Obituaries

VERONA - Judy Ellen Willan died at home on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, at the age of 89. She was born on November 27, 1934, in Beloit, Wisconsin and moved to Madison in 1942 with her parents, Donna and Larry Ellis, and her sister, Barb. Judy graduated from East High School in 1952 and started nursing school at St. Mary’s School of Nursing until changing course and deciding to move to Visalia, California to work and live with her sister. She married her high school sweetheart, Lyle Willan, on July 10, 1954, in Madison, Wisconsin, and then moved to Long Beach, California where Lyle was stationed with the U.S. Navy. In 1956, they moved back to Madison and raised their eight children together on the East Side. Judy gave birth to seven girls and one boy.

Raising a big family was not an easy feat, but Judy found the time to volunteer as both a Brownie and Cub Scout Leader. She spent time teaching her girls the fundamentals of sewing and baking. She also chaperoned many overnight trips with the Capitolaires Drum and Bugle Corps for three of her daughters. Judy and Lyle loved following the Corps around enjoying the many competitions and parades the girls marched in. Vacationing with eight children was not an inexpensive endeavor, but Judy and Lyle took up camping as an affordable way to get away and enjoy nature with their children. In 1971, they even packed up all their children and drove them across country in a station wagon, towing a trailer with their tent and luggage, to California to visit Judy’s sister, Barb and her family in Stockton. Some of the highlights of that memorable vacation were visits to San Francisco and Disneyland. Judy was all about creating beautiful experiences for her family.

In 1972, Judy decided to go back to school at Madison Area Technical College and become a Practical Nurse. Her nursing career took her to the Veterans Hospital where she worked for twenty-one years until her retirement in 1994.

Judy loved to travel and, after retiring, was able to realize her dream of spending several years snow birding in Gulf Shores, Alabama, with her husband, Lyle. Judy and Lyle were also blessed to have visited 21 countries and all fifty states. Cruising was one of their favorite ways to vacation, and they enjoyed numerous cruises with family members. One of their most memorable cruises was a cruise to the Caribbean with most of their children and grandchildren to celebrate fifty years of marriage. Judy and Lyle were long time parishioners at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Madison.

Judy is survived by her eight children, Kathy Olson (Louis), Laura Rosenau (Keith), Susan Thomlinson (David), Mary Brock, Barbara Block (Neil), Tom Willan (Julia), Karen Clark (Jim), Theresa Dvorak (Carl), grandchildren, Lucas Olson, Erin Olson, Derek Rosenau, Elliot Rosenau, Keely Thomlinson (Brelyn), Jenna Ellis (Ben), Michelle Brock, Siobhan Van Horn (Rich), Brandon Nickerson, Kaitlyn Biermacher (David), Michael Willan (Melissa), Jeff Willan (Kelly), Alyssa Epstein Dvorak (Jeremy), Max Dvorak (Kalene), sister, Barb Abercrombie, twelve great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Lyle, granddaughter Kristen Brock, and grandson Sam Olson.

The family would like to thank the staff and residents of Oakmont Retirement Community in Verona, who gave our mother incredible support and friendship after she lost our father, Lyle, this past January.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution can be made to Agrace Hospice or Dane County Humane Society.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, September 13, 2024, at St Maria Goretti Catholic Church, 5313 Flad Avenue, Madison. A visitation will take place one hour before the Mass from 10:00 to 11:00 am. A Catholic Rite of Committal will take place immediately following the Mass at Sunset Memory Gardens, 7302 Mineral Point Road, Madison. The funeral reception luncheon will be at Oakmont Senior Community, 841 N. Main Street, Verona after the Rite of Committal.