Elaine V. Wedell Obituary
Went home to the Lord on February 4th, 2026, at the age of 97. Elaine Victoria Joswick was born on February 29, 1928, in Denmark, WI to John Joswick and Anna Joswick (nee Bluma). She had a very modest upbringing, where she was the fifth child in a family of twelve children. She was raised in an environment of hard work, great values and faith. The family moved to several locations between WI and MN before settling in West Allis, WI.
Elaine was the loving wife of the late Maynard for 65 years. Incredible mother to John (aka Johnny), Mark (Lynn), Wayne and the late Amy (Wedell) Mindemann, who lost a courageous battle to breast cancer in 2005. Proud grandmother of Josh, Alice, Olivia, Emily, Lauretta, Natalie, Scott, Ryan, Katie, Benjamin, Jeremy, Jenny, Mark, and Jessica and her 20 great grandchildren.
After graduating High School in 1946, she worked at the Wisconsin Telephone Company as a long-distance operator connecting calls so people could communicate with one another. That is where she met her loving husband, Maynard. His job was to resolve technical problems the operators had, and a technical problem led to a life-long relationship between Elaine and Maynard that positively impacted countless people. They married in 1948.
After several moves around the Milwaukee area Elaine and Maynard settled in a rural setting in Menomonee Falls, WI where they completely remodeled a farmhouse, fulfilling both of their dreams. Elaine loved raising her children on the country homestead and all the opportunities that lifestyle afforded the entire family. She also loved pets with a special fondness for large dogs and horses. Elaine was a complete homemaker with extraordinary cooking, baking, food presentation and seamstress skills. After her youngest child, Amy, became of school age, Elaine added nursing school to her full-time homemaker responsibilities. She earned a degree and worked as a nurse in orthopedics at Waukesha Memorial and Community Memorial hospitals where she spread her love and care to others outside her home.
Elaine spent her retirement years immersed in all aspects of the growing families of her children. She because a cherished grandmother and was deeply loved and respected by all her grandchildren. She had a remarkable way of making everyone feel important while developing a special bond of support, care and love. Elaine had a steadfast, lifelong faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and set an example by her actions of how to care and show love to others. Elaine will be tremendously missed by all who knew her.
Visitation will be held on February 13, 2026, at St James Catholic Church (W220 N6588) Town Line Rd, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051) at 9:30 AM. Mass of Christian burial is at 11:00 AM.
Burial is on Saturday, February 14th, at 10:30 AM at Sunnyside Cemetery, Lannon, WI.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, 60 E. 56th St. 8th Floor New York, NY 10022 or online gifts to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation can be made online to https://give.bcrf.org.
