Julia Hisel

Julia Harriet (Peterson) Hisel, 101, of Lansing, formerly of LaFarge, WI, passed away peacefully April 20, 2013 at Thornton Manor Nursing Home in Lansing. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 1 at the Seland-Huston Funeral Home, 203 North State Street in LaFarge, WI. Burial will follow in Chapel Hill Cemetery in LaFarge, WI. Friends may call at the Seland-Huston Funeral Home from 12 p.m. until the time of service at 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 1.
Julia was born March 20, 1912 at Melvina, WI, the last of nine children of Oscar and Mathilda (Anderson) Peterson.  She was baptized as a baby at the Norwegian Lutheran Church and later baptized as an adult at age 45 at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in LaCrosse, WI. In 1991 she joined the LaFarge, WI Methodist Church. She graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1929 and attended Vernon County Normal and summer school at Platteville, WI. She then taught in rural Vernon County schools for three years.
Julia married Virgil Hisel in 1934, eventually living in LaCrosse, WI where she worked for Electric Auto Lite for 17 years. From 1954 to 1957 they lived in Portland, OR, where she worked at Jansen Sportswear. After moving back to La Crosse, WI, she worked at La Crosse Knitting Mills. They moved to Milwaukee, WI and Julia took early retirement form a job as credit manager for Spiegel Catalog Co. at age 56. She and Virgil then retired to the Florida Keys for 10 years, and moved back to LaFarge, WI in 1978.
Julia was very talented and enjoyed painting, carving, traveling, genealogy, crosswords and writing poetry. She received numerous awards for her paintings in her later years.
Julia is survived by her son, John (Wanda) Hisel of Lansing; her son-in-law, George Marker of La Crosse, WI; her grandchildren, Joel (Mary Jo) Marker of Salt Lake City, UT, Lynn (Tim) Golden of Orono, MN, Jay (Jeannine) Hisel of Lansing, and Lori (Steve) Lockwood of Mayville, WI; her great-grandchildren, Eleanor and Alex Marker, Jennifer and Madison Golden, Jesse, Sam and Emily Hisel, and Ian and Joshua Lockwood; and her step-great-grandson, Skylar Bacon. She is further survived by nieces, nephews and many friends.
Julia was preceded in death by her husband, Virgil, in 1981; her daughter, Connie Marker; her granddaughter, Jennifer Marker; five brothers, Elmer, Melvin, Ernest, Joseph and Clarence; and three sisters, Mable Webster, Evelyn Peterson and Alice Chase.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to LaFarge United Methodist Church of the LaFarge Senior Meal Site. The Pratt Funeral and Cremation Service is serving the family. Online condolences can be made at prattfuneralservice.com.