Juanita R. Soden

Juanita R. Soden, age 95, of Chippewa Falls, passed away peacefully at home on July 29, 2024, surrounded by her loving family. 

She was born in Birch Creek, WI on February 7, 1929, the daughter of Caroline and Jacob Braden and the step daughter of Charles Muenich. 

Juanita married Gene L. Soden on February 7, 1948. She was employed at the Northern Center for the Mentally Disabled until her retirement. After her retirement they enjoyed cruising, trips to Hawaii and playing cards. Together they enjoyed summer fishing in Birchwood and winter vacations in Arizona. 

As the matriarch of her family with her warm heart and firm hand, some of her greatest joys were 25 years of 4th of July vacations at Winterhaven Resort with her family, Christmas cookie baking for Trinity United Methodist Church with her grandchildren and great grandchildren, making apple pies, potato salad and rosettes with her granddaughters, teaching her family to can dill pickles and sauerkraut, fishing with her great-grandsons as they sang “here fishy, fishy”, sharing her famous carrot cakes and Special K bars with everyone, working on and publishing the Soden and Braden family history books, playing cards, family soup Christmases and “Good Hugs.” Throughout the years she enjoyed sewing, quilting, crafts, gardening, and dancing.

Juanita will be remembered for all the people her life has touched. We must remember her joys were such a blessing and that her memory will be our greatest treasure. 

Juanita is survived by her daughters, Dana (Richard) Howard and Susan (Tom Hansen) Bodendein; sons, Charles Soden, Michael (Luarta) Soden, Robert (Neida) Soden, and John (Brenda) Soden; grandchildren, Jill (Alan) Maloney, Faye (Dexter) Covey, Julie (Michael) Liddell, Lori (Matthew) Kleist, Richard Soden, Amy ( Scott) Fisher, Kyle ( Kristen) Soden, Jennifer (Gary) Oemig, Recia Soden, Laura (Robert) Bichler, Karyn (Robb) Baxter, Nissy Santiago, Brian Santiago, Deborah Santiago, Stephen (Danielle) Santiago, Angela (Michael) Clark , Lisa (Jerome) Rehbein, and Kevin (Stacey) Soden; great-grandchildren, Colleen (Benjamin) Lee, Shamus Maloney, Amanda (Charlie) Snyder, Dana Covey, Christine Covey, Andrew Liddell, Garin Kleist, Brighid Kleist, Cameran Fisher, Myla Fisher, Isabelle Soden, Michael Soden, Carson Oemig, Paige Oemig, Jakeb Smiskey, Kara Smiskey, Maitland Baxter, Layne Baxter, Alexia Lasaint, Trenton Clark, Clayton Clark, Alaina Clark, Caden Clark, Anthony Rehbein, Michael Rehbein, and Liam Soden; great-great-grandchildren, Beau Snyder, MacKenzie Snyder, Sabine Lee, Gianna Bannon, Ryder Lee and Axton Lee. 

Juanita was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Gene; sisters, Lyla, Lillian and Wanda; brothers, Edwin, Donald, Raymond and Eugene; grandson, Joey Swoboda, and great-granddaughters, Malorie Liddell and Nora Kay Soden. 

Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m., Friday, August 2 at Pederson-Volker Funeral Chapel, Chippewa Falls. 

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, August 3 at Trinity United Methodist Church, Chippewa Falls with Rev. Eddie Crise officiating. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday at the church. Interment will be at Prairie View Cemetery in the village of Lake Hallie.