Meda J. Radley

Long time Rural resident, Meda J. Radley, 94, Waupaca, passed away on Thursday March 3, 2011. Meda was born on July 7, 1916, in Kansas, the daughter of William and Hansena (Olson) Anderson. Meda moved to Rural in January of 1936 to work.

Meda married the late Forrest Radley on Oct. 24, 1936. She was a cook in the school lunch program at Golden Hill School in Rural, where she and a friend pioneered the program there. She was a longtime member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Ruth circle, Mission Worker, the Gorgonas Club of Rural, of which she had served as president, Rural Cemetery Association, of which she was secretary for 25 years, and a charter member of the Rural Historical Society.

Meda lived in Rural all her married life except for one year. She enjoyed gardening and maintained a large flowerbed each year to share some of God's beauty with others.

Meda is survived by two sons, Richard (Ellen) Radley, Greenville, Wis.; and Paul (Connie) Radley, Waupaca, Wis.; four grandchildren, Michael (Joni) Radley, Waupaca, Wis.; David (Carolyn) Radley, Appleton, Wis.; Steven Radley, Orlando, Fla.; and Jennifer (Michael) Grant, Waupaca, Wis.; six great-grandchildren, Alana Radley, Aavery Grant, Alyssa Grant, Taylor Radley, Forrest Radley and Connor Radley; three step-great-grandchildren, Ashley Lowe, Jared Creaser and Ashley Creaser; two brothers, Carl Anderson and Glenn Anderson; one sister, Ruth Iversen; very dear friends, Monte and Debra McCormick; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Meda was preceded in death by her parents, William and Hansena Anderson; her husband, Forrest Radley; one brother, William Anderson; and one sister, Violet Handschke.

A funeral service will be held on Tuesday at 12 Noon at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Waupaca. Pastor Jennifer DeNetz and Chaplain Wayne Schwanke will officiate. Burial will at the Rural Cemetery in the spring. A visitation will be held on Tuesday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service at 12 Noon. The Holly Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

The Weller Store

The Rural Store - currently The Weller Store - is the oldest retail building in the village of Rural.

The Rural Store was originally a carpentry shop, built in 1898 over the Crystal River mill race by Mr. Herbert Radley across the road (old Hwy 22) from it's current location. It is said that the building straddled the river so that the current could provide power for the lights and equipment used in the shop. The original color of the structure was red with white trim.

Above is the first known photograph of the carpentry shop and its builder , taken in the spring of 1901. You can see the building raised on stilts over the water.


In 1906, Radley moved the carpentry shop from the river to dry land across the road from its original location. The building was altered slightly and repainted. It then became the general store.

Radley and his infant son, Howard, (in the buggy) are shown at left circa 1906.

Charles Weller stands in front of The Weller Store in this undated photo.

Robert Weller, Sr., Charles' son, is pictured at the storefront after a truck ran off the highway and crashed into the cement in front of the store.














After State Highway 22 was rerouted the gasoline business dropped off drastically. Eventually the pumps were removed. The change in traffic affected the business in a negative way but allowed the village to retain its unique character and beauty.









In the mid-1960s the building was moved slightly to the east and an adjoining cement block structure was built by Robert Weller, Jr. The Wellers continued to operate the grocery store in the new building while renting out the original building to other retail businesses. The Weller Store is well known throughout the area for 25 cent ice cream cones and locally bottled Ting soda.

The original building as it appears today.

Re-opened in the spring of 2008 by Robert Weller, Jr and Eileen Schwanke, The Weller Store now features antiques, collectibles, original art, ephemera, baskets, tools, - all things vintage from every era. Visit our website (still under construction) for a peek at some of the merchandise!

www.wellerstore.com