Veronica “Ronnie” C. Schanhofer, 85, of Sparta, passed away on Thursday, April 27, 2006 at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, La Crosse.  She was born on November 7, 1920 to William and Susan (Stoikes) Brueggeman on Saint Mary’s Ridge.

      She married Donald C. Schanhofer on March 5, 1942.  From this union 7 children were born.  Ronnie worked many jobs in the Sparta area.  Her favorite job was assisting her husband in driving semi to the Budweiser Brewery in St. Louis, Missouri for their oldest son Chester.

      She is survived by her daughters, Jane (Earl) Nelson of Sparta, Cathy Schaller (John Ross, special friend) of Stoddard, Louise (Gary) Wieman of Sparta, Nancy (Steve) Nichols of Sparta, Michelle Herold (Norm Olson, special friend) of Sparta; sons, Chester (Janet) Schanhofer of Sparta and Robert (Karen) Schanhofer of Sparta; a sister, Dorothy Peck of Sparta; 18 grandchildren and many great and great-great grandchildren. 

     She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; five brothers and four sisters.

     A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Sparta, with Father James Leary OFM Cap. officiating. Burial will be in St. Patrick’s Catholic Cemetery, Sparta.

     Family and friends are invited to call at the Lanham-Miller Funeral Home on Sunday from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. with a rosary at 6:30 p.m. and at the funeral home on Monday from 8 a.m. until 9:45 a.m.

     A special thank you to the Gundersen Lutheran Hospice Program for all their kindness and care.