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Life Story for Teresa Ann Schwanke
In the quiet morning hours on May 14th, 2018, Teresa A. Schwanke, age 58, was carefully shepherded through the last turn of her life on this earth by her loving Savior Jesus Christ. She died at her home at 21920 Peepsock Road, Houghton, MI, with her daughter and husband at the bedside. In that instant, she was taken to her eternal home in heaven above.
Terry, as she liked to be called, was born on September 10, 1959 in Milwaukee, WI. She was the daughter of Richard (deceased) and Merike (Hennupere) Voeltner. On November 1, 1959, Terry was baptized and made God’s child through water and the word. She went through grade school and high school in Milwaukee, and started college at UW Milwaukee with the goal of pursuing a degree in forestry. But then came a turn in her life. At a church choir practice, she met her future husband.
On June 9, 1979, she married Glenn L. Schwanke at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Clinton Ave, Milwaukee, WI. That marriage led to many turns in Terry’s life. First there was the turn for a year in Florida as a part of her husband’s seminary training; then a year back home with parents in Milwaukee, as her husband finished that training. Then, upon seminary graduation, there was the turn of moving to Fort Wayne Indiana, where the young couple was embraced by a loving family of believers at Holy Scripture Ev. Lutheran Church. Terry spent 15 years there, growing in her love and devotion of her husband, her family, and her church family.
And then came another turn. After twelve years of marriage, Terry became a mother to a beautiful baby girl, Victoria. Now would come years of honing her skills as a parent, and patiently trying to teach those same skills to her husband.
And then came another turn. Terry, her daughter, and her husband came to the Copper Country in the fall of 1996, when Glenn accepted a call to serve Peace Ev. Lutheran Church, Houghton, and the Lutheran Collegian Campus Ministry (WELS) at Michigan Technological University.
Through all the years and all the turns, Terry was a loving wife and mother; an accomplished domestic engineer, a consummate cook, a brilliant baker, a gifted seamstress, and talented crafter. She was a member at Peace Ev. Lutheran Church and was active there in many different roles.
Since 2014 Terry struggled with cancer and went through all the twists and turns of surgeries and treatments. Yet she remained upbeat and positive, for she knew that at every turn, there was her Savior Jesus Christ.
Survivors include her husband, Rev. Glenn Schwanke, of Houghton, MI; her daughter, Victoria Schwanke, of Houghton, MI; her mother, Merike Voeltner of Eagle River, WI; a sister, Ruth (Ronald) Zindler of Bark River, MI; a brother, Ronald (Pamela) Voeltner of West Bend, WI; and a future son-in-law, Justin Shaffner, of South Range, MI. Also surviving are a niece and nephews; Jessica Schwanke, of Milton, WI; Bryan Voeltner, of Jackson, MI; Matthew Voeltner of West Bend, WI, and Benjamin Zindler, of Bark River, MI.
A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 PM, Friday, May 18th, at Peace Ev. Lutheran Church, Houghton, MI. Officiating at the Service will be the Rev. Larry Schwanke and the Rev. Glenn Schwanke.
The family will greet relatives and friends at Peace Ev. Lutheran Church, Houghton, MI, from 11:00 AM until the time of service on May 18th. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family by visiting www.memorialchapel.net.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Peace Ev. Lutheran Church, Houghton, MI.
Memorial Chapel and Plowe Funeral Services is assisting the family with the arrangements.
