Marla Rae Uebele

Marla Rae Uebele, 55, of West Salem, passed away into the arms of her loving Savior Jesus Christ on Saturday, September 15, 2018. She died peacefully at home after fighting cancer for two years.

Marla was bright, energetic, fun, and godly. Her joyful spirit will be deeply remembered, and deeply missed, by her husband, children, grandchildren, family and friends.

Marla was passionate about everything she did. She was a gatherer of people, and a sharer of the gospel. It was a natural thing for her to make her children and friends feel loved. She loved to play almost any card game or board game, and usually won. During the day she sensed God through joyful hikes in the woods. In the evening her curiosity led her through thousands of books.

Marla was born Marla Rae Schomberg, the fifth of six children born to William and Donna Schomberg. She was raised on the family farm in Barre Mills, where she grew to love the beautiful hills, trees and streams of the Coulee Region. She attended West Salem High School, played clarinet in the band, wrote stories for the school newspaper, and was senior class president. Marla attended the University of Wisconsin La Crosse and then transferred to the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where she graduated with a degree in Elementary Special Education in 1986.

She married Bob, the love of her life, on September 27, 1986, at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in West Salem, Wis.

Marla served as a missionary with Wycliffe Bible Translators beginning in 1992. When Wycliffe asked Marla which country she would like to be assigned to, she said, “a place with hills and trees.” Marla spent 12 years living with the Kurti people of Manus Island in Papua New Guinea, teaching them literacy, and the gospel, and enjoying the tropical rainforests with her young family. Her love of people, God’s Word, and the outdoors came together during those years. Being able to home school her children was also her delight.

Most recently, Marla worked 14 years for the La Crosse School District as an English Language Learner teacher. She taught in six different elementary schools, including Northwoods Elementary and Northside Elementary, and retired in June 2018. During the summers, she served Child Evangelism Fellowship in La Crosse, and enjoyed visiting her children in Seattle, California and Arizona.

Marla is survived by her husband, Bob; her children and grandchildren, Daniel Uebele, his wife, Faith, and their daughter, Adelaide, all of West Salem, Laura Jahr, her husband, Caleb, and their daughter, Elliana, all of Madison, Wis., Mandy Uebele of Redding, Cal., and Michael Uebele of Tucson, Ariz.; her parents, Bill and Donna Schomberg of West Salem; her siblings, Colleen Mulder of West Salem, Doug Schomberg and his wife, Sue, of Burlington, Wis., Cheryl Sprecher and her husband, Steve, of Sauk City, Wis., Tom Schomberg and his wife, Nancy, of West Salem, and Wade Schomberg and his wife, Kris, of West Salem; and 38 nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by a brother-in-law, Bob Mulder.

A memorial service celebrating Marla’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 29 ^th , at First Evangelical Free Church, 123 Mason St., Onalaska. Pastor Steve Dawson will officiate. A luncheon will follow the service at the church. Visitation will take place from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m., Friday, at Schumacher-Kish Funeral and Cremation Services, 200 West Ave. So., La Crosse, and also from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service on Saturday at the church. Private family burial will take place at a later date in the Neshonoc Cemetery in West Salem.

Memorials may be given to Child Evangelism Fellowship of La Crosse or Wycliffe Bible Translators.