Obituary of Jeanette Augusta Telford

Jeanette Augusta (Strade) Telford, 94, of Colby, formerly of Spencer and Abbotsford, passed away on Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at Colby Retirement Community under the care of St. Croix Hospice.

A Funeral Service will be held at 3PM on Tuesday, February 8, 2022 at First United Church of Christ in Colby with Pastor Teri Hanson officiating. Burial will follow in Abbotsford Public Cemetery. Family and friends may call at church on Tuesday from 2PM until time of service. The honor of pallbearer belongs to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Tammy Beisner, Melanie Fetting, Kent Telford, Jamie Meyer, Russell Fetting and Tucker Meyer.

Jeanette was born on April 16, 1927 to Edwin and Hulda (Neuhaus) Strade on the home farm at Curtiss. She attended Clovernook Country School thru the 8^th grade and then had to help on the family farm. On June 15, 1948, she married Alfred Telford in the rectory at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Owen. He preceded her in death on October 6, 2013. They spent 65 years together as husband and wife and had five children. Moving from Owen in 1952 to operate a farm in Thorp and in 1958 they bought a farm in Spencer. In 1971, they built a new home in Abbotsford. She did cleaning at the Colby Clinic and Colby City Hall, retiring in 1988. In November of 2010, she moved to the Colby-Abbotsford Senior Village in Colby and in August of 2016 moved to the Colby Retirement Community.

She belonged to the First United Church of Christ Women’s Guild, Brighton Homemakers, Clovernook Homemakers, Central Wisc. Campers, Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary #2227 of Colby, Abbotsford Public Library Club and in later years, Colby Library Club.

In her spare time, she enjoyed playing cards, reading, cake decorating, sewing, crocheting and camping with their motorhome. She made hundreds of quilts for Children of Sunburst in Neillsville and Abused Women of Wausau. She also made baby hats and Afghans for Hannah House and St. Joseph’s Hospital of Marshfield and later baby hats for Memorial Hospital in Medford; a total of 331 baby hats. All grandkids and great-grandkids got a handmade quilt and Afghan. Quilts and Afghans were also given for gifts for showers, weddings and graduations. She had even made a red, white, and blue quilt for the Stratford VFW for a raffle; making 500 quilts overall. She sewed flower girl, junior and bridesmaid dresses, men’s leisure suits and suit jackets and even a Santa suit. She sewed upholstery and a top for a Model A car. No job was too hard for her to tackle.

Survivors include Sandra Beisner of Spencer, Arlyn (Kathy) Telford of Colby and Alan Telford of Curtiss; seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; brother-in-law, William (Nancy) Telford of Wausau and sister-in-law, Nancy Telford of Racine along with many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Jeanette was preceded in death by her parents, Edwin and Hulda Strade; her husband, Alfred; a stillborn son; a grandson-in-law, Gary Fetting; sisters, Bernice Kademan and Dolores Knutson and their spouses; Alfred’s parents, George and Mary Telford and brother-in-law, James Telford.

In lieu of flowers, the family is accepting memorials in Jeanette’s name to First United Church of Christ Women’s Guild.

The family would like to express sincere appreciation to Jeanette’s caregivers and staff at Colby Retirement Community and a special thank you to Rhonda and Karissa from St. Croix Hospice.

A Celebration of Life will be held in April of 2022. Updated information will be posted as it becomes available.

Jeanette’s arrangements are in the care of Life Tributes Funeral Home-Spencer. Please visit www.lifetributesfuneralhome.com to share thoughts and condolences.