Loris Dustin

Loris Dale Voigt Dustin went to be with her Lord early Sunday morning, August 9th, 2015, in Wausau surrounded by her family.

Loris was born at home on May 30th, 1918 in Wausau, Wisconsin, the daughter of Agnes (Krueger) Voigt Passow and Arnold Voigt. When she was a year old, her family moved to Tomahawk, Wisconsin. Loris grew up in Tomahawk when its main streets were gravel and horses pulled the ice trucks. Her childhood was happy. She ice skated and swam at Mirror Lake, skied, roller skated, and played baseball. Her family spent their summers at a cabin on Lake Alice in Tomahawk and some of her fondest memories as a child were those summers--fishing with her dad, playing in the woods, and her mom's popcorn balls and homemade candy.

On September 28th, 1935, she married Harry James Dustin, a machinist at Murray Manufacturing Company in Wausau, and moved with him to Schofield, Wisconsin. Although it was the Depression and they had no money, they were happy building a life together. She planted a large garden, harvested fruit and learned to can. Here she gave birth to their first daughter, Agnes, who was born prematurely and didn't survive. In 1938 her daughter Kay Agnes was born and 6 years later the family moved to Wausau.

Loris' greatest joy was being a mother. She devoted her life and attention to raising her only child, Kay. This love extended easily to Loris' "pride and joy," her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. (These were words she penned herself. She made sure to the last to express how much she loved all of us. There are no words to adequately express how much we love and cherish her too.)

Faith, family and friends were the foundation of Loris' life. She believed faith was expressed in action and she devoted herself to the care of her mother, husband, step-mother and many dear friends. At Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter, her table was filled with great-aunts, great-uncles, friends and family. Her dinners were legendary and you never left her home empty-handed.

Loris also took pride in her ability to manage her home and her capacity for hard work. As a young girl she and her best friend walked 5 miles to a country school to wipe down the blackboard, wash the floor and clean the desks. She also briefly worked at the Sunflower Cottage Resort on Tomahawk Lake. At 12 she was a Sunday School teacher at The First Congregational Church in Tomahawk, teaching Sunday School and playing the piano for the church until she married. During the war she sold insurance for Equitable Insurance and at night worked at Jaeger Bros. Bakery. She also worked at the Fair Store in Wausau which led to a lead sales position at Winkelman's Department Store in Wausau for 25 years and Prange's Department Store in Wausau for 10 years. She was voted Wausau Sales Person of the Year. While Kay was in junior high and high school, girls from the Washington School for the Deaf joined their household. One summer she ran an A & W stand, but sold it to take care of her husband after he had a heart attack. Following retirement, she delivered Meals on Wheels, counted money for her church and the Wausau Police Department, worked at the Marathon County Public Library, read to children as a Franklin School teacher's aide, and in her 80s, worked for 7 years at Marathon County Family Social Services.

Loris belonged to St. Paul's United Church of Christ for 70 years and enjoyed volunteering in many capacities throughout those years. She served as an officer for the Wausau Business and Professional Woman's Club where she was named Woman of the Year in 1975. She was also involved with the Wisconsin Valley Shrine Auxiliary.

Throughout the years Loris treasured her friendships. She enjoyed needlepoint, embroidery, reading, playing piano, critiquing new restaurants, keeping up with fashion trends, adventures up North, Woodchuck games, Music in the Park, craft shows, and until she was 96, annual trips to Washington and California. She drove until she was 95, the same year walking a mile through the woods along the Mohawksin/Wisconsin River to show her great-grandchildren a favorite childhood swimming hole.

Three generations have been shaped by her generosity and lavish love, her loyalty, her classic sense of order and properness, her infectious laughter, humor, and spirit of fun and adventure. She has watched over us, prayed over us and believed in us our whole lives. We have grown strong beneath those constant and invisible wings of support, wisdom and unconditional love.

Loris is survived by her daughter Kay (Dustin) Thorpe of Vancouver, WA; grandchildren, Lisa (Jason) Machan and great-grandson, Luke, of Torrance, CA; Heather (Barbara) Mundis and great-granddaughters, Ling and Lauren, of Osceola, WI; and Peter Thorpe of Vancouver, WA.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her first-born daughter, and her son-in-law, Dr. Neal Thorpe.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at St. Paul's United Church of Christ, Wausau, at 11am, August 17th. Visitation is from 9:30am and a lunch will be served following the service.

You may sign the family guestbook at www.helke.com.

Memorials may be designated to St. Paul's United Church of Christ, Wausau, or the charity of your choice.