Obituary
Rachel Muehlenkamp
Rachel Muehlenkamp baked a great life. She was born on July 30, 1959 to Paul and Yvette Muehlenkamp. She was the second child of seven. As a talented baker, Rachel knew how to add just the right amount of spice, sugar and love into all of her baked creations, including cookies, cakes and candies, which she often tailor-made to satisfy special requests from members of her family.
Rachel, Rach, to her close family and friends, loved her family and enjoyed celebrating all major life milestones with baked goods, which would travel a few feet or many miles via car or postal delivery into the waiting mouths of loved ones. Rachel particularly enjoyed using” jujus”, AKA sprinkles, to add a special touch to her cookies, cakes and candies.
She was also great at sprinkling her time, money and care to support the various local communities she resided in during her life. Rachel was a firm believer in paying it forward. This philosophy of life brought joy and friends into her life. Many who have stuck with her for her lifetime.
Rach and her bother Frank worked tirelessly to grow Muehlenkamp Farms LLC into the success that it is today. Rachel worked with integrity and by the book while maintaining great relationships with neighbors, area farmers, individuals and the many companies that supplied materials, help and guidance for the growth of the farm.
Rachel also fed her family with the harvest from the family garden. Early morning was when you would see Rach bent over the garden tending to it weeding, hoeing, watering and harvesting. Sweet corn season, aka corn processing, season saw Rach in her element, organizing every aspect of the all-day event. No one would question who was in charge on this day, which created
a bounty of delish corn used for many meals through the winter on the farm. Every tomato, potato and bean were grown, canned and served with love.
A good marinade always accompanied her cooking. She loved to slowly flavor her meats just like she would slowly sit on the idea of making a purchase, surveying all aspects and possibilities before making a commitment.
The oven timer alarm went off too soon for Rachel’s life. She had so many more meals to prepare, sweets to make and appreciative smiles to enjoy
Survivors include her mother, Yvette (LaPlume) Muehlenkamp; sister, Paula Muehlenkamp; brother, Frank (Jean) Muehlenkamp; brother, Phillip (Michelle) Muehlenkamp; sister, Anne (John) Holthusen; sister, Ruth Muehlenkamp, sister, Jennifer (Jeff) Pederson; niece, Rachel (Jay) Tambornino their children, Johnny, Noah, Patty, Liam and Joey; nephew, Paul (Mara) Muehlenkamp their child, Nora; niece, Samantha (Kraig) Vesel and their children, Kaia and Blake; niece, Stephanie (Jacob) Cairncross; nephew, Jacob (Samatha Lundgren) Muehlenkamp; nephew, Aaron Pederson; nephew, Fred Pederson and many cousins, aunts, uncles and friends.
She is preceded in death by her grandparents, Alice and Herve LaPlume; grandparents, Genevieve and Carl Muehlenkamp; father, Paul Muehlenkamp; nephew, Nicholas Holthusen; and niece, Caitlin Muehlenkamp.
A spring celebration of life is being planned.
In lieu of flowers, Rachel’s wish was for everyone to spend time with family and friends making memories.
So beautifully said and fit Rachel to a T. I feel so blessed to have had her in my life and have her call me “Aunt Jean”. Sending love to all those closest to her. I will miss you Rachel and cherish the memories.
So beautifully said. She is the angel that help keep the family together she was the glue the historian who knew everything about the family. I will miss her smiling face and such a positive personality if I can be as good as she was and take the direction that she took on positivity I think we would all be a better person. It Is Us as family members that have to keep letting the previous generations know about her and all the wonderful things she has done and said. I was blessed to have her in my life she will be missed dearly. But the love is forever.
So beautiful it is her in words. Go sore with the Eagles
Rachel was indeed a special person. I thank my dear friend Ruth for sharing her sister and her family with me, I have benefited from the wonderful sweet corn grown on their farm. And my family are much appreciated of the pay it forward attitude of all the Muehlenkamp’s. A life truly wall lived but too short. Hugs to all. Diane
I was on the Board of Directors of the Tomah Housing Authority for many years with Rachel as our Executive Director. Her biggest concern was providing clean housing to needy families. She was an extremely intelligent, hardworking and dedicated individual, turning down raises in order to keep the authority financially sound. She said she would rather have time off than increases in her salary. My sympathy to the Muehlenkamp family. We have lost a gem of a human being.
She was an amazing person and always smiling. Always made you feel happy and so fun to be with her. Will be greatly missed. Even though I didn’t get to see her that often so happy for the time I did get to spend with her. Love always
So beautifully said. She is the angel that help keep the family together she was the glue the historian who knew everything about the family. I will miss her smiling face and such a positive personality if I can be as good as she was and take the direction that she took on positivity I think we would all be a better person. It Is Us as family members that have to keep letting the previous generations know about her and all the wonderful things she has done and said. I was blessed to have her in my life she will be missed dearly. But the love is forever.
I met Rachel over 20 years ago. I walked into the Tomah Public Housing Authority office after applying for housing at Lakeside Apartments. She was so kind to someone like me who had been homeless and was facing a lot of personal issues. (In November 2022, I voluntarily placed my children into fostercare because I could no longer care for them. ) I applied everywhere for housing. No one would accept me because of being evicted in the past. But this kind, generous woman gave me a chance. Three weeks after I moved into Lakeside Apartments my children were returned to me. If it wasn’t for Rachels’ kind, caring, spirit, I wouldn’t have gotten them back. I will ALWAYS be grateful to her.
Rachel cared about the Tomah Public Housing Authority and the people who worked for it. She cared about the tenants in all of the rental properties that she cared for and always made sure that apartments were clean and in good order before she moved people in.
She wanted everyone at the properties to be at peace with each other. And be the kind of neighbors that help one another. She was the best landlord that I’ve ever had and I’ve had a few.
My deep and sincere condolences to her family and friends on her passing. Rachel is greatly missed.
Sorry. 2002. Not 2022
She was a great carrying person she will be truly missed RIP my freind