Loretta Anne (Fischer) Shea
November 29, 1929 - March 06, 2022
Obituary
VERONA - Loretta (Fischer) Shea, age 92, passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 6, 2022. She was born in Crystal Lake, Ill., and grew up on a farm. Both of her parents immigrated to the U.S. in 1923 from Nerkelheim, Bavaria, Germany. When she was very young, she and her mother returned to Germany to help care for her elderly grandmother. They stayed for about a year, while her father and three older brothers remained in Illinois and tended to the farm.
Loretta shared that when she returned to Illinois she had forgotten how to speak English and needed to re-learn the language. She married Joe Fischer in 1957 and they enjoyed 25 years of marriage before his passing in 1983. Together they raised two children, Steve Fischer and Kim (Fischer) Thompson. Loretta married Daniel Shea in 1990 and they enjoyed 27 years of married life. They made the most of their retirement years with bridge, golf and travel.
Loretta is survived by her son, Steve Fischer; stepchildren, Sheila (Pat) Hope, Joe (Erin) Shea and Sarah Shea; along with 10 grandchildren, Hannah Thompson, John, Michael and Billy Hope, Joe, Jack and Mary Shea, and Max, Michael and Lulu McCormick. She was especially close to her granddaughter, Hannah, who will miss her tremendously. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Kim Thompson; her husbands, Joe Fischer and Daniel Shea; parents, Frank and Katherine Kolbinger; and brothers, Art, Harry and Frank Kolbinger.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ST. BERNARD CATHOLIC CHURCH, 7450 University Ave., Middleton, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 12, 2022. Burial will follow at RESURRECTION CEMETERY, 2705 Regent St., Madison. A visitation will be held at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of the Mass on Saturday.
A special thank you to Cedarhurst of Verona and Heartland Hospice for their loving care and support, and to her many caregivers, especially Anna, Cori, Susie, Colleen, Miranda, Sam and Cindy. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.
Gunderson West
Funeral & Cremation Care
7435 University Ave.
(608) 831-6761