Mary Jean

(Soules) Sears

Mary Jean (Soules) Sears, 83, Lake Mills, Wisconsin, formerly of Naperville, Illinois, passed away on Wednesday, April 23, 2014, at Fort Atkinson Memorial Hospital.

She was born on January 29, 1931 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the daughter of the late William and Fern (Henricks) Soules.

Bill and Mary were married at Westminster Presbyterian Church on June 21, 1951 in Decatur, Illinois.

She was a graduate of the Steven Decatur High School, class of 1948, and later graduated from Millikin University, also in Decatur, with a degree in education.

Mary dedicated her life to her family. She was a 2nd Grade teacher for 24 years, mostly at the Beebe Elementary School in Naperville, Illinois before retiring and moving to Lake Mills in 2000. She was a Girl Scout leader with her three daughters. Mary loved getting together with her family and time spent at their summer lake home in Northern Minnesota.

Survivors include her husband, William(Bill); daughters, Jeanne (Becky Burns) Sears of Madison, WI,  Janne (Don) Sears-Oldham of Alta Loma, CA; grandchildren, Stephen (Lindsay) Nykamp, Christopher Nykamp, Courtney Burns; brother-in-law, Michael Poulos of Decatur, IL; one niece and two nephews.

She was preceded in death by her youngest daughter Jill (Sears) O'Donnell and sister, Ruth Ann Poulos.

Please omit flowers.

A private family memorial service is being planned for a later date.

"Keep us in your thoughts and prayers."

www.claussenfuneralhome.com