Janice Marie Heise

Janice Marie Heise, 80, of Ellsworth died Sunday, July 12, at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Red Wing.
She was born February 14, 1935 in Red Wing, Minn., to Lester and Jennie (Shellito) Watkins. She graduated from Ellsworth High School in 1952 and Wisconsin State College at River Falls in 1954. She taught elementary school in Osceola, Maiden Rock and Plum City. She was united in marrage to Lester Heise on January 5, 1963 at Ono Methodist Church.
After her marriage she stayed at home to raise their daughters, later returning to work as a Teacher’s Aide and Librarian at Sunnyside Elementary School in rural Ellsworth. She loved her job and said she looked forward to going there every morning for 29 years. She enjoyed reading, spending time at the family cabin at Webster, Wisc., and after her retirement spent time traveling with Lester as he served on the Shrine divan.
She was a longtime active member Ellsworth Chapter #116 Order of Eastern Star, Pierce County Historical Society and a friend of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ.
Janice is survived by her daughters, Sherri Heise of Ellsworth and Judith (Robert John) Kovalic of Waunakee, Wisc., and by the light of her life, 6-year-old granddaughter Louisa Kovalic. She is survived by her brother-in-law, Frank Heise of Boise, Idaho, her sister-in-law, Ardith Heise of Menomonie, Wisc., nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends.
She was preceeded in death by her husband Lester in 2007 and her parents.

Funeral Service for Janice will be 11:00 a.m., Thursday, July 16, 2015 at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Ellsworth, WI., Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m., Wednesday at Hill Funeral Home, Ellsworth, WI., with an OES service @ 6:30 p.m., and for one hour prior at the church on Thursday.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to Ellsworth Chapter #116 Order of Eastern Star or St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Ellsworth, Wisc. are preferred.
Hill Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Ellsworth, W., is assisting the family