MADISON - Doris Kay Gassen, age 83, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, surrounded by her children and grandchildren. She was born on July 24, 1941, in a farmhouse, north of Plain, Wisconsin, to H. Darrel and Lillian (Marshall) Fry.

Doris graduated from Richland Center High School and moved to Madison soon after. She married James Gassen on May 31, 1963, in Baraboo, Wisconsin. After their first child was born, she opened a state licensed family day care. She operated this for 23 years, helping to raise over 130 little ones along with her own three children.

Doris went on to be a professional seamstress, sewing straightjackets for Humane Restraint, but found her calling once again working with children as a photographer and yearbook specialist with Lifetouch National School Studios for 27 years. She enjoyed traveling around Southern Wisconsin, working with school employees, and the students. She received numerous awards for her accomplishments at Lifetouch.

After retiring in 2014, Doris spent a great deal of time at a family retreat she purchased in Richland County, where her children and grandchildren could become familiar with the area where she grew up and enjoy the wilderness of the beautiful Driftless Area. She also enjoyed visiting her children and grandchildren and keeping up with their lives.

In the last 5 years of her life, Doris became known as the Wisconsin Kindness Angel for creating Be Kind signs using donated wood and paint. She distributed these for free to people she knew, people she met, and eventually had friends and family handing them out and helping her with some aspects of the creation process in her workshop. At last count, she had made and distributed more than 15,000 Be Kind signs throughout the U.S. and to 15 other countries. She was featured in local television news stories, and recognized by many schools, health care facilities, businesses, and places of worship for her generous donation of signs. She was a force of nature who touched many lives with her compassion, generosity, and positivity.

In every venture she took on, she found ways to infuse creativity into her work. She made the world a better place every chance she could and was treasured by many as a wonderful mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, cousin, and friend. She was active in volunteer work, social groups, scrabble, church outings, and gatherings with family and friends up until her last day.

She leaves to mourn her passing her three children, Julie (Patrick) Peterson, Kari (Scott) Samuel, and Richard (Joan) Gassen; 5 grandchildren; 2 step grandchildren; and 2 great- grandchildren; her sister, Bonnie Gilbertson; as well as many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother; and her husband of nearly 38 years. Her family will always remember her for her compassion, sense of humor, positivity, creativity, and kindness.

A celebration of life will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, with Pastor Jeff Vanden Heuvel presiding. Burial will be at Highland Memory Gardens. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, and until the time of the service on Thursday.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Doris’s memory may be made to Carbone Cancer Center. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East
Funeral & Cremation Care
5203 Monona Drive
(608) 221-5420

Doris Kay Gassen

July 24, 1941 - September 04, 2024

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