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STERLING – Jane Marie Fonder, 97, of Sterling, went to be with the Lord at 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 20, 2017, from her home, in the company of her loving family in Sterling.
Jane Fonder was born Jane Marie Schoenberg Oct. 7, 1920, in El Rosa, Minnesota, to Leo and Clara (Virnig) Schoenberg. She was one of four children in her family. She married Dr. Aelred Fonder on May 13, 1946, at All Saints Catholic Church in Portland, Oregon. He passed away May 9, 2003.
She graduated in 1942 as a nurse from St. Cloud Hospital, in Minnesota, with every intent to enlist in the Armed Services, but she met Al, who was in the Navy and studying dentistry. After they married they lived in Oregon, where she was a nurse at Providence Hospital. Toward the end of World War II, they moved to Chicago, where Al went to Northwestern School of Dentistry, and Jane was a nurse at Passavant Memorial Hospital. In the late ’50s, they settled in Sterling and raised a family. Jane worked at Community General Hospital as a coronary care nurse. She also was an industrial nurse at Lawrence Brothers. She later worked for Dr. Fonder as the office manager of his dental practice. Jane loved nursing.
Jane and Al were very active in the Christian Family Movement of the 1950s and ’60s. Jane wrote and hosted the local radio program “Leave it to The Ladies” on WSDR, which stayed on top of moral and community issues. She was community minded, and often lead numerous volunteer committees and organizations, with whom she cultivated a plethora of deep and lasting friendships. She and her husband were devoted to mankind, both in their backyard and on the other side of the world. They traveled to many countries, and foreign exchange students from all four corners of the globe enjoyed a stay at the Fonder “hostel” on many a holiday. She enjoyed bridge, ballroom dancing, bowling, golf, traveling, and the company of her devoted family and close circle of friends.
She is survived by her three sons, Dr. John Fonder of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Dr. Tom (Opal) Fonder of Fredericksburg, Texas, and Dr. Jim (Corky) Fonder of Fredericksburg; her beloved son, Robert, passed in 2010; one daughter, Nancy (Randolph) Osborn of Sterling; one sister-in-law, Mary Lou (Robert) Schoenberg of Duluth, Minnesota; 15 grandchildren, Douglas Leiter of St. Paul, Minnesota, Cary (Jim) McCue of Sterling, Melissa (Jeff) Carlson of Rockford, Tom (Charity) Osborn of Seattle, Amy Osborn of Chicago, David (Rachael) Osborn of Sterling, Jonah Fonder of Sterling, Erik Fonder of Sterling, Inga Fonder of Champaign, Ritchie Fonder of Sterling, Allison Fonder and Sarah Fonder, both of New York, Will Fonder of Denver, Hannah Fonder of New York, and Dana Stableford of Fredricksberg; and eight great-grandchildren, Maegan and Caleb McCue of Sterling, Bjorn and Brody Carlson of Rockford, Seth and Ian Osborn of Seattle, and Aria and Abigail Reese Osborn of Sterling.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers and sisters, her beloved husband and a devoted son.
Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, and the funeral at
11 a.m. Saturday at McDonald Funeral Home, 505 First Ave., Sterling, with Pastor Randy Osborn officiating. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Sterling.
She was a lady, just ask anybody.