Louella "Lou" Karis, 95, of Freeport, died Thursday June 1, 2017 at Manor Court of Freeport. Louella was born August 7, 1921 in Gratiot, Wisconsin, the daughter of Henry C. and Anna (Glaser) Gille. She graduated from Gratiot High School in 1938. Lou then attended college in Platteville, WI. for one year until she was old enough to enter nursing school at 18 years old. Lou graduated in 1942 from St. Agnus School of Nursing in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She then worked at St. Clare Hospital in Monroe for one year before joining the Army in 1943 as a 2nd Lieutenant. During World War II she was stationed in England for two years, working out of the 185th General Hospital. Her job was taking care of the wounded, preparing them to go home. She left the Army as a 1st Lieutenant in 1945.
She married Leonard Karis in 1946 in Winona, Minnesota. They lived in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin until 1953 before settling in Freeport. Louella was a private duty nurse at night while raising her children, then working at St. Clare Hospital in Monroe from 1967 until 1977, and at the Illinois Foundation for Medical Records until retiring in 1986. Lou belonged to the VFW, was an active volunteer at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and card player, who loved to travel.
Surviving are four daughters, Kay (John) Halbin of Freeport; Lynn (Phillip) Davis of Winter, WI., Nancy (David) Wikle of Sterling, VA., and Margaret (Robert) Johnson of Milwaukee, WI.; four grandsons, Timothy, Andrew, Daniel, and Joseph Davis; two granddaughters, Amanda Wikle and Lindsey Johnson; three great-grandsons, Delton, Bennett, and Heath Davis; and two great-granddaughters, Megan and Natalie Davis.
Louella was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers, four sisters, and her loving husband, Leonard.
Funeral Mass will be 11:00 a.m. Friday June 9, 2017 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. Visitation will be 9:30 a.m. until the time of service at St. Thomas. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. A memorial has been established in Lou's memory. Please sign her guestbook and share a memory at www.burketubbs.com.
She married Leonard Karis in 1946 in Winona, Minnesota. They lived in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin until 1953 before settling in Freeport. Louella was a private duty nurse at night while raising her children, then working at St. Clare Hospital in Monroe from 1967 until 1977, and at the Illinois Foundation for Medical Records until retiring in 1986. Lou belonged to the VFW, was an active volunteer at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and card player, who loved to travel.
Surviving are four daughters, Kay (John) Halbin of Freeport; Lynn (Phillip) Davis of Winter, WI., Nancy (David) Wikle of Sterling, VA., and Margaret (Robert) Johnson of Milwaukee, WI.; four grandsons, Timothy, Andrew, Daniel, and Joseph Davis; two granddaughters, Amanda Wikle and Lindsey Johnson; three great-grandsons, Delton, Bennett, and Heath Davis; and two great-granddaughters, Megan and Natalie Davis.
Louella was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers, four sisters, and her loving husband, Leonard.
Funeral Mass will be 11:00 a.m. Friday June 9, 2017 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. Visitation will be 9:30 a.m. until the time of service at St. Thomas. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. A memorial has been established in Lou's memory. Please sign her guestbook and share a memory at www.burketubbs.com.