Madonna Eldora (Hill) Wachter

Madonna Eldora (Hill) Wachter passed away peacefully on February 3rd, 2023.  She was born on October 29, 1928, in Prairie du Chien, WI, the daughter of Lee and Lucinda (Jones) Hill.  She attended public school in Prairie du Chien, graduating in 1946.

She married Donald M. Wachter on September 6, 1947, at St. Peter Lutheran Church.  Together they had three children, David of PDC, Mary Gulbrandsen, Madison, WI, and Richard (Louise Torhorst) of PDC.  They also had eight grandchildren; Lars (Kara Eigenberger) and their children, Charlie and Hazel, Gulbrandsen, Christine Wachter (Craig) Najdowski, and their children, Molly and Maggie; Jeffrey (Carrie Cox) Wachter, and their children Iris and Eden; Ellen Gulbrandsen (Michael) Jalkut, and their children Zoe, Hannah, and Ben; Matthew (Janine Faust) Wachter, and their children Monroe and Simone; Jon Wachter, Nicholas (Paige Stovey) Wachter, and Erik (Emily Talbot) Gulbrandsen and their sons, Bodie and Grady.  

Madonna is survived by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her brother and sister-in-law Donald and Jeanette Hill, her sisters, Irene McCloskey and Mary Hill, her brother-in-law Donald McCloskey, her parents-in-law Henry and Elizabeth Wachter, her brother-in-law William Wachter, and her son-in-law Carl Gulbrandsen.

Madonna started her working career as a secretary at National Decorated Metal, Inc. beginning the summer between her Junior and Senior years in high school and continuing there, after graduation, as both secretary and bookkeeper.  She also worked as a legal secretary for Scheffer and Queram Law Offices, as bookkeeper for Quality Beverages, and as Business Manager at the Opportunity Center for 20 years.

She was a member of St. Peter Lutheran Church for 85 plus years.  She served on the Church Council for six years and on three call committees.  She was a confirmation teacher, Sunday School superintendent, held various offices in the women’s circles, and served over 40 years on the Altar Guild. She taught the Bethel Bible Study as well the Search Bible Study.  She was also a member of the building committee for the present church.

She enjoyed cooking and baking for her family and friends, and she also did a great deal of genealogical research on all sides of the family.   She was a member of the State Historical Society as well as the local historical society and Partners of Prairie du Chien Memorial Hospital.

A Memorial Service will be Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at 11:00 AM at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Prairie du Chien with Pastor Miranda Klosterboer officiating. Interment will be later in the Prairie du Chien Evergreen Cemetery.  Friends may call at the church on Tuesday from 10:00 AM until the time of services. 

Many thanks to the wonderful caregivers at Bluff Haven, Prairie Maison, and Crossing Rivers Health Hospice.  Memorials may be directed to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.

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