Myrtle I. Chapin, age 100 of Woodville, WI died Saturday March 9, 2013 at the Baldwin Area Medical Center in Baldwin, WI. She was born January 9, 1913 in Ross Township, MN to Edward and Marie Erickson.

Myrtle attended a one-room schoolhouse in Ross, MN and attended high school in Roseau, MN. Myrtle graduated from high school in 1930. She had to find a job so she went to work for a potato farmer in Hoople, ND.  The following year she started work for the Roseau Co. Court House in the Soil Conservation Department.

Myrtle was married to Earl Chapin in 1937.  That same year, Myrtle and Earl purchased the Warroad Pioneer newspaper in Warroad.  Their experiences of their early married life and the trials and tribulations of running a country newspaper are documented in a published book titled, “Long Wednesdays.” The family moved to Bayport, MN and later to Woodville, WI when Earl became the Wisconsin reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

While in Woodville, Myrtle was active in the Zion Lutheran Church and served on the Election and Library Boards.  She joined a card club in 1955 and still played cards with her friends.  She also belonged to the Woodville “Norske Hattitudes” Red Hat group. For 20 years, she worked as secretary for the Viking Middle School in Woodville where she endeared herself to children and staff.

Myrtle was greatly loved by family and friends who saw her as a kind, cheerful, accepting and resilient person. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Earl; her parents; three brothers; three sisters; and a son-in-law, John. Myrtle is survived by her children, daughter Nola of La Crosse, WI; son Samuel (Barbara) of River Falls, WI; son Roger (Kathy) of Richardson, TX; daughter, Susan of Fairfield, IA; six grandchildren, Heidi (Dale) Buranosky of Naperville, IL; Sonja (Paul) Quale of Carver, MN; Scott Chapin of Hayward, WI; Mark (Cary) Chapin of River Falls, WI; Sarah (Tim) Cothran of Hudson, WI; and Seth Chapin of Inver Grove Heights, MN; eleven great-grand children; her brother Elmer of Roseau, MN and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Funeral Celebration of Life for Myrtle will be held at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, March 12th at the Zion Lutheran Church, 221 Lockwood Street in Woodville, with Pastor Keith Anderson officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the church. Memorials honoring Myrtle can be given to the Zion Lutheran Church of Woodville, WI. Arrangements entrusted to the O’Connell Family Funeral Home of Baldwin, WI. 715-684-3434