JoAnne E. (Bickel) Custer, 64, Howard, passed away on August 5, 2017.

A memorial gathering will be held on Saturday, September 16, 2017 from 11:00 to 1:00 p.m.
Memorial Service 1:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

This next part was composed by JoAnne, in her words:

I'm JoAnne….JoAnne Eleanor Custer*-born JoAnne Eleanor Bickel. We women add names through the years-some fit better than others. I was born in strawberry season-June 17, 1953 at 3:25pm-in Green Bay, Wisconsin at St. Vincent Hospital. My parents were Walter R. Bickel , a hard working truck driver. My mom was Emily Lucy (Vlies) Bickel-yes, she was born a Vlies-also connected to the LeCloux family-so chances are if you are a Vlies or LeCloux, we are related…and there are lots of us! How lucky is that!

My transition to the "other side" was on Saturday, the 5th day of August 2017. It was time.

I had a splendid life in spite of many illnesses, accidents, surgeries, broken bones, etc-then again how many of us get out without looking like a jigsaw puzzle- Born and raised in Howard, Wisconsin, just outside Green Bay-born with asthma which later progressed to COPD and my demise was caused by lung cancer-but no judgment here-hadn't smoked in over 20 years before being plagued by those nasty monsters in my body and my doctors reassured it wasn't the smoking that caused since cancer grows in about 6-8 years-so I'll blame the darn paper mills. Of the many illnesses, none ever kept me down for long….Well except for this last one apparently!!

Attended 8 years at St. John the Baptist Grade School, graduating in 1967. Makes it sound kind of like a prison-sometimes it felt that way to a kid!! Learned how to listen really well or the ruler would come out and I got lots of whacks for not paying attention! Not sure what they expected from a Gemini kid! Then on to Bay Port High School, graduating in 1971. That was typical high school-took all the office classes so I could get a job and support myself, even though I thought I would surely never have to do that!! That's what husband's do!! Should have gone on to college but so many of us silly females at that time thought we'd get married and be taken care of by a wonderful husband, raise a family and live in a quaint house surrounded by a white picket fence. Well obviously that never happened, at least not quite that way. I always worked and probably would have gone insane if I hadn't. Too much going on in the brain to just do nothing!! Must have been that Gemini thing again J

My working life I spent the first five years out of school at Diana Manufacturing, a local paper mill. Enjoyed working there with all the other young people. Was good money at the time and easy work. I worked on the machine that packaged Kotex feminine napkins-8"-what a blast that was and then I got free Kotex to boot-I was really "absorbing" the benefits of my job! After that I moved on to what I had taken all of my typing and shorthand classes in school for…."Being a secretary". It's what I was kind of meant for-loved typing-fastest test I took was at Arthur Andersen in Dallas and my speed was 117 wpm! That Selectric was smokin'!! That was my full life of work and took me to many different employers and a few different cities. Moved from Green Bay to Milwaukee, then to Dallas, Texas, back to Milwaukee then on to Kansas City, Missouri before coming home to Green Bay in late summer 1986. Have never left again-realizing that the grass isn't always greener elsewhere….wanted to be close to my family and friends. Officially retired from my last job-Schreiber Foods-and went on disability due to more heart problems-in 2008.

Obviously to me, the best part of life is doing all the things you love doing, spending time with the people you love. My mom and dad had the place in Townsend which I loved appending time at. Nothing like being in the woods, in nature and just smelling and being…and of course being a block from the bar wasn't so bad either….Popp's Sunset Resort, which is now Sunset Bar & Grill and still love going up there and have some old friends up there to have a beer with and hang out.

My passion was always photography-dreams of working for Life Magazine never happened but I did enjoy some years doing professional work on weddings, portraits, etc. I prefer scenery the best-it doesn't get drunk and swear at you. J Loved and still do love playing on computers. Had my first one-a TI-that was just a keyboard. It hooked to my TV for the monitor and if I wanted a "hard drive" I had to use a cassette recorder. Very high tech. Also always had a love for music. Learned to "play" guitar on my younger sister's plastic, 4 string ukulele LOL! So my mom and dad got me my first real acoustic guitar when I was 14 and then an electric when I was 16 in 1969. How cool was that. I think the neighborhood didn't agree but at 16 I guess I didn't really care!! My dear friend, Jim Morrison, granted me the use of his piano since spring of 2015, even though I don't really know how to play. But with a little knowledge and his encouragement I learned one song at a time and played each morning and night. Thank you so much Jim!!

I always liked the unusual and different aspects of spirituality-learned Reiki after my first 2 heart attacks and enjoyed meditating….Especially with my "chanting loves" Sue, Viv, Dawn, Marianne and even Pepper joined in occasionally!

As for my family that left this realm before me-my son's father, G. Jeffery Custer and I were married on November 16, 1985-he was my best friend and is always missed. Unfortunately, he sadly left us suddenly on June 25, 1989, when he committed suicide. My dad and mom left in 2002 and 2008 respectively. Dad succumbed to pneumonia and mom was just plain tired at the age of 87. My sweet baby sister, Karen Klaus, also succumbed to cancer at the young age of 58, but only after suffering many years from MS. I know where to find her…at the swim up bar…be right there Trinkle!! Ray and Zack Custer left too soon from cancer also. Also so sadly lost 3 best friends through the years…and all from cancer-Laurie Simon in 1990, Debbie Kimps in 2012 and Cyndy Widi in 2015. Also many aunts, uncles and cousins gone too soon.

Those that are still here to tell all the horror stories about me (don't ask-I'm sure they'll be too willing to share) are my incredible son and love of my life, Jeffery Glenn Custer-my sunshine since the day he was born; my loves of my life,my two grandsons, Logan and Draven-partners in crime and I'm sure will keep daddy on his toes; my dearest and wise brother, Richard Bickel, who always knew what advice to give me and it always came with a beer, and his sweet wife, Ruth; my wonderful, kind-hearted sister, Nancy Quarters, who always sent the right card at the right time to cheer me up…and was either in the mail or personally delivered with either wine or wine with a 7 course meal; brother-in-law, Michael Klaus, who was the love of my sister's life and her loving caregiver through her MS and cancer; nieces and nephews, Tammy (Brant) Asplund, Troy Westcott, Tiffany (also, my goddaughter) (Bill) Joy, Justin and Jason Quarters and Jason's special friend, Caitlin Prain; great nephews, Isiah Asplund, Simon Schuh and Remy Joy; Aunt Eleanor Vlies, Aunt Mary (John) Thompson, Uncle Lloyd (Janice) Vlies; many close cousins; my in-laws, Natalie & Steve Griffey; nieces, Erica, Rachael and Lindsey; great nieces, Ella and Stevie; my goddaughter and daughter of my late best friend Cyndy, Jessica Tucker and her brother, Matt Malchow; my dear friends that also helped me through my interesting journey, always made life fun and interesting and worked hard on a benefit for me, Mary Peterson, Connie Verhaagh, Steve Kersten, Cheri Hansen, Kathy Treml, Debbie Gore, Jim Morrison; dear friends who hold a special place in my heart: Bobbie Jackson, Deb Kabacinski, Susie & Frankie Gattuso, Shelly Bauldry, Cari Tochterman, Michele Austin and always my "chanting loves" Sue Popp, Vivian Erickson, Dawn Henderson and Marianne Matzke. I love you all and remember-I'll be keeping my eye on you.

So this is a summary of who I am-I can be funny and love laughing-rarely will there be a pic of me where I'm not smiling. I love my quiet, private times also to reflect and sort out my thoughts. I can be serious, but only when it's absolutely necessary!! I look at life as an adventure, even if it's just in my back yard-so much to see and experience if you're paying attention. Wonder what it will be like here….I'll try to let you all know-keep listening and watching-I'll be there! Booga booga Rick (you know who you are J )

Thank Mike Pfotenhauer and the gang for taking good care of me….and remember Mike-those pictures are still in someone's possession and could resurface LOL…or I could just give them all to you before…for a price!!

And last, but never, ever least-all of my great friends at Unity Hospice-and I don't use the word friends lightly here-they all became not only my nurses, social workers, etc.,…they were my advocates, they were my friends-they came to understand me in ways no one else ever could. For that I am forever grateful…so thanks for taking such good care of me-especially Tara, Lori Dani and Bob and thanks for putting up with me.