Isabelle B. Lehman, 91, passed away peacefully early Tuesday morning, Dec. 9, 2014.
She lived a rich full life with a loving family and many friends. Isabelle Boyd Johnstone was born in Kenosha on Oct. 17, 1923, to John Johnstone and Margaret Bell Johnstone. She attended Mary D. Bradford High School in Kenosha, where in homeroom she sat next to, but was not particularly fond of at the time, the man she would eventually marry. She would often comment in her later years that at age 18, “that Ralph Lehman was such a rascal.” But after he returned from WWII a changed man, she had a change of heart. She fell in love with “that rascal” and married him in 1949.
While Ralph attended the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and then later taught at Union Grove High School, Isabelle worked as a secretary until their first baby arrived in 1954. With the arrival of their baby girl, Isabelle became a full time homemaker. Having been brought up by Scottish parents during the depression, Isabelle learned to make the most of the least. She and Ralph managed a large family garden. From that garden she canned her own fruit and vegetables so they would last the winter. She sewed clothes, knit the family sweaters, crocheted the family afghans, baked her own bread, made her own noodles and made all of her cakes, pies and desserts from scratch.
In 1963, when her husband Ralph joined faculty staff of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater as an assistant professor in the physics department, Isabelle and Ralph moved to Fort Atkinson for a couple years while their new house on the new west-side development was being built. In 1965 they moved to Whitewater. Isabelle took on the job of making their new house a home, and lovingly raised two children.
From her childhood she developed a love of Scottish Terriers, and she fiercely loved and the two Scotties that she raised, first MacDonald, then MacDuff. She could be seen daily taking her Scotty out for walks out to the edge of town. Scottish Terrier paraphernalia decorated their entire house.
In 1997, when her husband Ralph retired, they started a new career as an outdoor couple. They toured Walworth County, Lake Winnebago, Door County, Northern Wisconsin land ‘o lakes, and the Florida Keys. They boated, canoed, fished and biked in the summers and cross-country skied in the winters (except when they were snorkeling in the Florida Keys).
After Ralph’s passing, Isabelle moved from their home of 50 years to Fairhaven. The Lehman family would like to give their thanks and appreciation to the entire Fairhaven Staff; they are all truly angels and they took exceptional care of her.
Isabelle was preceded in death by her parents, John and Margaret; her brother, Daniel; and her sister, Amy. She is survived by her children, Jodi Lehman and Tobin Lehman, and her grandchildren, Kari Lehman, Jake Lehman and Jamie Lehman.
In accordance with her wishes, she will be cremated and then buried next to Ralph in the Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Union Grove. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to one of Isabelle’s favorite charities, the World Wildlife Fund at support.worldwildlife.org.
The Nitardy Funeral Home, Whitewater is assisting the family. For online guestbook visit www.nitardyfuneralhome.com.
