, sang in the choir, served as session secretary and shared her strong faith through teaching Sunday school and confirmation students.  

Ethel-Anne enjoyed collecting dolls, small boxes, horses, geodes, nativity sets, angels, Easter eggs, sugar/creamers, miniature tea sets, apples, pre-1900 books, and according to her, dust.  Along with her mother and sister, she had a ceramic shop in Poynette. In addition to ceramics, she enjoyed a variety of crafts including painting and needle crafts.

She was an avid reader and lifelong learner.  She was an active world traveler, landing on a glacier with a helicopter, hot air ballooning, riding burros in Spain, and swimming with dolphins among other adventures.  

Ethel-Anne had a wonderful smile, a great sense of humor, and a love of life.  Most of all she loved people, especially her family, church, and students. She was immensely proud of her grandchildren.      

She is survived by her children Scott (Linda Watson) Mueller, Madison, Erin “Jody” (Kevin) Seegert, Stevens Point, Hubert “Chip” (Peggy Schuck) Mueller, Longmont, Co.;  grandchildren Adam (Brittany) Mueller, Madison, Nathan (Sarah) Seegert, Salt Lake City, Sarah (Karl) Reynolds, Barneveld, Matthew (Becky) Seegert, Saint James, MN, Sean Tucker, Longmont, CO. , Emily (Matt Rueth) Seegert, Burnsville, MN, and Trenton Seegert, Stevens Point; great grandchildren, Harper Reynolds, Elizabeth Seegert, Nash Reynolds, and Leo Seegert.  She is also survived by a sister, Marcellitte “Marki” Curtis, Poynette, two sisters-in-law, Elizabeth (Thomas) Haight, Mass., Jeannine (Ernest) Mueller, Reedsburg, several beloved nieces and nephews, and neighbors Judi Mick, Stephanie (Derek) Wipperfurth, Owen, and Wyatt, whom she considered family, other relatives and many dear friends.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Herbert Mueller, her parents, Hubert and Joanne Haight, sisters, Janice (Jerry) Houtler and Shirley Wright, a brother, Thomas (Elizabeth) Haight, niece, Kathy Mueller and nephews, Randy Vesely and Dan Curtis.  

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 10, 2018, at Poynette Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. Paul Strickert officiating.  Burial will follow in Lowville Cemetery.  Visitation will be held on Monday, July 9, 2018, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Poynette and on Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. at the church.

At her request, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Columbia County Humane Society, the Mueller Scholarship at Poynette High School, the Poynette Presbyterian Church, or a charity of your choice.