Rosemary Berchem

Rosemary Berchem, 91, of Fond du Lac, died Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, at St. Agnes Hospital.

She was born July 3, 1930, a daughter and oldest child of Mathias and Cecelia Wirtz Berchem.

She graduated in 1948 from St. Mary’s Springs Academy in Fond du Lac and continued her education at St. Mary’s School of Nursing in Madison, earning her diploma in 1951. The program featured students living and working in the hospital setting alongside Catholic sisters and priests.

Later, she went on to earn her master’s degree at UW-Madison.

Rosemary was a nurse on the hospital staff at St. Mary’s Hospital, Madison, for more than 40 years and spent 22 years in its community relations department. She was proud to be an alumni officer and unofficial historian.

In addition to her years of work training nurses, she trained hundreds of emergency medical technicians in the Madison area.

Rosemary led programs to provide medical care to migrant workers in Wisconsin, led medical missions to Latin America and to the former republics of the Soviet Union. She made at least two trips to Ukraine as a volunteer for the Medical Clinic on Wheels project.

She was very proud of her German heritage, traveling to Germany to explore her ancestors’ homeland. Intrigued by genealogy, Rosemary published a book about the Wirtz family history and was preparing a similar book for the Berchem family.

Rosemary was a member of Holy Family Parish-St. Mary’s Church, Fond du Lac.

She is survived by a nephew Tom Berchem and his wife Donna; a niece, Anne Berchem; cousins, other relatives and many friends. Steve and Laurie Schlosser; and neighbor Dale Lubeck were special friends.

Rosemary joins her parents; and a brother, Donald Berchem and his wife Rose, who preceded her in death.

Visitation: 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 26 at Shrine of Rest Mausoleum, Ledgeview Memorial Park, N6250 County Highway K, Fond du Lac, Wis. 54937.

Services: 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 26, with prayers before Rosemary’s entombment at the mausoleum. Zacherl Funeral Home, Fond du Lac, is handling arrangements.