A friend passed away. Carol Niendorf, long time member of the Fox Valley Area Chapter of Wild Ones, passed away on December 26, 2025, after a long battle with cancer. She was comfortable and pain free and surrounded by her favorite things — her family and her music.
Carol and her husband Bob were founding members of the Fox Valley Area Chapter of Wild Ones. I met them at the first meeting at my home to organize a chapter in the Fox Valley. She was a friend at first sight! I was the first leader of the chapter when we chartered in November 1994, and I called upon her to do any number of projects, which she did willingly and with enthusiasm.
She served on the chapter board in many capacities through the years, including president. For a number of years, she and Bob served as co-chairs of the membership committee, recruiting new members and making sure everyone had a bright yellow name tag to wear at chapter events. She chaired the writing of the chapter’s constitution and bylaws. She was the coordinator of the first Toward Harmony with Nature Conference and subsequently was the program chair. She was the first plant-sale coordinator. Along with Bob, she co-chaired the development of the finance guidelines for the chapter. Carol and Bob retired on January 2023. Throughout the years, she and Bob were volunteers for many tasks.
When I was the Wild Ones executive director, I called upon her to do a multitude of projects, which she gladly accepted. Carol was the first coordinator of the Wild Ones Annual Meeting, which we held for all national Wild Ones members. She was always there to volunteer for the committees I had set up. I could not have found a better person to work with and to support me in my new role. In later years, she filled a vital role in developing and setting up the WILD Center and the many volunteer work days.
Carol was a strong advocate for natural landscaping with native plants. She and Bob welcomed many visitors to the three-acre prairie restoration they created at their longtime home between Oshkosh and Omro, Wisconsin. They derived much joy from helping others learn to nurture our environment through landscaping with native plants and continued that work when they initiated a prairie planting on a berm at their retirement home at Evergreen Retirement Community in Oshkosh.
For me personally, I have lost a very dear friend and cherish my last visit with her when my husband, John, and I, along with my friend Kris, visited with Carol and Bob this past summer. On behalf of the Fox Valley Area Chapter, I send sincere condolences to Bob and all their family.
Bob and her family have scheduled a memorial service for her on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at First Congregational Church in Oshkosh when the family will be back in Wisconsin. Donations will be made to the Robert and Carol Niendorf fund at the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation (230 Ohio Street, Ste 100, Oshkosh, WI 54902), to the Evergreen Retirement Community Foundation (1130 North Westfield, Oshkosh, WI 54902), or to the First Congregational Church of Oshkosh Niendorf Memorial Fund (137 Algoma Blvd, Oshkosh, WI 54901).
Carol’s obituary will be in the Oshkosh Northwestern and Oshkosh Herald. Legacy
I will miss our friendship in the coming years.
Read: Wild Ones Member Garden: Carol and Bob Niendorf.
Film: The WOFVA Chapter tour where Bob and Carol talked about the berm planting at Evergreen Retirement Community.
I remember this couple from my time with Wildones. They were very kind and helpful. I am joining Wildones, you could say in here memory.
I remember you, too, Thomas. You are joining Wild Ones in the memory of the Carol. That is good! — Donna
P.S. I remember the photos you took of the monarch butterfly dancer, Gwynedd.