She was born to the late Nels and Mary (Nelson) Hansen on May 31, 1908 in the town of Pound, Wisconsin. She married Gustave Wickenberg in 1932 at the St. Charles Catholic Church in Lena, Wisconsin. For seven years prior to her marriage, she was employed by the Coleman Canning Company as a bookkeeper. The couple farmed in the Lena area until 1946 when they moved to Wausaukee. In 1962 they moved to Pembine. She resided in Pembine until her move to Austin, Texas in 1987. Gustave preceded her in death in 1971.
She is survived by three sons, Ralph (Hanna) of Austin, TX, Garon (Gail) of Fountain Valley, CA, and John (Kaye) of Dousman, WI; two sisters, Hilda Kaiser of Milwaukee, WI and Irvyne Christensen of Ryderwood, WA; sisters-in-law Augena Dickel, Blanche Hansen and Margaret Hansen; six grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
Sylvia was preceded in death by two brothers, Walter and Leo, and two sisters, Alice Brye and Evelyn Jenkins. A memorial service will be held at the Rhodes-Charapata Funeral Home in, Lena, Wisconsin on JanuarY 7, 1999. Visitation from 9 a.m. until the service at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.