Katherine (Kathy) Ann (Stauffer) Wilcox passed away on Friday, January 6, 2017 from complications relating to ovarian cancer. She led a long and courageous battle against the disease for over 15 years. Kathy was born August 14, 1950 at the former St. Mary’s Hospital in Watertown, WI (Jefferson County). She was born the second of five children to Werner and Delores (Giese) Stauffer. Kathy was raised on a 200-acre farm on Bakertown Road, Helenville, WI and attended the one-room Bakertown Schoolhouse on Bakertown Road, from first grade through sixth grade. She next attended seventh and eighth grades at a two-room schoolhouse in Helenville, WI. Kathy graduated from the Jefferson Senior High School in Jefferson, WI in 1968.
Following graduation from high school, Kathy worked as an arm-seat-rearback sewist for the former Schweiger Industries in Jefferson, WI; subsequently co-owned and managed a soft-water business in Jefferson, WI for ten years; worked as a Legislative Assistant for several Wisconsin State Representatives and Senators in the Legislature in Madison, WI from 1988-1990; and then worked as an Administrative Assistant for the Senate Caucus from 1990-2001. Kathy worked for the WI Utilities Association, Inc. in Madison, WI as an Accounting/Human Resource Manager from 2001 through 2016. Despite being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2001, Kathy continued to work diligently at her job up through most of 2016 and expressed a positive attitude while undergoing multiple chemo and radiation treatments, surgeries, and clinical studies over the years that inspired others, especially other cancer survivors.
She enjoyed sharing the simple things in life with her husband, such as bird watching and gardening; and they enjoyed attending cinema movies, musical plays, restaurants, and college sports at UW-Madison. She loved spending time with family and friends and being a grandmother to 14 precious and wonderful grandchildren. Kathy always felt that the time she spent with her grandchildren was a special part of her life and the best gift she could have received.
Kathy is survived by her husband, soulmate, and best friend, Bradford (Brad) Wilcox of Fort Atkinson, WI, whom she married on March 27, 1993; her three children: Tina (Ed) Gleisner-Hotter of Jefferson, WI; Lloyd (Jody) Gleisner of Jefferson, WI; and Tara (Dan) Gleisner-Rocque of Gurnee, IL; and her two step-children, Whitney Wilcox of Broomfield, CO and Christopher (Stacy) Wilcox of Greenville, WI.
She is also survived by 14 grandchildren: Alyssa, Ashley, Courtney, and Hailey Hotter of Jefferson, WI; Megan, Andrew and Tyler Gleisner of Jefferson, WI; Joshua, Madelynn (Maddy), Benjamin, and Samuel Rocque of Gurnee, IL; Isaac Dorn of Neenah, WI; and Gracelyn and Madelyn Wilcox of Greenville, WI. Kathy is further survived by her two sisters, Shirley Mae (Stauffer) Jacobs of Brentwood, TN and Rose (Robert) Marie (Stauffer) Ingersoll of Fort Atkinson, WI; her two brothers, Richard Werner Stauffer of Fort Atkinson, WI and Randall (Debra) Walter Stauffer of Jefferson, WI; her former husband, Joseph Henry Gleisner of Jefferson, WI (father of Kathy’s three children, Tina, Lloyd and Tara); and many dear and special nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Kathy was preceded in death by her father, Werner Stauffer, Jr., who died from complications of esophageal cancer on January 31, 2005 and her mother, Delores (Geise) Stauffer, who died from heart disease on April 2, 2009. Kathy always remembered her father with deep appreciation for being a nurturing and caring parent and she marveled at all the beautiful afghans her mother made and then gave away to people. Kathy was also preceded in death by her sister-in-law, Debra (Richard) Stauffer, who died on September 21, 2015.
Several of Kathy’s greatest attributes were her unwavering friendliness, her gift of “gab”, her empathy for others, her enthusiasm for life, and her work ethic, which resulted in her having many valued friends. Like her father, Kathy’s presence and her sincere interest in others would always warm up a room.
The Schneider-Michaelis Funeral Home in Jefferson, WI is handling the funeral arrangements. Visitation at the Schneider-Michaelis Funeral Home will be held on Tuesday, January 10, 2017 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. A funeral service to honor and celebrate Kathy’s life will be held on Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Fort Atkinson, WI with Pastor Bryan Engfer officiating. Visitation will be at the church on Wednesday, January 11, 2017 from 9:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. (the time of service). Interment will follow at a later date at the Wilcox gravesite near the Court-Of-Honor and Bellman Carillon Tower in the Evergreen Cemetery in Fort Atkinson, WI.
If desired, donations may be made to the University of WI Foundation – UW Madison Department of GYN/ONC. Please indicate that the donation is in memory of Katherine A. Wilcox so that the funds will be allocated to the GYN/ONC department.
And if I should go before you
Know that part of Me still remains…
You will not see Me, yet I will
Be there walking beside You.
You will not touch Me,
Yet I will live in your heart and memory always.
If my being here on earth has touched you in some way,
Know that my spirit will always be right with you wherever you may be.
Have Faith that we will one day walk
Hand in hand in eternity.
Until then, Live your Life for Life is Good!
Visit www.schneidermichaelisfuneralhome.com to leave a condolence or light a candle in her memory.