Elizabeth Ray (Fiske) Fisk

Elizabeth Ray "Betty" Fiske Fisk

A memorial is being held for Elizabeth "Betty" Ray Fiske Fisk on July 23rd, 2022.  It will take place at the Unitarian Church North, 13800 North Port Washington Road, in Mequon, Wisconsin, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm.  Betty passed away on February 20, 2022, due to heart failure at the Grafton Aurora Hospital where she was attended by six of her 8 children and most of her grandchildren.  Some of them drove through the night or flew from as far as Florida, North Carolina and East Michigan to be with her.   

Betty was born May 2nd, 1930, to Marguerite Dillon Fiske and Charles Willard Fiske. She was born at Beloit Hospital in Beloit, WI. She was the youngest of three children but because her sister and brother, Marguerite "Sis" Fiske Finch and Leslie Willard "Bud" Fiske were respectively 14 and 10 when she was born, she was more like an only child. When Betty was 7 years old her niece Carol was born, and they became as close as sisters

Betty loved to sing and was very talented.  She studied voice in High School and with a professional vocal instructor.  By the time she was 16 years old she had recorded several demo records singing light opera and was in the process of beginning her career when her father died, and her mother needed her by her side.  When she was 19 years old, she met a young man.  His name was Donel Keith Fisk, and he was an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliessen in Spring Green Wisconsin.  In August of 1951 they married and started a family.  In 1963 they bought an 1880’s farmhouse outside of Jackson, Wisconsin and by 1969 they had their 8th child and their home had grown into a hobby farm of sorts which ultimately included goats and rabbits and honeybees, a horse, some ducks and chickens and the ever-present cats and Great Danes.

In 1968 she began a career that would become her passion when she accepted the position of Director of the Activities at Lasata, a nursing home in Cedarburg. Betty was very creative, and she loved to teach crafts to the residents and many volunteers. Her belief was that as individuals age it is crucial for them to be encouraged and provided with the means to continue being vital, respected, productive and involved members of their homes and society.  The Activity Department was quite small when Betty began but within a year another wing had been added to the facility, the department gained a huge space in which to grow, and with Betty's enthusiasm, leadership, and vision, it did. 

As the size of her workspace increased, so did Betty's interests and talents.  She took ceramics classes and workshops to create and teach, so before long the Activity Department had established a good-sized ceramic studio that engaged and inspired residents and volunteers. Betty discovered that many residents were was also interested in fiber arts, so she attended classes and workshops to learn weaving and soon there were many looms of varying sizes and types upon which the residents wove rugs and placemats, etc.  The number of volunteers who had been a part of Lasata when she started grew to almost 200 at one point and she often said they were what made it all possible. A point of pride for Betty was that the Cedarburg High School had a curriculum that included volunteering at Lasata.  Betty said that she was always impressed by the fact that the students were kind and dependable and often spoke of their appreciation for the residents.  As volunteers they made a real difference, and they all held a special place in her heart.

The Activity Department volunteers were talented, creative, dependable and above all they were dedicated to the residents with whom they worked assisting in setting up and completing projects as necessary.   Many of the women loved to knit and crochet producing baby clothes and blankets, hats, scarves and mittens by the score. There was delicate tatting and decorations for all seasons.  They created incredible quilts that were made from donated fabrics and clothing that were sorted and cut into traditional fabric squares then lovingly hand stitched and assembled to create the ultimate pattern of color and texture.  Finally, each was hand tied by residents and volunteers together as they happily chatted. Every year there was a fall bazaar that was a well-known and highly attended event in the community.  It made a lot of money for more supplies and events for the residents.  The funds from the bazaar helped make it possible to pay for field trips to the Nutcracker and A Christmas Carol. Many bands performed at Lasata as well as little dance classes, singing groups and individual performers.

Betty was responsible for the chapel and arranged the schedule for the various clergy who officiated on a regular basis.  She set up and stocked the residents store where they could purchase snacks and personal items.  Betty also made sure the residents had access to a hair salon and beauticians.  Betty’s family regularly volunteered and were there for many events and during the summer.  The five oldest children worked at Lasata as aides and in the kitchen during their high school and college years and were very attached to the residents. Sandra, the third oldest daughter, who was an aid when she was engaged wanted to share her big day with the residents, many of whom would not have made it to a regular church wedding.  So the wedding was held at Lasata and every resident and almost all the staff attended. There was a big snowstorm on the day of the wedding.  Consequently, the Cedarburg Bridal Show was cancelled, and all the flower vendors decided to send their floral displays to the wedding at Lasata.   Sandra’s flowers were delivered by snowmobile and added to those from the Bridal Show, there were flowers everywhere. The Lasata kitchen staff made Sandra’s wedding cake and it was beautiful.

Betty and Don sang together often, and the house was filled with music. Betty sang with Sweet Adelines International Barbershop Chorus for Women with her daughter Teri while Don was a member of the Qzaukee County Men’s Barbershop Chorus.  Their children grew up singing a variety of music especially in the car on road trips and around the campfire.

After she retired, Elizabeth had more time to be involved in the Washington County Historical Society in West Bend where she and Don helped plan and run the Pioneer Kids Days for several years.  She organized workshops for pioneer crafts such as soapmaking, candle making, weaving and spinning, and leather tooling. During the rest of the year, they helped with cataloging and archiving papers at the old Jail House in West Bend. At that time, they worked at desks or tables set up in the jail cells and everyone had a great time pretending they were locked in.  During this time, it was fun for family members to respond to anyone inquiring as to their whereabouts, “Oh, they’re probably in jail.” They both loved that time of their retirement.

The Unitarian Church in Mequon was an important part of Elizabeth and Don’s lives for many years.  They sang in the choir, taught in the Religious Education Department and served on the board and on several committees. They were also one of the primary forces behind the octagon barn design and creation of the new church.

A constant in Elizabeth’s life was children and dogs and cats. From the time the grandchildren were born they were always around Grandma and Grandpa and summers were spent camping and visiting historical sites in addition to doing crafts with Grandma.

During the last several years of her life she was able to spend an extended period of time with her grandson Daniel in Georgia and later with her son, Dwight on a beautiful farm in Washington State. The year before she passed, she was in the family home in Jackson again. At this point the house had become a duplex with her daughter, Sandra and her family on the second floor and her youngest daughter Constance and her family on the first floor.

Betty, with her long-time companion, a poodle named “Lottie” (Charlotte) was once again surrounded by family, flowers, 3 little great granddaughters, cats and 2 young Great Danes in the home she and Don had established 61 years earlier.  She had a very busy and an important life and she is and will continue to be greatly missed.

Betty is survived by her beloved niece Sherri Finch Knudson (the late Ron).  

 8 children Victoria (William) Schaus, Catherine (the late John) Fiske-Knuth, Sandra (the late Wayne) DeMerchant, Dwight (the late Caroline) Fisk, Teresa (Steven) Krautkramer, Pamela (Rubin) Fisk-Mestas, Keith (LeAnne) Fisk, Constance (Charles) Guysick.    

She is also, survived by 21 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren, several grand-nephews and grand-nieces and many cousins. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Betty's name to the charity of your choice or planting a tree in her memory is deeply appreciated.

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