Ethel T. Drengberg, age 69, of Wauzeka, passed away peacefully in her home on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2016, surrounded by her loving family. Ethel was born in Stevens Point, on October 3, 1947 to Alice Wroblewski and Adam Przybylski.
Ethel was proud of her roots as a farmer. She loved to garden, read, fish, and feed the birds. She loved polka music and dancing. She enjoyed traveling around her home state of Wisconsin, and some highlight destinations for her include Canada, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Paris, France.
Education was very important to Ethel. She worked for the UW system for over thirty years, including UW-Stevens Point, UW-Milwaukee, and UW-Madison. She was passionate about the culture of Native Americans, and participated in the education of their history; she worked with Upward Bound, and also enjoyed attending Pow Wows. She was involved in the various scout troops, and had been President of the PTA. She also had been a foster parent to approximately sixty children.
Ethel was a political activist for women’s rights, civil rights, and the environment. She was very proud of being a union member. She was a USO volunteer. Other accomplishments of hers include being Wauzeka Lions Club President, being part of the Lower WI Genealogical Society, and she belonged to the Greater Wauzeka Enterprise Association. She was involved with the creation of Century Hall, and was instrumental in the inclusion of the new location for the Post Office. She also had been an owner of the Catfish Cafe.
She is survived by her husband of forty-seven years, Fredrick; her children Alice, Meta, Karl (his wife Jiab, of Thailand), and August; and three grandchildren Grace, Kelsey, and Kyra. She lived surrounded by love, and her family was the pride of her life.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her sister, plus several other family members and close friends.
There will be a private family burial and a Celebration of Life at a later time this Spring.
Shalom
Thornburg – Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin is helping the family with the arrangements.