Jean Krogman

Roberta Jean Krogman, age 92, passed away peacefully with family by her side Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at Greenway Manor in Spring Green, WI. Jean was born June 15, 1928 in the town of Mazomanie, WI as the youngest daughter of Walter and Selma (Hering) Marquardt. Jean attended Mazomanie schools, but graduated high school from Black Earth, WI in 1946. From there, Jean went on to attend UW-Platteville where her roommate, Norma Krogman, introduced Jean to her brother, Ernie Krogman. After falling in love, Jean and Ernie were united in marriage on November 24, 1949 in Cross Plains, WI. Ernie’s teaching and coaching career took them to Cazenovia where he and Jean had their five children. They developed many lifelong friendships in Caz before the family of seven moved to South Milwaukee in 1962. Four years later, they made Lancaster their permanent family home when Ernie accepted the principalship at the high school.
For over 20 years, Jean worked as a receptionist at the Lancaster Community Clinic. Here she worked with and met many lifelong friends until she retired in 1987. Upon retirement, she cared for her grandchildren, tutored students (including some of those grandkids) at St. Clement School, volunteered in the hospital gift shop, and local thrift store.
Jean was an avid card player. She loved a good game of euchre or bridge, and everyone wanted to be her partner because they knew they would be on the winning team. Through the years she was a member of several different bridge clubs and two Red Hatter groups. However, Jean’s favorite pastime was watching her children’s and grandchildren's events. That ranged from sports, to plays, to recitals. As her children grew, her love of sports grew, and she and Ernie enjoyed many trips to watch the Wisconsin Badger and Platteville Pioneer basketball programs. Jean and Ernie enjoyed many weekend getaways at their “Burr Oaks” cabin in Bagley. She was a talented crocheter and shared her creations with her children and grandchildren as gifts.
The true joy of Jean’s life was her family. Her children and grandchildren always came first. She was the matriarch, the role model, and set the example of how to live life with the glass half full. Jean will forever remain in our hearts.
Survivors include four children: John (Angie) Krogman, Joan (Rick) Zahalka, Jim (Robyn) Krogman, Kristi (Bob) Petrowitz; 15 wonderful grandchildren; 14 adorable great grandchildren, and many caring nieces and nephews, son-in-law, Tom Schroeder.
In addition to her parents, Jean was preceded in death by her loving husband of almost 60 years, Ernie; her beautiful daughter, Patti Schroeder; her brother, Russell; and two sisters, Delores and Dorothy.
A Private family Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, January 16, 2021 at St. Clement Catholic Church in Lancaster with Father William Vernon officiating with the burial immediately following at St. Clement Cemetery. The eulogy and funeral mass will be live streamed on Martin Schwartz Funeral Home & Crematory's Facebook page at 10:45 a.m. on Saturday, January 16, 2021. A Celebration of Jean's life will be held at a later date. In lieu of plants and flowers, please contribute to the Ernest E. Krogman/Pat Schroeder Scholarship Fund through the UW-Platteville Foundation: University of Wisconsin-Platteville, 1 University Plaza, Platteville Foundation, Ernie Krogman/Pat Schroeder Memorial, Platteville, Wisconsin 53818, or go directly to the website: https://www.uwplatt.edu/give.
A special thanks to Jean’s bridge club friends for their loving friendship, and to the staff at Greenway Manor in Spring Green for their kindness and care to both Jean and her family during these past few months.