Florence Ann Hyatt, 74, of Onalaska died Thursday, April 9, 2015, at the Gundersen Health System in La Crosse.
She was born June 24, 1940, in the town of Jefferson, Monroe County, to Glyn and Minnie Bertha (Schaefer) Hyatt. She attended Melvina Grade School and Cashton High School for three years, and then graduated from Norwalk High School.
Florence received her master’s degree in education from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and her first job was teaching at Johnny Cake Grade School, a one-room school.
She was hired by the Onalaska School District and taught at Irving Pertzsch Elementary School, where she taught fourth grade for seven years. In the early 1970s, she moved to the brand new Northern Hills Elementary School to take charge of the library and media center. In 1976, she moved to the brand new Onalaska Middle School, where she ran the media center until her retirement in 2001.
Florence moved on to the Onalaska School Board, bringing her total time served with the school district to 50 years. Florence was involved with WEA, CRUE, NEA and WSBA. She was an NEA board member and president of CRUE.
She is survived by two brothers, Charles of Onalaska and Alfred (Kathleene) of Tomah; a niece, Rebecca Smith of Chicago; a nephew, Peter (Beth) Hyatt of Rewey, Wis.; three great-nephews, Gryphon, Jonah and Lincoln, an aunt, Beretha Girer; an uncle, Joseph Kast; many other cousins; and a special friend, David Ball.
Funeral services will be at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, April 16, at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Onalaska. Pastor William Bader and Pastor Josh Bodden will officiate. Burial will be in Leon Cemetery in rural Sparta.
Friends may call at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral & Cremation Services of Onalaska on Wednesday from 4–8 p.m. and at the church on Thursday from 11:30 a.m. until the time of services. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred. An online guestbook is available at www.schumacher-kish.com.