Julieann (Crook) Bergacker

Julieann (Crook) Bergacker was born January 28, 1939. After a two year battle with MDS (a bone marrow cancer) she passed away Monday, July 8, 2024. Julie was born as “Sonja Quist,” adopted at age 3 from an orphanage in Chicago, Illinois, by Dane and Lillian Crook of Edgebrook, Ill.

Upon Dane’s retirement, around 1947, the family moved to Minocqua. Julie was an active child who enjoyed many outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, waterskiing, bicycling, bowling and swimming; but her real love was fishing, at which she excelled. For several years she held the record for the largest fish caught from Cree Lake in Saskatchewan, Canada, a 44-pound 44-inch lake trout. She was a member of the Min–Aqua Bats and a member of the last class to graduate in the old Minocqua High, now part of the town hall, in 1957. Julie was a graduate of Penn Hall Junior College in 1959. While attending Penn Hall, she acquired an interest and the skills for jewelry making and oil and water color painting. On June 26, 1960, she married James Bergacker of Marion.

Julie is survived by her husband of 64 years, James; sister, Vera of Apache Junction, Ariz; son, David of Colorado Springs, Colo.; daughter, Melissa of Roseville, Minn.; two grandchildren, James and Grace of Colorado Springs, Colo.

In 1973, Jim and Julie moved to Wausau, where they started the company, American Asphalt. They lived in Wausau until 2020, when Jim retired, and then moved to the Hayward area and eventually back to Minocqua. Later in life, they maintained a winter residence in Carefree, Ariz. Julie stayed active during this time by making jewelry, greeting cards, and painting. She also enjoyed “rockhounding” Lake Superior agates and polishing them, as well as searching for Native American artifacts.

In 1983 at age 44, Julie, through online detective work, made the discovery that she had been adopted and found a sister living in Arizona and several cousins living in Sweden. She made several trips to Sweden to visit and stay with them, as well as having them as guests in her Wisconsin and Arizona homes.

A memorial celebration is planned for a later date, but not yet scheduled.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite charity.

Bolger Cremation & Funeral Services is assisting the family, visit www.bolgerfuneral.com to share condolences.