Marie Risen, Elkhorn, formerly of East Troy and Haines City, FL
After a valiant battle with cancer, Marie was called home on July 5, 2021. She was born in rural Viroqua, WI. (Brush Hollow) on Dec. 10, 1930 to Leland and Mabel (Ellefson) Suiter and was raised by Edith and Russell Suiter. On Dec. 10, 1948 she married the love of her life, Cecil (Zeke) Risen and spent the next 62+ years together until his death in 2010. Together they raised 6 children. Besides being a homemaker, Marie worked for many years for Moxness Corporation in East Troy. In 1991 she retired and she and Zeke moved to Haines City, FL, and began the next chapter of their lives. She became a much respected and vital part of the Heartland Estates Community and lived there for over 25 years. She returned to WI in 2017 to be closer to her large extended family. Her faith was very important to her, she was a pillar of her church and devoted much of her time to helping those in need. She enjoyed many hobbies (and was an expert in all of them) including quilting, cooking, gardening, reading, and playing cards but most of all she lived for the time spent with her large family. Many of her quilts were donated to shelters for homeless people and victims of domestic abuse in Florida. Marie may not have been the life of the party, but she was certainly the heart of it. Quietly planning and executing even the smallest details and making sure every guest felt comfortable and welcome. She loved keeping up on the lives of her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren and teaching them the life skills she’d acquired over almost a century of life. She always had time to talk with all of her family and was quick to boast about their accomplishments. When it came time to meet her Lord and savior her dedication to building a loving and caring family was evident in the outpouring of comfort and visits from the whole family. Many times there was standing room only in her room. She kept her wonderful sense of humor right up to the end cracking one liners that kept the crowd in tears and laughter. In the words of Willie Giest, “It was truly a life well lived.”
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Cecil, a brother, three sisters, and one grandson, Brian Potts. She is survived by one sister Dorothy (Pete) Matea of Papillion, NE, her 6 children; Shirlene (Robert) Hazelberg of North Prairie, WI, Vicki (Larry) Price of Elkhorn, WI, Michael (Elaine) of Riverdale, UT, Diana of WA, Bill of East Troy, WI, and Brenda (Mark) Loepfe of Wales, WI. 12 grandchildren Peter (Peggy), Amanda (Dan), Becky, Matthew (Hannah), Carissa, Jenilee, Sylvia, Shelby (Cole), Noah, Gage and Travis. 9 great grandchildren Xavier, Wesley, Vivian, Kelvin, Callen, Hattie, Code, Katelyn and Knox Cecil.
Family would like to thank Ridgestone in Elkhorn and St. Croix Hospice for the care and love given to Marie. A special thank you to Dan Golson, (Grandson in-law) who assured that Marie was given a final accounting of all family happenings, promised her all would be well, and helped her to enjoy her final sunset. In lieu of memorials Marie would hope that you would do an unexpected and unsolicited act of kindness for someone in her honor as she spent nearly 91 years quietly offering acts of service to those around her. Visitation will be 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Thursday July 22 2021 followed with a funeral service at 5:00 pm at Haase-Lockwood & Associates Funeral Home, 730 North Wisconsin St., Elkhorn WI 53121.