Lillian Berchem

On July 15, 2016, an angel was called back to God in Heaven. Lillian Lorraine Berchem, 67, of Sheboygan passed away peacefully with her family by her side. Lillian had a life that was different and many times more difficult than most of ours, but never complained about it once. Lillian was born with spina bifida, polio and an open back. She spent many months of her young life in Shriners Hospital in Chicago and survived many surgeries. She was paralyzed from her waist down and received her first wheelchair when she was just 4 years old. She went through many experimental procedures, wearing metal body braces and other painful therapies and still she could not walk. Lillian loved life and always had a positive attitude right to the end. She never brought attention to her pain, but instead was concerned about the other person.
Lillian loved playing cards and bumper bowling and mostly beating the pants off the other player. She loved Elvis and had a large collection of Elvis memorabilia that adorned her room. Lil had a love/hate relationship with the Packers, but mostly loved them when she would win money off her Packer bets. Lillian most of all loved Camp Wawbeek(an Easter Seals Camp) in Wisconsin Dells. Lil went to camp each summer for 50 years and would look forward to it by packing months in advance and then looking at her suitcase and day dreaming about how wonderful that week would be. The Elks Club of Sheboygan helped Lil many years by providing funding to make her week at camp possible. Lil was an Easter Seals poster child in the 1950's. Lil was a member of the Nu Dawn Club for the disabled of Sheboygan County and was instrumental in creating the Nu Dawn Club Band that entertained the group each Valentines Day for the past 20 years.
Lillian was born November 3, 1948 in Sheboygan, the daughter of Alfred H. Berchem and Joan (Grams) Berchem. She attended St. Peter Claver School until the bus could no longer transport her because of her disabilities. She was cared for by her Grandmother Lillian Mosher while her parents were at work.
Lillian moved to Harmony House (now the Shores of Sheboygan) assisted living facility in 2006 after the death of her father. She lived there until her recent stay at Progressive Care Center under the care of St. Nicholas Hospice. Her family would like to thank both facilities for helping to make Lil's life comfortable and possible.
Lillian is survived by her loving family, four sisters; Joy (Michael) Johnston of Sheboygan, Terry(Gary)Erbstoesser of Van Dyne, WI, Karen(Ronald)Moyer of Littleton, Colorado and Mary Mertens of Mesa, Arizona. She is also survived by two brothers; Michael Berchem of Sheboygan and Edd Berchem of Larkspur, Colorado. She is also survived by her special camp friend Clark, and her many friends like Sue Kettler in Sheboygan who helped to make her last days more pleasant. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews who loved her for who she was. She was preceded in death by her parents and her spiritual soulmate Donald Wilbert.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, July 22, 2016 at 6:30 PM at Ballhorn Chapels Funeral & Cremation Care Center, 1201 N. 8th St. Sheboygan, with Fr. Matthew Widder officiating. Relatives and friends may visit with the family on Friday, July 22, 2016 from 3:00 PM until the time of service at the FUNERAL HOME.
In lieu of flowers we ask that memorial checks please be made payable to either the Elks Club of Sheboygan or Camp Wawbeek.