Annagene Priske

Annagene (Fisher) Priske, age 92, of Ripon, WI, died on Friday, March 16, 2018, at Hope Hospice in Cape Corral, FL.

She was born at the Fisher home-stead in Green Lake County, Wisconsin on October 25, 1925 to Hazen and Luella (Philbrick) Fisher. Annagene was a graduate of Green Lake Center Grade School, Ripon High School and Green Lake County Normal School. Fourteen years later she continued her studies at Oshkosh State Teacher’s College, earning a distinguished lifetime teaching certificate. Annagene taught five years in one-room schoolhouses in Green Lake County and twenty-five years for the Ripon Public School district.

On June 9, 1945, at Markesan Methodist Church, Annagene married Lyle E. Priske and two years later, they moved to Ripon.

Annagene was a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International during her years of teaching, life member of the National Education Association-Retired, life member of the Wisconsin Education Association Council-Retired, honored member of the Wisconsin Retired Educators’ Association, member of the Green Lake Area Retired Educators’ Association and life member of the Alumni Association University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. She was a member of the Immanuel United Methodist Church in Ripon, an affiliate member of the Central United Methodist Church of Fort Myers, FL for 24 years. She was an active member in the United Methodist Women’s Circle in both churches. She was a Sunday School teacher for many years.

After her retirement in 1987, she became an avid volunteer worker. She did volunteer work in the primary grades for the Markesan School District and for eighteen years at the Allan Park Elementary School in Fort Myers, FL and also in the Thrift Shop at Central United Methodist Church. Her empathy for people, especially her love for children, inspired her to become one of the first STVIM- Short Term Volunteer In Mission workers in her church. As a work camper, she went on many mission projects in the United States, Ecuador and India, many times helping young school children and teaching English to older students. She enjoyed reading, oil painting and traveling to many countries. Lyle Priske, her beloved husband of 42 years, preceded her in death on August 12, 1987.

Annagene is survived by her three daughters, Susan (Mark) Novitske of Green Lake, WI, Nancy (Robert) Treml of Winneconne, WI and Mary (Gary) Hammen of Black Creek, WI; grandchildren, Todd (Sarah) Novitske and Benn Novitske, Stephanie (Peter) Krabbe, Jessica (Jeffrey) Schultz, Hilary Bastone, Kyle Hammen and Avery Hammen; great-grandchildren, Sam, Luke, Nate and Ellie Novitske, Austin, Mason and Spencer Krabbe, Elle and Jax, Gabe, Benny, and Nia. She is preceded in death by her parents, Hazen and Luella Fisher, in-laws, Elmer and Laura Priske; brother, James (Violet) Fisher; two sisters, Betty Lou (Gordon) Bradley and Gwendolyn (Erwin) Pahl.

Visitation for Annagene will be held on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, from 9 – 11:00 am at Immanuel United Methodist Church, 401 W. Fond du Lac St., Ripon, WI 54971.

Funeral Service for Annagene will be held on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, at 11:00 at Immanuel United Methodist Church in Ripon with Reverend Michael Morning officiating. Interment will follow at Green Lake Center Cemetery in the Town of Green Lake, WI. A Helping Hands Fund, Missions and Ripon Educational Foundation memorials have been established.

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