Mildred Schramm Kaiser

Mildred “Millie” Schramm Kaiser, formerly of Port Washington, died on May 8 at Terova Senior Living in Mequon. She was 99 years old.

Born on Dec. 23, 1922, Millie was raised on a family farm in Cedarburg by parents Martin and Hattie Gleizel Wollner. Aways an avid learner, young Millie eagerly tagged along with her older brother Carlie to a one-room schoolhouse, Brookside No. 4 on Highway 60, where she completed grade school. She graduated from Cedarburg High School in 1940.

Millie married Clarence Schramm in 1946, and they settled in Port Washington, where they worked and raised their four children. After Clarence’s death in 1999, Millie married Francis “Bud” Kaiser, who preceded her in death in 2013.

Though Millie highly valued being a mom and always came through for her kids, she also found great satisfaction in working outside of the home. She enjoyed a lifelong career as a legal secretary, getting her start in the law office of William F. Schanen, where she thrived in a job that she loved and considered a great education. She also spent many rewarding years working for attorneys Runkel and Runkel and later for the Ansay law firm. Not one to retire prematurely, she worked part-time into her mid-70s. In addition to family and work, Millie was a longtime member of St. Mary’s and later St. Peter of Alcantara Catholic church.

Millie glowed with intelligence, humor, warmth and style. She had a lifelong natural attractiveness that belied her age. Reading and walking were two of her favorite pastimes, and they helped shore up an innate resilience that served her well as advancing years and memory issues challenged her. She kept her spark well into her 90s and set a great example for her kids on how to age with grace and gratitude. She was dearly loved and will be deeply missed.

Millie is survived by her children Robert (Susan) Schramm, Susan (Sheila Gavin) Schramm, Cindy (Richard) Behrens, and Christopher (Georgia Howard) Schramm; her grandchildren Katie, Sarah (Ari), Hayden and Carson; and her great-grandson Desmond. She is further survived by stepchildren Karen (Andy) Gundrum, Maureen (Jim) Schmit, Bonny (Bruce) Bowen, and Tim (Pam) Kaiser.

Preceding Millie in death were husbands Clarence Schramm and Bud Kaiser, and siblings Carl (Delores) Wollner, Herbert (LaVerne) Wollner, and Marian (Merlyn) Scharnow.

Millie’s family extends special thanks to the caring and compassionate staff at Terova Senior Living and to Horizon Hospice.

Private services were held with immediate family.