Stella L. (Griesbach) (Baurain) Wood

Stella L. (Griesbach) (Baurain) Wood, 80, passed on to eternal life on January 1, 2021, peacefully at her home in Hilbert surrounded by her husband and family and God’s abiding presence. During the last hour of her life Stella opened her eyes and was responding to her husband, daughter, and son-in-law when they were talking to her about her favorite subjects, Jesus and her family. And then right before she went to be with the Lord, Stella’s husband Roger kissed her and she kissed him back. Stella will be deeply missed, but we take comfort in knowing that she is rejoicing in Heaven with Jesus--her wonderful Savior, Lord, and Friend--and with her loved ones who have gone on to Heaven before her.

Stella was born on June 11, 1940 in Mackville to the late Peter and Mary (Sanderfoot) Griesbach. She was one of 13 children and they grew up on a dairy farm. She married the late Stewart Baurain on April 23, 1960 and they had 6 children together: Rick Baurain (Neenah), Tammy (John) Thompson (Hilbert), Lisa Baurain (Neenah), Jacqueline Shattuck (Appleton), Scott (Wendy) Baurain (Oshkosh), and Penny (Clifford) Larrabee (Spooner). Stella was preceded in death by her daughter-in-law Laurie Baurain and her son-in-law William (Bill) Shattuck. Stella married Roger Wood on August 11, 1984, and gained a stepson, Jason Wood, whom she loved like her own. Stella also has 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Since early in her life, our mom showed what it meant to love and care for people. She left high school to help support her family by training and working as a nurse’s aide at Saint Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton. Stella had a caregiver’s heart--throughout her life she gave of herself and cared for many people in the hospital; in home health care; and even in her own home, including foster adults, her father Peter, mother-in-law Irene, brother-in-law Lyle, and brother-in-law Stanley.

Our mom was always thinking of others, especially her husband, children, and grandchildren. Whatever the need was that any of her children or anyone had, her heart was ready to give. She loved her husband, children, and grandchildren with all of her heart and would have given her life for any of them if needed. Her family was her life. She also loved and treated the spouses of her children just like her own children. Our mom was a devoted follower of Jesus so she had a heart for people to come to know and love Jesus like she did, and she readily shared with others how Jesus saved her and all He had done for her.   

Stella’s living siblings are Theresa Short (Appleton), Laverne Stein (Menasha), Gerald (Maria) Griesbach (Kaukauna), and Ronald (Ming) Griesbach (Texas); and brother-in-law, Cyril Jochman. Stella was preceded in death by six sisters, Catherine (Howard) McGuire, Germain Griesbach, Frances (David) Timm, Margaret (Jim Kuba) Jochman, Marcella Griesbach, and Kitty (Don) Nuxoll; and two brothers, Merlin (Willa) Griesbach and Donald (Jane) Griesbach; and two brothers-in-law, Frank Short and Joe Penterman.

We want to say a big thank you to St. Paul’s Nursing Home in Kaukauna for the care you gave our mom while she was there. We are glad that mom was able to return home where she wanted to be, so a special thank you to Ascension Hospice and her caregivers who helped make that possible.    

There will be a private family celebration of Stella’s life at her home with her children, her grandchildren, her siblings, and her husband Roger’s siblings on Saturday, January 9, 2021 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The memorial portion will be livestreamed on the Facebook account of Clifford N Penny Larrabee at 2:30 pm.     

Other Personal Thoughts and Tributes:

From Rick: Mom showed her love strong after my back surgery in 2004. She had a heart for the hurting.

From Tammy: My mom wasn’t just my mom but my friend too. After our parents’ divorce and mom’s breast cancer we became especially close, and I realized just how precious she was and our relationship was. Mom was the best caregiver and she taught me how to be a caregiver, and I’m glad I could be there for her.

From Jacqueline (Jackie): I knew mom loved me and I meant a lot to her. She was always there for me, especially in certain hard times. Mom was an understanding and sympathetic person. I also loved mom’s awesome cooking and baking, especially her homemade Dutch apple pie.

From Lisa: Mom was such a great listener, and very understanding. She was always there for others. She was a great mom, friend, wife, sister, and person! If it wasn’t for her, we all would be lost; she brought us to God!

From Penny: Mom was an exceptional mom! She was always there for me even when I moved farther away after getting married. I could talk to her about anything. She was also the type of person that would give wise advice and tell you the hard truth you needed to hear, but she did it in love. Mom is the person who led me to the Lord and I’m forever grateful for that. I will also cherish the wedding dress she made me and her love and time that went into making it.