VESPER, Colleen J. (January 4, 1933 - June 1, 2010) Colleen Jayne (Vine) Vesper, age 77, of Rice Lake, WI, died Tuesday, June 1, 2010 at the Luther Hospital in Eau Claire, WI. She was born on January 4, 1933 to Emery and Eleanore (Lightner) Vine in Rice Lake. Colleen lived in many places during her early childhood, as her father was a migrant construction worker, before returning to Rice Lake. She graduated from Rice Lake High School in 1951. She married her husband Kenneth, her high school sweetheart and lifelong soul mate on October 7, 1952. She worked as a catalogue clerk for Montgomery Ward, and a receptionist / bookkeeper for WJMC Radio until her retirement in 1993. In more recent times, she has been a member of the Lakeview Medical Center Auxiliary, and the Barron County Historical Society, volunteering time for both organizations. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Colleen enjoyed camping, antiques, traveling, garage sales, but most of all her family. She will be remembered by all who met her, and dearly missed by those who loved her. Colleen Vesper is survived by her husband, Kenneth Vesper of Rice Lake, WI; a son, Matthew (Sandra) Vesper of Spooner, WI; a daughter, Gwendolyn (Peter) Bassette of Jordan, MN; 5 grandchildren, Shannon, Tara, Kyle, Tai and Tony; 6 great-grandchildren, Brittany, Travis, Timothy, Samantha, Jayne, Keaten and Cassidy; 2 sisters, Vicki (Michael) Earnest of Denver, CO and Dee (Dale) Wells of Colfax, WI. She was preceded in death by her parents, Emery and Eleanore Vine. Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 AM Saturday, June 5, 2010 at the First Lutheran Church in Rice Lake, Rev. Jerry Bernecker officiating, with private interment in the Northern Wisconsin Veterans Cemetery at Spooner, WI. Visitation will be held from 4 - 8 PM Friday at Appleyard's Home for Funerals in Rice Lake and for 1 hour prior to the funeral at the Church.

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