Linda Lou Wareham

Linda Lou (Schulte) Wareham, formerly of Reedsburg, passed away seemingly peaceful, in her Baraboo home on April 15, 2018.  She was married to the late James, (Jim) L. Wareham of Baraboo.  Jim preceded Linda in death in 2015, due to complications of Agent Orange while serving his country in Vietnam.  The carcinogen Agent Orange, which continues to kill the Veterans of the Vietnam War, was continually used as a defoliant where Jim’s tour of duty and unselfish Military service had him placed as a flight line Load Specialist. 

Also preceding Linda in death was father, C. Virgil Schulte and mother Ruth A. (Peper) Schulte.

Survivors include, brother Dennis V. Schulte and wife Claudia (Deubig) Schulte of Reedsburg; and a niece April (Schulte) Bonlander and her husband Troy of Fond du Lac and their children Drew, Shelby and Logan; sister Nancy (Schulte) and her husband Tom Madland of Baraboo; and a nephew Todd Madland; brother, William D. Schulte and wife Wendy (Schaitel) Schulte of Junction City, WI and a nephew Lucas Schulte of Sauk City.  

Linda was a 1971 graduate of Reedsburg’s Webb High School.  She was employed by Henri’s Dressing, aka Milwaukee Biscuit, in Milwaukee in IT and product control and development for many years.  Linda and Jim spent their leisure time in world travel, until such time as their health became compromised.

As a personal note, our sister Linda had a long history of pain and depression.  Although she was a caring person, very intelligent and had a willingness to help others, she could not, in the end, help herself.  Linda, in dealing with her pain and depression, along with the deteriorating health of her husband, managed to find a doctor willing to prescribe opioids to help her cope with her life situation.  Sadly, like others in Linda’s situation, she was caught up in a loosely regulated access to opioids, thus becoming addicted beyond her control.  The dulling of her senses caused by drugs clouded her ability to rationalize what was happening to her.  Because of the sudden and absolute restriction of obtaining opioids, which were once viewed as a cure by some, in her last days, she was refused access to those drugs.  In the final analysis, Linda passed away as a result of prescription medications, as confirmed on her death certificate. The information included in this obituary is for the purpose of educating those persons having to deal with this situation in their families.  If you are dealing with the seriousness of addiction, don’t be hesitant to step in and investigate.  Your loved one needs your help; in retrospect, turning the other cheek for fear of interference is not an option, no matter how convincing and irate they may become.  We do believe Jesus gave Linda a final opportunity to reach out.  By the peaceful look on her face as she lay in death, we, her brothers and sister, accept this to be the case.

The Farber Funeral Home is graciously assisting the family at a private graveside internment, where both Linda and Jim’s cremains will be buried in a common urn and grave at Greenwood Cemetery in Reedsburg.

This Obituary for Linda Wareham is composed in its entirety by her brother Dennis Schulte.

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