Deceased couple's home burglarized

MARION - A Shawano County family dealt with three losses in three days.

First, a 90-year-old husband and wife died within 25 hours of each other.

Then, their home in the town of Marion was burglarized.

"We actually felt she died of a broken heart,” Sue Anderson said of her mother, Malinda Mielke.

The Mielke family says solace came with knowing Eldore and Malinda left the world the same way they had farmed their land for 68 years of marriage: Together.

"That's how they lived their life, and that's how they went out in death,” said Anderson.

Eldore and Malinda both came down with the flu a few weeks ago. Eldore died early Monday morning. A day later, Malinda followed.

"Should you die first and I remain, I will follow,” Anderson read off a note her mother had written. “That was sort of sad to realize."

Their daughter says the family's heart broke even more on Wednesday.

"We had two funerals to plan instead of one and then my sister called saying, 'Sue you're not going to believe what happened. They robbed the house,’” she said.

"What I can comment on is that U.S. currency was stolen along with some jewelry. There were some other items taken,” said Sgt. Gordon Kowaleski of the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department.

"He would keep coins in the closet,” said Anderson. “There were papers in the safe and a significant amount of money. They actually took the entire safe.”

Anderson says essential documents like her parents' wills and deeds were stolen. Her sense of security is also now missing.

“To think that there are people out there who would stoop that low,” she said, still in shock.

"They lost two people, and then you add in that someone had targeted them to commit a crime, really I can't think of any words I can use on camera to describe that,” said Kowaleski.

The Shawano County Sheriff's Department says it took DNA samples and tire track analysis from the Mielkes' house. There are no suspects.

The Mielke family is offering a reward. But they also offer warning for other grieving families.

“We want people to be aware that in a situation of vulnerability that this can happen to them. We don't want it to happen to them,” said Anderson.

Police tips if your home will be empty for a while: Make sure to have someone watch it. Also, don't share any more than you have to about what's inside the home, or about what may be in a family estate.

If you have any information about this theft, Shawano County deputies say they'd like to hear from you at (715) 526-3111.