Jeri-Lynn Waller

MADISON - Jeri-Lynn Waller (Benisch) peacefully passed away after a graceful and courageous fight with colon cancer on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, with her sister, Brenda and husband, Dave lovingly by her side. Jeri-Lynn was born in Madison, on March 6, 1968. She graduated from Sun Prairie High School in 1986 and earned a business degree from UW-Eau Claire in 1990. She pursued a career in banking and finance having recently retired after 25 years as the Vice President of Mortgage Lending at Associated Bank. Shortly after college she married Jon Waller. Together they enjoyed traveling, Jon’s cooking parties and created many lifelong friendships. She embodied her former husband Jon's attitude with a "You have one shot at this" approach to living life. About two years after Jon’s passing, she met Dave Sedor through a mutual friend. After a memorable blind date at the Tornado Room she decided to give dating Dave “a whirl.” Dating evolved into a true, lasting, deep love. As Jeri-Lynn used to tell Dave after he asked her how he was so lucky to have met her, “You just fell in my lap.” Jeri-Lynn and Dave married on a beautiful June 19, 2015, evening on the outdoor terrace of their downtown condominium with their closest friends, family, Bucky Badger, and the Badger band. Travel was one of Jeri-Lynn’s favorite pursuits. She was passionate about researching and creating detailed travel itineraries and finding the unknown gems in each location. Together they visited eight foreign countries and over 30 different domestic locales, including Badger away games and numerous national parks. They enjoyed living downtown Madison taking in all the dining and social events. Jeri-Lynn looked forward to the Eastside music festivals, Art Fair on the Square, farmers market, badger football and basketball games, tailgating and many other events. She was an avid runner, and talented home decorator. Jeri-Lynn closely followed the Madison restaurant scene and was a great source of information on where to find the best cuisine. Jeri-Lynn was so loved and always made others her focus. Her care, compassion, and loyalty for those she loved was unconditional and steadfast. The first thing she always asked her people was how their kids and family members were doing. She cherished those updates. She had an uncanny ability to accurately remember every small detail of those personal updates...names, ages, birth dates, and background information. Those who truly knew her were impressed by her uniquely graceful, classy demeanor. The way she carried herself made a lasting impression on you. She was always positive, upbeat, and happy. When you spoke with her you always felt like she was present with you. And that smile with those twinkling blue eyes! It always melted my heart. Then there was that slight sideways head tilt which she used in lieu of words to get her point across that she was listening and maybe or maybe not agreeing. But you knew. Just priceless little pieces of her persona that are forever seared in our memories of her. She was a beautiful, gentle person with amazing inner strength and drive. Jeri-Lynn did not let cancer beat her twice. She continued to beat cancer by how she lived her life and the manner in which she lived. She got more out of her 52 years of life than most of us get out of our entire lives. While our hearts are broken and we are devastated by losing her, she left us plenty of lasting memories, beautiful impressions, inspirations and most importantly, a deep enduring love. "Run free my love, run free. I love you. I miss you." Jeri-Lynn is survived by husband, David Sedor; sister, Brenda Benisch; aunt, Bea Helmke; mother-in-law, Kathleen Sedor; and brothers-in-law, Michael (Joanna) and Daniel Sedor (Karen). She is further survived by friends, extended family, with special mention to Virginia Bedner, Richard and Lois Waller, Renee Waller, Mandy Witt, Seth and Kristin Newman and Kurt and Laura Koenig. She was preceded in death by her parents, Donald (2003) and Hazel Benisch (2018); first husband, Jon Waller (2010); and father-in-law Charles Sedor (2018). A visitation will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. A brief service will be held at the funeral home at 3 p.m. A private family burial will take place the following day at Sunset Memory Gardens. A get-together and more celebrating of Jeri-Lynn will follow at the home of Jeri-Lynn's aunt, Bea Helmke, 1625 Calico Court, Sun Prairie, Wis., from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday. Should friends desire and per Jeri-Lynn’s wishes, memorial contributions may be made in Jeri-Lynn’s name to: GI Cancer Lab Support Fund, UW Carbone Cancer Center, MC 9945, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care 5203 Monona Drive (608) 221-5420