Obituaries

Renée Roeder Earley

November 8, 1959 - February 13, 2025

Renée was a painter and fiber artist from Appleton, WI. She studied painting at Viterbo University in LaCrosse, WI and at the New York Studio School in NYC.

Renée traveled widely and lived abroad before relocating to Madison in 1990 where she became a staple of the art fair scene in the Midwest. She was well known for her beautiful hand sewn hats made under the label Hats O Fancy.

An active participant in the local arts community, Renée was also known for her costume designs for the UW Madison Dance Department, Cycropia Dance and the Children’s Theater of Madison, as well as her work for the Madison Children’s Museum where she has collaborated on projects for over 25 years. She was involved in art fair organizing and has been featured in many exhibitions at local galleries. Since retiring from hat making last year she concentrated on her hand drawn animated short films and her knitted wall pieces, which gradually became more and more complex.

Renée’s work has been featured at the Chazen Museum of Art, Kohler Art Center, SOFA Chicago, Fanny Garver Gallery, The CityArts Space in Madison, Katie Gingrass Gallery in Milwaukee, Smithsonian Craft Show 2015 and 2016, The American Craft Exhibition in Chicago and countless art fairs and galleries across the US for more than 3 decades.

Her artwork will be exhibited this spring at the Textile Art Center in Madison from March 14- April 17 and at the Smithsonian Craft Show 2025 April 23-27 in Washington, DC.

Renée loved to travel and had a natural talent for languages. She was known for her boundless creativity, her gentle and quiet personality, her thoughtful kind treatment of all friends, and her patient love for her family.

She was a swimmer and sailor, the curator of a hundred collections of tiny objects, a lover of candy, new shoes, perfectly round rocks, moss and word puzzles. She created numerous hand drawn comics including a series about the clams and other creatures of the Wisconsin River. She was able to execute a perfect backwards dive with ease.

She leaves behind her husband Kevin Earley and children Olive Earley and Dexter Earley. Also mother Terri Roeder, father Richard Roeder and siblings Mark Roeder, Marci Roeder and Leslie Roeder.

She will be buried at Natural Path Sanctuary and the memorial will be held at Goodman Community Center (214 Waubesa Street) on Thursday, March 13, 3:00-6:00 p.m.

To view and sign this guestbook, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com.

Ryan Funeral Home & Cremation Services

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608-249-8257