Obituary of Marilyn Kessenich

Marilyn J. Kessenich, 93, of Fort Atkinson passed away on Thursday, March 14, 2024 at Reena Senior Living.

Marilyn was born on January 26, 1931 in Milwaukee to Walter and Myrtle (McCloskey) Vogt. She grew up in Wauwatosa and graduated from Wauwatosa High School. After high school, Marilyn went on to earn a bachelor's degree in education from UW-Milwaukee. On October 16, 1954 Marilyn married Raymond Kessenich and together they had three children. She taught kindergarten and first grade in Milwaukee. For most of her life, Marilyn resided in Two Rivers, where she served as Executive Director of the United Way and Senior Banking Coordinator at Firstar. After Raymond’s passing in 2016, Marilyn moved to Fort Atkinson in 2019.

She enjoyed entertaining, reading and hiking, and was a member of the St. Joseph Catholic Church.

Marilyn is survived by her children, Lynn (Gary) Kraklow, Richard Kessenich, Jill (Steven Tesmer) Kessenich; granddaughters, Katie (Luke) Dahlberg, Kristen (Ryan) Doblar; great-grandsons, Reuben and Micah Dahlberg; and brother, Russell (Margaret) Vogt.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Myrtle Vogt; and husband, Raymond Kessenich.

Funeral services will take place at 11:30 AM on Thursday, March 21, 2024 at Nitardy Funeral Home in Fort Atkinson. A visitation will take place from 10:00 AM until the time of service. A burial will immediately follow at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Catholic Charities, Rainbow Community Care, or VA Madison.

The family would like to give special thanks to the Reena Senior Living staff and Rainbow Community Care staff for their exceptional care of Marilyn.