Marijean Rice Walker passed away on Aug. 4, 2014, a few weeks after her 83rd birthday. Mari was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and sister. She will be remembered in every pretty pink flower, in the sparkle of a child’s eye and in the beauty of sunset on the lake.
Raised with a loving, lively family in La Crosse, Mari was the eldest of seven children born to Robert and Elizabeth Rice. After graduation from Central High School, she worked at Grandview Hospital. One of the nurses introduced her to a soldier from Missouri who was stationed at Camp McCoy. Her date with Bill Walker would lead to over 51 years of marriage, three children and lots of wonderful friends.
Bill and Mari settled in Crystal Lake, Illinois, and raised their children. They built a vacation home on LaMotte Lake near Shawano that would become the family residence each year from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The Zaleski family also spent summers on the lake, and a dear and special friendship between Sue Zaleski and Mari came about around the Scrabble board.
A business opportunity for Bill led to the move to Shawano in 1971. They enjoyed a beautiful home on the Wolf River, and Mari was active in the art league as a volunteer and an artist. She was a devoted member of the United Methodist Church and Friends of Shawano City-County Library. Mari loved her Cupcake and Molly, the “two smartest dogs on the planet.” The cold, snowy winters allowed Mari to display her love and elegance in ice skating and her newfound appreciation of cross-country skiing. Summer allowed Mari time for her beautiful flower gardens that surrounded their home.
As the children moved off to college, Mari and Bill transitioned to vacationing in Florida, Door County and Arizona. By the early 1980s they had become permanent residents of Arizona and settled in the foothills of Tucson. Mari found the area full of beautiful landscape and unusual wildlife. Mari was so happy to live in a climate where their home would accommodate a pool so she could swim each day.
Mari and Bill returned to La Crosse in 2001. They lived just around the corner from Mari’s mother, who lived to be over 100. Mari continued to welcome family and friends to Wisconsin and was known for leaving a gift for each guest on their bed when they arrived for a visit. After Bill passed in 2003, Mari made frequent trips between her children’s homes. In 2010, she settled in Mississippi.
Mari’s husband, Bill, her sister, Roberta, and her parents preceded her passing.
Mari is survived by her son, Jeff Walker (Charlotte), of Madison, Mississippi; daughter, Lucy Shaffer (Gordon), of Columbia, Missouri; son, Tom Walker (Lynn), of Ridgeland, Mississippi; grandchildren Jeffrey Tyler Walker, Elizabeth Allan Walker, Lindsey Nicole Clifton, Cole Walker Riley, Ted Woodard Riley, Travis Shaffer, Josh Shaffer, Winn Walker and Mari Hughes Walker; son-in-law, Ryan Lee Clifton, and great-grandson, Kalen Lee Clifton; siblings, Beverly Kastenschmidt (Richard), Barbara Fancher-Servais (Everett), Robert G. Rice Jr. (Ursala), Beth Bathke (Larry), Jane Zeroth (Jerry); sister-in-law, Martha Jane Walker McDowell; a host of nieces and nephews; and her dear friend, Janet Zaleski, of Chicago.
A private inurnment will take place at Oak Grove Cemetery in La Crosse. Family and friends will gather at a later date to share memories.
Please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Foundation in Mari’s honor to continue important research.
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