Theresa M. Buchberger

Theresa Mary Buchberger, Kaukauna, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. She was born on December 9, 1929 in Little Chute, WI to Martin and Catherine (Verkuilen) Vanden Hogen. She married Douglas Buchberger on November 26, 1955, and together, they celebrated 47 years together before his death in 2002.

Theresa attended St John’s grade school in Little Chute and, like many children born during the Great Depression, had to quit school after the eighth grade to start working to help support the family. She proudly worked for seven years in the bag mill at Thilmany Pulp and Paper until she was forced to quit her job when she got married because the mill didn’t allow married women to work there. From there she turned her talents to raising a family and taking care of the family home. She had an uncanny ability to fix just about anything, and she was a master seamstress, making and mending many clothes for her children and grandchildren. She continued to cut her own grass into her eighties and was also out there with a shovel whenever the snow started falling. She also served as the family bookmaker, keeping track of who was betting on what driver for each Nascar race. Theresa enjoyed a good game of bingo, and often rode the bus to Oneida with her sisters Wilm and Julie and her brother Clink to try their luck at the slot machines. She celebrated her 95th birthday at the Oneida bingo hall where she received a loud round of applause when they announced her milestone.

Theresa is survived by her children, Joyce (Bob) Haen, Sue (Timm) Jansen, Kurt (Sheila) Buchberger, Jeff (Eileen) Buchberger, Joe (Sarah) Buchberger and Gary Buchberger; her grandchildren, Casey (Geneva) Haen, Kelly (Kenny) Halloran, Sarah and Maria (Brandon) Jansen, Aaron (Betsy) Buchberger, Jared and Alex (Amber) Buchberger, Tatem (Carter) Belling, Savannah (Josh) West, and Jalen (Braxton) Buchberger. She is also survived by 9 great-grandchildren with 2 more on the way. Other surviving family members are her brother, Sylvester Vanden Hogen; sisters-in-law, Kay(Robert) Corbeille and Sandra Buchberger; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband Douglas, Theresa was preceded in death by her son, John; her parents; her siblings, Joseph (Ruth) Vanden Hogen, Wilma (Clarence) Van Hammond, Clarence Vanden Hogen, Julia (Lyle) DeValk; and sister-in-law, Eunice Vanden Hogen. She was also preceded in death by Doug’s family, Bernard (Florence) Buchberger, Vincent Buchberger, and Dale Buchberger.

A visitation will be held Wednesday, April 23, 2025 at St Katharine Drexel Church, St Mary’s Campus, 119 West 7th Street, Kaukauna, WI 54130 beginning at 9:00am until the time of mass at 11:00am. Committal will be at Holy Cross Cemetery.

As Jesus was born again on Easter, Theresa will be born again into eternal life.