Mavis Hurd Fieber (Cunningham)

MIDDLETON - Mavis Fieber passed away at home on May 19, 2026, at the age of 99 years and 4 months. She embraced each day with grace, dignity and fearless faith. She maintained strong opinions and steadfast principles concerning the world around her.

Mavis was a devout Catholic who attended Mass daily as long as she was able. When no longer able to drive she watched Mass on TV and prayed the Rosary daily. Her faith was a lifelong foundation that gave her strength in every obstacle life presented.

Mavis was born in Darlington, WI, and in the early years lived on a farm with no indoor plumbing. She described carrying water in pails filled from a spring emanating from a nearby rock outcrop with her sisters each morning. Her family lived through hard times and circumstances that included losing the family farm, moving between Darlington, Calamine and Mineral Point and a house fire they were lucky to survive. She graduated from Darlington High School after attending a one-room schoolhouse in earlier years. Her last two years of elementary school were spent teaching the younger children to help her teacher.

She moved to Madison immediately after high school where she worked as a waitress and was introduced to Dick Hurd by a co-worker who thought they would make a good couple. Dick returned to Madison after serving in the U.S. Air Force in England during World War II. A year later they married at St. Raphael Cathedral in Madison and began raising a family in Middleton.

Dick’s parents, Vernon and Rose Hurd, purchased a small farm on the edge of Middleton where four of their children built homes side by side and among them raised 18 children. Mavis and Dick, Nona and Bill Linley, Russ and Beth Gessler, Ruth and Arnie Mier and the Hurd grandparents provided a wonderful childhood for all.

As her children grew, Mavis took a job at Gimbels Department Store where she worked for 20 plus years and developed life-long friendships with Geraldine Fieber, Micky Passini, Mary Gerlach, Mary James Samuelson and many others. Mavis worked in the Juniors Department and took great pride in keeping up with the fashions of the day.

Her friendship with Geraldine Fieber was truly special. They, along with their husbands, Dick and Jerome Fieber, became very close friends and included Friday night pinochle games and shared interests in their children’s sports. Traveling together, the two couples enjoyed trips to the southern states along the Gulf of Mexico, especially Forida which became an annual event they loved sharing with their children and grandchildren.

After Dick died suddenly from a heart attack in 1981 and Geraldine lost a long battle with cancer in April of 1982, Mavis and Jerome married in October of 1983 combining two families, the Hurds and Fiebers into one family that has grown exponentially and provided Mavis with great love and joy for decades. Grandma Mavis had 20 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren including the newest member of the family, great-granddaughter, Kamryn, born just six weeks ago.

Mavis’s passions in life centered around whatever baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey games, concerts or performances that her children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren were participating in at the time. She was a lifelong fan of the Cubs, Brewers, Packers, Bucks, Badgers football, basketball, volleyball, and especially hockey teams. She and Dick, then later she and Jerome, traveled to attend NCAA hockey tournaments around the country cheering on the Badgers.

Late in life, Mavis particularly enjoyed playing Canasta with a lively group of friends who showed her great kindness and generosity. She greatly enjoyed times spent with them. She also loved visits from Elaine Harrop and her niece, Jane LaFlash, where they engaged in very competitive Scrabble games. She will also be remembered by many who grew up in Middleton for the fun times at the Hurds/Fieber backyard pool and her constant reminder that there was “No splashing.” Her grandchildren as well as the Gessler and Mier grandchildren spent their youths swimming, playing kickball, holding carnivals, etc. - all hosted by Mavis and Jerome with love and guidance.

Mavis was preceded in death by her parents, Williard and Eva Cunningham; husbands, Dick Hurd and Jerome Fieber; great friend, Geraldine Fieber; sons, Mark Hurd, Steve Hurd and Paul Fieber; as well as brothers, Joe Cunningham, Jim Cunningham and Dick Cunningham; and her beloved sisters, Terry Welch, Jean Bloyer and Mary Florence Cunningham; in-laws, Nona and Bill Linley, Russ and Beth Gessler and Ruth and Arnie Mier; and Dick’s parents, Vernon and Rose Hurd.

Mavis is survived by her daughter, Nancy (Bob) Schumacher and their children, Scott (Brittany) Schumacher (Jack and Frankie), Brian Schumacher, Calla Dehner (Lily and Cameron) and Michael Schumacher; daughter-in-law, Barbara Hurd and her children, Jessie Kaeser (Dan Youngquist), Suzanne (Micah) Daugherty (Liam), Andrew (Kayla) Hurd, Alex (Megan) Hurd (Cecelia and Cassandra); daughter-in-law, Sue Hurd (Cody and Erik); son, Kevin Hurd; son, Dan (Bernadette) Hurd and their daughter, Sarah (Jack) Staples (Kamryn); brother, Jerry (Arlene) Cunningham and their daughters, Christina, Lisa and Michelle; sister, Polly Tank and her children, Theresa and Ted; and sister-in-law, Mary Jean Cunningham and her daughters, Kim and Kathy.

She is also survived by her Fieber family, Phillip (Gail) Fieber and their children, Meghan (Eric) Johnson (Ellington and Graham), daughter, Jordan (Justin) Burress (Avery, Quinn and Sloan), and son, Reid (Mackenzie) Fieber (Hudson, Gavin and Olivia); Tammy Fieber and her children, Cory (Bethany) Fieber (Hannah, Madysen, Ava, Adalyn and Emry), daughter, Casey Fieber, daughter, Courtney (Nick) Lynch (Kinsley and Olivia), and daughter, Carey Fieber; Chris Fieber and Jan Fieber, their daughters, Geri (Matt) Scheer (Brenden, Rylan, Christopher and Charley), and daughter, Annette Fieber.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ST. BERNARD CATHOLIC CHURCH, 2015 Parmenter St., Middleton, at 11 a.m. on Thursday, June 4, 2026, with Father Brad Grobbel presiding. Burial will take place at St. Bernard Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the church from 9 a.m. until the time of the Mass on Thursday.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice or to her favorite charity, WayForward in Middleton. Special thanks to the Agrace Hospice nurses, Brandi and Mary Jo and Andrea at Le Silve.

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson West
Funeral & Cremation Care
7435 University Ave.
(608) 831-6761