JoAnne (Ramsey) (Tenjum) Kinzler , Age 81


December 05, 1938 --July 13, 2020

JoAnne (Ramsey) (Tenjum) Kinzler, age 81, of Portage, passed away Monday, July 13, 2020 at Our House in Portage. JoAnne, one of nineteen children of Charles and Virginia (Dempsey) Ramsey was born Dec. 5, 1938 in Baraboo. In her younger years, she enjoyed participating in 4-H. She worked at Demco in DeForest and The Wisconsin Cheeseman in Baraboo. JoAnne was a member of the Windsor Homemakers, a Girl Scout Leader, and a Charter member of the Baraboo Area Senior Center, donating countless hours with soup and sandwich lunches, bingo and singing with the ladies glee club. She wrote many childrens books. In her retirement she did in home daycare for some very special children in the Baraboo area.

JoAnne enjoyed gardening, cooking, sewing and quilting, making quilts for all of her family. One of her greatest lifelong passions was genealogy, starting at a very young age and has amass a huge library on the family names of Ramsey, Dempsey, Braun and Washburn. More than anything else, JoAnne loved spending time with her family. She was a devoted wife to her first husband, Palmer Tenjum of 20 years, but also her second husband, Walter Kinzler of 35 years.

Survivors include her children, Margaret (Stephen) Tolliver of Olney, IL, Debra (Randall) Grams of Dalton, WI, Sheryl (Curtis) Miller of Waseca, MN, Carl (Shary) Tenjum of Cottage Grove, WI; step-children, Sharyn (Doug) Gamer, Jerry (Cheri) Kinzler, David (Charlene) Kinzler, Rose (Bill) DeRocher, Julie (Brent) Guthrie; siblings, Eva Hooker, Daunnene Hooker, Theodore (Cassandra) Ramsey, Carol (Joe) Birch, David (Gloria) Ramsey, Kay (Jack) Birch, Pearl (Don) Schellenberger, Pauline Roberts, Enain Gardner, Lucy Reichhoff, Prentis (Vernon) Carter, Carl (Jodie) Ramsey, Cyril (Joni) Ramsey; sisters-in-law, Olive Ramsey, Sharon Tenjum and Deloris Tenjum and brother-in-law, Roger Hudzinski. She is further survived by numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Palmer Tenjum and Walter Kinzler; brothers, Herbert, Paul and Raleigh Ramsey; sisters, Johanna (Jack) Fry and Judy Hudzinski; step-daughter, Rachel Kinzler; and grandson, Charlie Quam.

The family requests that JoAnnes children and siblings attend her visitation on Thursday, July 16, 2020 at Redlin Funeral Home from 11 a.m. until the time of service at 12, noon. Burial will follow at Walnut Hill Cemetery.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Pat and Roger LaMasney and family, Paul Ramsey, Carl Ramsey, Cyril Ramsey, and Carol and Joe Birch for all their help in JoAnnes later years. JoAnnes family would like to express deep gratitude to Our House Senior Living and Memory Care as well as Agrace Hospice whos loving and attentive care helped make our families life and our mothers journey easier. JoAnne was selfless in giving and would have had it no other way.



Condolences

Sharon (Girling) Peterson July 15, 2020

cousin Delafield , Wisconsin

So very sorry to hear of your mother's, sister's death. In past years we exchanged Christmas cards. My mother, Genevieve, was Chuck's baby sister. My prayers are with all of you. Now she's at peace, but I know you will always miss her.