Dee Feiereisen

Dee Feiereisen, 75, brought her unending optimism and
ability to take delight in the simplest of experiences to heaven, Monday, April
17th, 2017.  Family and friends are
invited to Zacherl Funeral Home, 875 E. Division Street, Fond du Lac, for a
visitation from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm on Monday, April 24th followed by a
memorial service at 7:00 pm (also at Zacherl).

 

Dee was born on February 18th, 1942 in New Orleans, LA, the
only daughter of Owen and Lillian Petitfils. 
She spent her childhood in the “bayou” of St. Bernard Parish, LA with
her grandma, cousins and extended family while her young, widowed mother
traveled as a USO dancer.  These travels
led Lillian to Louis Koeser.  Once her
mom and new dad were married and settled, Dee joined their home in Maryland
(although she never forgot her Southern roots and could even speak
French-Cajun).

 

Louis’ work later brought them to Oshkosh, WI where she
spent her high school years.  A night out
with friends introduced her to the love of her life and very best friend, David
Cleary Feiereisen.  They eloped; getting
married at the first courthouse they could find on their way “Up North” on June
16th, 1962.  They settled in Fond du Lac,
where David worked at Mercury Marine and Dee raised their three children.  She worked as many jobs as she could fit into
her busy schedule as a mom and wife. 
These include the Lion Cafeteria, A to Z Vending, Wells, The Stretch,
Golden Years, private home healthcare, St. Vinny’s, and bookkeeping for the
local utility.

 

After David retired from Mercury, these two could be found
on all kinds of adventures; that is, if the opportunity to see their grandkids
in a game, practice, prayer service or for no particular reason at all didn’t
present itself.  Also, if it had a motor,
she wanted to see the country on it; mopeds, snowmobiles, RVs, boats, and
especially ATVs.  These machines would
get her to places where she could take pleasure in all of God’s beauty with her
pal, David!  Their shangri-la, as Dee put
it, was a few acres of woods in Dunbar, WI that she lovingly named “Happy Camp”
that connected her (dancing with danger across one illegal highway crossing) to
400-miles of north woods ATV trails.  The
grandkids called her “Gertie”, a nod to her middle name Gertrude, and it fit
her outgoing personality well.  As
everyone knows, “Dee never met a stranger.”

 

She had the ability to find beauty that 100 out of 100 other
people would likely overlook.  Whether
looking at the intricacies of a unique bug, hearing a distant bird, or blowing
a fluffy dandelion growing in the sidewalk, Dee would delight in simple,
beautiful things.  This ability may stem
from her time in the bayou, where artwork was made in mud puddles, shoes were a
luxury item and dinner was whatever you could catch before dark.

 

Dee was a member of Holy Family Catholic Parish in Fond du
Lac where she was active in the Christ Child Society.  She is survived by her husband, David C.
Feiereisen, children David “Chip” Feiereisen Jr. and his wife Jodi of North
Fond du Lac, Louis “Pack” Feiereisen of Wausau, and Samantha Dee Twohig and her
husband Christopher of Fond du Lac, six adored/adoring grandchildren, Savannah,
Brittany, Michael, Cleary, George and Layne, and her cousin (raised as a
sibling) Manuel “Pete” Mackels, III of Oshkosh (a retired New Orleans police
officer).

 

In lieu of flowers we would encourage you to donate to or
volunteer at the Hospice Home of Hope and blow a fluffy dandelion just to watch
the seeds fly away in her honor (just don’t let them land in David’s lawn).

 

We would like to express our gratitude to The Dream Team at
the Agnesian Healthcare Hospice Home of Hope. 
The dignity, love and support they provided to this remarkable lady will
never be forgotten.