Pamela Roemke

Pamela “Pam” J. (Tapper) Roemke, 71, passed away peacefully on May 17th, 2019 at her home with her loving husband Rick by her side.

Pam was born in Wausau on March 20th, 1948, the daughter of Leslie and Mildred (Hackbarth) Tapper. Pam married Frederick “Rick” Roemke on June 13th, 1970 in Wausau, WI. In 1973 they started their family with the birth of daughter Renee (Roemke) Thomsen and later their son Chad Roemke.

Pam graduated from Wausau East High School in 1966. Most of her work career was spent at Marathon County Zoning, where she retired in 2017. She took great joy in visiting with the plumbers and making them smile with a joke or a little good-natured ribbing.

Pam loved time spent with family and friends. She most enjoyed time at her cabin on Seven Island Lake where she would entertain the campfire crowd by playing some lively polka music on her accordion. She also enjoyed sharing a meal with her Diner’s Club, taking adventures with her very special friend Pineapple Gut and laughing with her Chatterbox gang.

Pam had a special bond with her only grandson, Mitch Thomsen. The two shared many laughs, secrets and stories.

In recent years, she and Rick enjoyed time in Florida visiting their great friends Gene Heise, Tom Roemke and many others. She loved her grand dog Sadi Girl who kept her feet warm as she facebooked family and friends from her desk. Pam’s smile and generosity of heart made friends feel like family, none more so than her “beloved boys” Jeff and Mike Heise.

Holidays were special to Pam as she could spend time with her family. Pam loved gatherings with Joy, Jay, Karen and Irv, Beth and Turk and her beloved nieces and nephews for whom she made party mix, seasoned pretzels and Gramma’s dumplings. Pam was an amazing caregiver to her mom, especially in her last years, keeping her books, making her bed, shopping for supplies, accompanying her to many appointments and visiting her whenever possible. A better wife, mom, grandma, sister, aunt and niece there will never be.

Pam is survived by her husband Rick “Headband” Roemke; son Chad (Gina) Roemke; son- in- law Scott Thomsen and grandson Mitchell Thomsen; brother Jay (Pam) Tapper; sister Joy (Bill) Pickering; sister-in-law Karen (Irv) Sumner; nieces and nephews Scott (Jane) Sumner, Steve (Michelle) Sumner, Ben, Joe and Ellen Pickering, her aunt and special friend Beth (Tapper) Flory.

She is preceded in death by her father and mother Leslie and Mildred Tapper; father and mother- in- law Fred and Bertha Roemke; and her daughter Renee (Roemke) Thomsen.

A funeral will be held on Friday, May 24th at 1 PM at St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 3200 N Mountain Rd, Wausau, WI. Visitation will be from 9 AM until the time of service at the church. Pastor Jenn Collins will officiate.

The family wishes to thank everyone for their love and support during this time of grieving.

Brainard Funeral Home, Wausau is assisting the family with arrangements.