North Pines Genealogy Group

In commemoration of Joyce, Sharon put the following article together…

February 2010 marked a milestone for North Pines Genealogy Group! 25 years ago, NPGG was formed!  The “Merrill Genealogy Group” was formed under the leadership of Joyce Bacher and Sharon Karow.  Joyce had been working at the Foto News and she began putting in family based articles and requested Merrill and surrounding individuals to do the same. Sharon Karow saw that request and began submitting articles on the information she had been researching on her ancestor’s. At one point Sharon went to the Foto News office and spoke with Joyce.  After discussing our hobby we made plans to form a group to see if there would be an interest in other individuals who were also working on their family research.  We held our first meeting in 1984 and after several months decided that we needed more structure to ensure that our group would last! The first “official” meeting was held 21 February 1985 at T. B. Scott Library in the Community Room.  At this meeting we named our group North Pines Genealogy Group and decided to create officers and also to check into writing up By-laws and a Constitution. We showed a filmstrip entitled “Colonial Times”!  Those that were present but who are no longer alive included Myra Hill, Cora Will, Roy Henson, George Page, Myron Rouleau, Lorraine Schmidt, Helen Kenney, Lisle Trantow, Phyllis Lammert, Edmund Hamlin, and now Joyce Bacher.  By the end of the first year we had 29 charter members!  Charter members that are alive today in 2021 are: Mary Lagerbloom, Patti Laessig, Darlene Plautz, Gloria Rahlf, Mel Doering, Lauree O’Day and Sharon Karow,   2021

 

Joyce Bacher, age 88, followed her husband, Jerry, to their eternal home on September 22, 2021. She was born October 4th, 1932 to the late Arthur and Ellen (Norman) Zoellner.

Joyce attended Merrill school and moved to Milwaukee in 1951 where she worked at Allis Chambers. After returning to Merrill, she married the love of her life, Jerry Bacher on Valentine’s Day in 1959. He preceded her in death by 4 days.

 Joyce was employed at the Merrill Daily Herald and the Foto News, retiring in 1991. She was a member of the Swede-Finn Society, North Pines Genealogy and the Merrill Historical Society and a former member of Good Samaritan Society. Joyce enjoyed traveling, spending time at the cottage where she loved boating, fishing, and raising lupines. She also enjoyed embroidering, reading, doing family research for herself and others, and spending time with her grandchildren.

She is survived by her three sons: Brad Erich (Joann Peel), Merrill, Timm Arthur, Green Bay, Dale Andrew (Rhonda), Merrill; seven grandchildren: Erich, Green Bay, Lindsay, Minneapolis, Kari (Travis) De Pere, Sami (Hannah), Wausau, Sierra, Merrill, and Randy (Kelly), Minneapolis; step-granddaughter: Julie, Merrill; two great-grandsons: Mason and Elliott, Green Bay; three great-granddaughters; Emily, De Pere, Raina and Alexa, Minneapolis; and three brothers: Lyndon (Laurie), Green Bay, Arthur (Barbra), Minocqua, and Allen, Showlow, AZ, and one brother-in-law: Don Paroubek, Merrill. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry, her parents, a brother Lloyd, two sisters, Alice Krueger and Doris Paroubek.

Funeral Services for both Joyce and Jerry will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, October 1, 2021 at Waid Funeral Home. Pastor Mara Pehkonen will officiate. Visitation will be from 9:00 AM until the time of service, also at the funeral home. Entombment will follow in Merrill Memorial Park Mausoleum. Waid Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences are encouraged and may be left at www.waidfuneral.com.

VISITATION

Friday
October 1, 2021
9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Waid Funeral and Cremation Service
301 South Eagle Drive
Merrill, WI 54452

 
Joyce’s funeral is scheduled for the same day as her husband Jerry.  He passed away on September 18, 2021 and Joyce followed him 4 days later on September 22nd.