Karen Rae Hillner

Kay and Bob's Time of Remembrance will begin at 1 p.m CT on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023 and Graveside Service will begin at 3:30 p.m CT on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.

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MADISON - Karen Rae “Kay” (Johnson) Hillner died peacefully at BeeHive Homes in Oregon, Wis., on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, after bravely facing her journey with Alzheimer’s. Kay was born in Cedar Falls, Iowa, on Sept. 17, 1939, to Ralph and Florence (Johnson) Johnson. The family eventually moved to Madison, Wis., as Kay entered junior high school. With an ear for music, Kay took up the clarinet when the family was in Mason City, Iowa. When she started school at Madison West Junior High, she wanted to sign up for orchestra in order to avoid art class. The orchestra had enough clarinets, but needed a French horn player, so Kay learned to play French horn instead. She also started piano lessons. Years later she would inspire her young daughter with her classical talent and would spend many happy hours playing contemporary songs and show tunes while her daughter sang along. In her last years, these were the songs her daughter played and sang for her.

Kay met her future husband, Robert “Bob” Hillner, when they were both juniors at Madison West Senior High. From then on, they were inseparable. When Bob spent two years away in the U.S. Navy, Kay wrote letters to him every day until he was back home. After high school, Kay balanced caring for her mother at home with taking college classes, eventually graduating from both Madison Business College and UW-Madison with a degree in business and accounting.

Kay and Bob were married in 1964 at First Methodist Church in Madison, Wis. When they started their family in 1968, Kay became a homemaker. In between household duties, Kay loved doing needlework, jigsaw puzzles, Sudoku and gardening. The gardens she carefully planned painted the yard with ever-changing blooms from spring until fall and provided bountiful bouquets to enjoy inside the house. Kay never backed down in the face of obstacles; employed calm logic to tackle any problem; used “new math” before it was even a thing; and had a beautiful, genuine smile that lit up a room. She was, and is, loved, and will be deeply missed.

Karen was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Robert Hillner, on Dec. 2, 2022; and is survived by their daughter, Patricia Hillner of Fitchburg, Wis. Karen was also preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Florence Johnson; her brother, Ralph W. Johnson; her sister-in-law, Sally Johnson; a niece, Laurie (Bill) Cadorette; and two nephews, Daniel Johnson and Jeffrey (Becky) Johnson. She is further survived by Suzanne (Bill) Vlasek, niece, of Oregon, Wis.; Stephen (Jessica) Johnson, nephew, of Huntsville, Ala.; Christopher (Christy) Johnson, nephew, of Huntsville, Ala.; Randall (Lauren) Johnson, nephew, of Huntsville, Ala.; and great-nieces and nephews.

A joint Celebration of Life for Kay and Bob will be held on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023, from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. at GUNDERSON FITCHBURG FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 2950 Chapel Valley Road, Fitchburg. A brief time of remembrance will begin at 1 p.m., followed by refreshments and time to share stories and memories. Inurnment will take place at Oak Hall Cemetery in Fitchburg immediately following the Celebration.

The family is grateful to the private caregivers who swooped in to lift up Karen and her family at a critical time; to the staff at BeeHive Homes of Oregon for the tender, personal care that made Karen’s last months happy and full of life; and to Agrace HospiceCare for their gentle care, guidance and support. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin, the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, or Wisconsin Public Radio. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson Fitchburg

Funeral & Cremation Care

2950 Chapel Valley Road

(608) 442-5002