Jane Splitgaber

In the early hours of March 9, Jane Marie (Shafer) Schrank Splitgaber passed away at the age of 104. Born January 25, 1921 to Robert A. and Berna (Hoyt) Shafer in the Town of Springvale, Wisconsin, Jane grew up with eight siblings: Robert, Dean, Sydney, Bernard, William, Jeanette, Joyce, and Geraldine. After graduating from Rosendale High School, she attended Fond du Lac Vocational School with a major in Business Administration.

Jane’s first job was in the office of Fred Rueping Leather Company, Fond du Lac, where she remained until entering the military in 1943 with the WAAC. There she honed her driving skills by piloting military vehicles to the Pentagon among other destinations.

After leaving the military, Jane worked at the Rosendale State Bank for eight years until her marriage to Clarence W. Schrank. In the following years, she worked part-time at the bank until she accepted a secretarial position at Rosendale Elementary School and bookkeeper for the School District of Rosendale. When Clarence passed away after a brief illness in 1967, Jane later married Donald E. Splitgaber who preceded her in death in 2005.

During the years of her marriage to Don, Jane had many and varied interests. An avid and accomplished golfer, she made many friends both on the course and through her travels with Don’s numerous Shriner functions.

Predeceasing Jane were her parents, siblings, husbands, stepdaughter Grace Richter and stepsons C. Thomas and James Schrank. Mourning Jane’s passing is her daughter Sara Schrank. Also surviving Jane are stepchildren Lyn Kratz, Sue Butell, and Jeff Splitgaber. Jane’s final resting place will be in the Rosendale Cemetery.