Mary Ellen Hampton

Mary Ellen Hampton, 78 of Onalaska, died Monday, June 19, 2017, peacefully, surrounded by her family.  She was born on Nov. 15, 1938 in LaCrosse to John and Elaine (Schubert) Gautsch.  She graduated from Aquinas High School in 1956.  Mary Ellen met Bob Hampton in 1986 and they married on April 7, 1991.  She worked for a local jeweler for 40 years.  She was a member of the LaCrosse Genealogy Society, LaCrosse Women’s “600” bowling assoc. and volunteered for mobile meals.  Mary Ellen had a passion for woodworking, designing and building furniture for her home, and her children’s homes.  She was featured in several articles in the LaCrosse Tribune.  She was an avid Genealogist for the “Gautsch” family history, tracing the family back to the 1600’s.  Mary Ellen stayed friends with her Aquinas classmates:  Lavonne, Diane, Doreen, Joanie, Louise, Rosalie, Sharon and Rose since graduating.  They called themselves “The Buds”.  Together they traveled to Wisconsin Dells, Chicago, S. Carolina and Las Vegas.  She also has enjoyed her Friday “Lunch Bunch” girls for almost 50 years.  After Mary Ellen & Bob retired, they traveled for 3 months each winter, racking up 10,000 miles a year sightseeing every state in the US with Mary Ellen doing what she loved, she did all the driving!  They also traveled to Europe twice – London, Ireland, Scotland, Bahamas, Aruba, Cancun, Hawaii and across Canada from East to West coast.  She was an avid Green Bay Packer fan and a great Oktoberfest fan.  She loved her poker!  She won the “Fall Ladies Classic” event in 2010 at Canterbury Park.

She is survived by her five children, Susan (Bruce) Greer, Debra (Todd) Delagrave, Sandee Hegy fiance (Scott Milde), Robert (Amy) Krueger and Jean Sye.  Two stepchildren, Jeffrey (Korina) Hampton and Lori (James) Sculati.  11 grandchildren, Kevin, Andy and Michael Greer, Mollie, Kayla, Dylan (Sarah) and Olivia Delagrave, Megan Hegy, Victoria (Jeremiah) White, Ethan Krueger and Alexis Sye.  4 Step grandchildren, Rachel, Amanda, and Elizabeth Hampton and Abby Sculati.  A sister-in-law Molly Loftus and brother-in-law George Klaus.  She was preceded in death by her husband Bob, her parents, her 3 sisters, Shirley Small, Rose Miller and infant Barbara, one brother Ed Gautsch and husband Bob.  See you in heaven honey, get the poker table ready.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 AM Friday, June 23^rd, 2017 in Roncalli Newman Center, 1732 State St., La Crosse.  The Rev. Peter Raj will officiate with burial to be held at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, La Crosse, Wis.  Family and friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Blaschke and Schneider Funeral Home, 1501 West Ave. S., La Crosse, Wis. Family and friends may also visit from 9:00 a.m. until the time of Mass on Friday in the Roncalli Newman Center.

Mary Ellen’s family would like to thank all our family and friends for all the bedside visits, prayers and concerns they showed Mom, plus great appreciation to the hospice unit at Gundersen Health System for all their help and care they gave her.