Dear Mom,
You told us (Karen, Wendy, & Heidi) not to mourn, probably because you didn’t believe in people feeling sorry for themselves. You told us that you felt lucky you led such a full and rewarding life with few regrets. You did leave us with great memories.
Your mother Anna Zilisch was widowed when you were very young. You and your older brother, Lawrence, were raised by a single mother and three bachelor uncles. You spoke often of the close relationship with your German speaking grandmother.
You attended UW-Madison, living in Liz Waters dorm. All 3 of us did exactly the same thing. You somehow convinced our Dad, Dudley, that education beyond high school was essential for girls. You were a woman libber! You remained a loyal Badger fan and supporter of UW for the rest of your life. Thank you for going back to work and supporting us financially through college.
We are all great cooks because of you. The German stollen recipe has passed down through 6 generations, so far, and we won’t forget the lebkuchen (“ice skating cookies” -- great for storing in pockets).
You enjoyed being in and on the water, even in the winter, from living in the house on Rock Lake to building a fire on the ice and having a picnic. Canoeing was also a passion, but not without mishaps. Trying to teach Dad how to paddle led to a lot of laughter as the canoe kept going in circles. And who can forget when Dad tipped you into the river with all your clothes on? After pulling the canoe onto the bank, he looked back and said with surprise, “What are you doing in the water?”
You knitted and sewed many of our clothes, even designing and sewing 3 different wedding dresses. You sat on the floor with a loom and wove a Navajo rug. Later, you became an accomplished quilter. Your masterpiece was the Barn Quilt, inspired by Barns of Wisconsin by Jerry Apps. We each own and treasure a quilt from the Christmas Collection. The Cookie Cutter Quilt took 2+ years to complete with 17 friends loaning you cookie cutters as templates. You acquired a Swiss pen pal who also quilted and had the same last name (unrelated) and were able to visit her in Switzerland.
Our kitchen and home served as a popular coffee break and a place of great hospitality and fun for both local and international friends. You gave back to the community through years of Girl Scouts, serving as a local troop leader, and vice-president of the Blackhawk Council. For 20+ years, you helped coordinate “Meals on Wheels.”
Travel was highly valued in our family. We all loved the trips west. We collaborated to distract our Dad, so we could sneak driftwood and rocks in the crevices of the trunk. Gotcha Dad!
Sadly we lost Dudley in 2000 after 52 years of marriage. Happily, you reconnected with Tom Keel, a high school classmate of Dad’s, who became your second husband. He fit right into our crazy family. You enjoyed acquiring 3 step-daughters and their spouses, Patty and Dan, Chris and Jeff, and Jonica and Dinah. You also took delight in following the lives of one grand-daughter, Amber and Scott and two grand-sons Erik, and Garrett. You and Tom continued to travel until 2017.
The death of Tom in 2017 was difficult, but you made even more friends at Marquardt Manor, joining a book club (a long-time goal), exercising, and living independently until a week before your death. You were the perpetuator of random acts of kindness at Marquardt.
Your legacy is your daughters who picked up a strong streak of independence, good humor, openness, and hospitality to many, as well as a consciousness and responsibility to leave a better world in terms of how we respect and treat the environment and other people. You exited quietly on your own terms, under a volunteer made quilt. Rest in peace Mom.
A Celebration of 92 ½ Years of Marge Etter’s Life will be held on November 18 from 2-4 p.m. at the Fargo Mansion in Lake Mills. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Rainbow Hospice 1225 Remmel Dr. Johnson Creek, WI 53094; Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin/BirdProtection Fund, ATTN: Donations PO Box 2317 Madison, WI 53701; L.D. Fargo Public Library 120 East Madison St. Lake Mills, WI 53551; or Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin Attn. Development 302 North Jackson Street Milwaukee, WI 53202.
www.claussenfuneralhome.com
