Mt. Horeb, WI - Mary Felix Lehner 86, passed away peacefully Saturday July 7th, 2012.
She was born August 10, 1925 to Robert & Clara Felix at her parents beautiful farm in Aesch, Switzerland. She was the oldest of 8 siblings and learned early on what work meant tending to the cows & many fruit trees. The farm is still in operation today by one of her nephews. She attended the public schools. She became an accomplished seamstress under the guidance of her Aunt Luise.
On April 6, 1953 she married Willi Lehner and in 1954 followed him to WI arriving to the US on the "Queen Mary" a journey taking 5 days with only speaking a few words of English. They lived in Barneveld for a year & then moved to Mt. Horeb where they built their Swiss Chalet.
They were blessed with six children. Willi, Hans, Peter, Mary, Heidi and Tommy. She taught her children Swiss songs & formed "The Lehner Children." Together they performed at many events around the state and at festivals in New Glarus and Monroe.
Mary was born a gardener. Her large vegetable & flower gardens showed her love for working in the dirt. She knit hundreds of sweaters during her lifetime & was a master at Cross Stitch. When it became too difficult to see clearly for X-stitch she found a new love for quilting. She simply never gave up.
She was a member of the Mound View Garden Club & was president 1978-1980. She maintained "The Triangle" flower garden by Yapps for over 30 years and the in her honor for her service a plaque was dedicated & placed there. An honor she was so very proud of.
She also volunteered at the Chamber Commerce Information hut and the Mt Horeb Museum & the many funeral lunches at St. Ignatius where she was a member.
Surviving are her sons Willi (Kitas McKnight) Hans (Denise) & daughters Mary (James Meives) & Heidi (Chris Fannin) & 9 grandchildren and daughter-in-law Debra Lehner along with many relatives in Switzerland. She was preceded in death by her parents; sons Tommy in 1993 & Peter in 2009.
A celebration of Marys life will be held Sunday July 29th at the Mt. Horeb Evangelical Church at 1 p.m.
She was born August 10, 1925 to Robert & Clara Felix at her parents beautiful farm in Aesch, Switzerland. She was the oldest of 8 siblings and learned early on what work meant tending to the cows & many fruit trees. The farm is still in operation today by one of her nephews. She attended the public schools. She became an accomplished seamstress under the guidance of her Aunt Luise.
On April 6, 1953 she married Willi Lehner and in 1954 followed him to WI arriving to the US on the "Queen Mary" a journey taking 5 days with only speaking a few words of English. They lived in Barneveld for a year & then moved to Mt. Horeb where they built their Swiss Chalet.
They were blessed with six children. Willi, Hans, Peter, Mary, Heidi and Tommy. She taught her children Swiss songs & formed "The Lehner Children." Together they performed at many events around the state and at festivals in New Glarus and Monroe.
Mary was born a gardener. Her large vegetable & flower gardens showed her love for working in the dirt. She knit hundreds of sweaters during her lifetime & was a master at Cross Stitch. When it became too difficult to see clearly for X-stitch she found a new love for quilting. She simply never gave up.
She was a member of the Mound View Garden Club & was president 1978-1980. She maintained "The Triangle" flower garden by Yapps for over 30 years and the in her honor for her service a plaque was dedicated & placed there. An honor she was so very proud of.
She also volunteered at the Chamber Commerce Information hut and the Mt Horeb Museum & the many funeral lunches at St. Ignatius where she was a member.
Surviving are her sons Willi (Kitas McKnight) Hans (Denise) & daughters Mary (James Meives) & Heidi (Chris Fannin) & 9 grandchildren and daughter-in-law Debra Lehner along with many relatives in Switzerland. She was preceded in death by her parents; sons Tommy in 1993 & Peter in 2009.
A celebration of Marys life will be held Sunday July 29th at the Mt. Horeb Evangelical Church at 1 p.m.