Stella M. Blocker

McFarland - Stella Marie (Barner) Blocker was 84 years old when she left our presence on Saturday, June 27, 2025, at University of Wisconsin Hospital.

She was born on Tuesday, June 24, 1941, at Mercy Medical Hospital in Gary, Indiana. Stella was born to Clifton Barner and Ida (Sneed) Barner. Ida was Clifton’s second wife, and he had a son from his first marriage, Arlynn Barner. Stella was Clifton and Ida’s first born; and her brothers Jerome Barner and Robin Barner followed.

In her early youth, Stella displayed athleticism, a keen writing touch, and a flair for fashion. She was a member of a Catholic Youth Organization city basketball championship team in Gary and was recruited to pitch for a semi-professional women’s softball team called the Steel City Chicks at just 13.

To Stella’s chagrin, Ida squashed the idea of her daughter: “Barnstormin’ across the Midwest with a bunch of old women,” Stella would say in later years.

When she wasn’t playing sports – and striking out those few boys brave enough to stand in the batter’s box against her – she wrote scripts and organized neighborhood plays among those classmates and friends willing to undergo her strict tutelage.

A devout Catholic, Stella’s life was impacted by Pastor Father Joseph Barry of Saint Monica Catholic Church where she also attended elementary and middle school. She would go on to graduate from Tolleston High School in 1958 and two years later completed a certification program at what was then called secretarial school in Gary.

On Oct. 16, 1965, Stella married Walter Kearn Blocker Jr. in a marriage that lasted six decades that produced three children (Kevin Blocker, Keith Blocker, and Kimberly (Blocker) Lodewyk and six grandchildren (Brendan Blocker, Adria Blocker, Aliyah Blocker, Hayden Blocker, Ella Lodewyk, and Katerina Lodewyk).

The family moved from Gary to Denver/Aurora, Colorado in 1972, where Kearn and Stella remained until 2009 before they moved to be with their daughter, Kim, son-in-law Brent Lodewyk and Ella and Katerina of McFarland, Wisconsin.

Stella is preceded in death by her parents, brother Arlynn, and her son Keith, who is the father to grandson Hayden whose mother is Beth Blocker of Los Angeles.

While that information is a brief overview of Stella’s lineage, it does not tell the story of who she was

It is commonly accepted that a rainbow has seven colors, but a further explanation of the phenomenon says it has infinite shades that gradually blend into each other.

For Stella, that was called a scarf, and she took great delight in making them for anyone who showed an interest in wearing one of her home-made designs.

In her heart, there was no need to ride out the rain with the hope of the sun hitting the right angle to appreciate a rainbow for 30 seconds at the most.

No, the kaleidoscope of colors in her world were to be worn and displayed at every opportunity possible.

After Kevin was born at the end of 1967, she became a full-time homemaker through the birth of Keith (1970) and Kim (1975). The all-but end of the single-parent household due to rising consumer prices reached the Blocker household in 1980. Stella begrudgingly returned to the workforce as an administrative assistant for disability services for the State of Colorado.

Well, Stella was more than expressive in her attire, she was just as colorful – and certainly opinionated – about how work should be conducted. Stella working for a state government agency was like watching a flamingo and elephant dance. She worked there for roughly a decade before leaving and not before telling more than a few people about what she thought of their work product. Or even them.

Her life’s resume didn’t occur in outside employment. It was found in her relationship with others. She was at her happiest in the company of those she loved. Her favorite job title was mother.

“I wish I could turn time back to when you were 13, Keith 10, and Kim 7,” she often said as the years advanced.

And such a wish wouldn’t have been possible without her loyal husband Kearn.

On more than one occasion, she told me: “If your father didn’t have the personality he does; we wouldn’t have made it. He is infinitely patient.”

Stella brought the color, Kearn brought the businessman’s pinstripe suit, and together they made for one of the most compatible pairings marriage has ever seen.

Parents say they’re proud of their children. Over time, we Blocker children said how proud we are of our parents.

It wasn’t easy being a colorful character in an era of gray. But Stella never changed her assortment of stripes to conform. She was unapologetic in her honesty and left more lessons for us to move forward with.

In the fourth chapter of the book of Revelation, we’re told the prophet John was called in the Spirit and entered Heaven. The one who sat on the throne had the appearance of jasper and ruby. Meanwhile, two-dozen elders were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.

A rainbow encircled the throne.

I paused, smiled and thought: “I know someone who can make them a scarf!”

Stella, mom, mamaw, you are missed. We love you!

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday February 7, 2026 at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, 5801 Hwy 51, McFarland. A visitation will follow the service at the funeral home until 3:00 PM.

For those not able to attend in person, please register at the following link to view a copy of Stella’s service:

https://event.forgetmenotceremonies.com/ceremony?c=f32369cc-e878-4bd2-ac5e-a2990583d6f4

Please share your memories at www.cressfuneralservice.com

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service

5801 Highway 51, P.O. Box 105, McFarland

(608) 838-0655

Please share your memories at www.cressfuneralservice.com