Our loving mother Silvia Ann Stoik Christianson passed away at the age of 94 on Nov. 7, 2021, following a prolonged stay at Delavan Health Services in Delavan.
Silvia was born June 1, 1927. She grew up on the family dairy farm near Rice Lake. She married James Alan Christianson also of Rice Lake the summer of 1946 and later divorced. As a young couple they moved from Rice Lake to Menomonie, Mineral Point, and lastly to Delavan where they established their permanent home.
Her parents, Archie and Hildur Stoik, her younger sister Lorna, and her ex- husband preceded her in death.
Silvia is survived by her children: Darryl and his wife Judy; Tom and his wife Jean; Steven, Paula and her husband Tony; Daniel, Jan and his wife Kim; Mark and his wife Lisa, Greg and his wife Sherri; and David. Grandchildren include: Eric and Caryn, Laura and Carolyn, Joy and Sarah, Anna and Jennylynn, Drew and Hannah, Thure and Grete, Devin and Adam, and Paul and Kayla; great-grandchildren include Ruby and Lars, twins Brecker and Flora, Keelan and Alden and Camdyn.
Silvia thrived on traveling and engaging in hobbies. She was naturally inquisitive, making her a wonderful example for her family as a lifelong learner. Her travels included Europe, Japan and China. She also enjoyed touring across the US in an RV and wintering in Florida. Her hobbies were as varied as working in stained glass to attending concerts. They included macro-photography and delighting in the natural world, identifying wildflowers, birds and insects. She had a keen interest, while attending auctions and traveling, to purchase all manner of art and curiosities which she proudly displayed on the walls and living area in her home.
Notable among her achievements are exhibiting her photography at the Walworth County Fair and contributing a chapter in “Women’s Voices, The Wisdom of the Grandmothers,” in which she shared, “I read long ago when I was a teenager that if you are going to change people you have to go back and change the grandparents, if you are going to have a chance of changing the next two generations. I made the decision that I am going to do that – that the change is going to be with me.”
Silvia’s adult life for the greatest part was spent guiding her family. Her commitment set an example as the consummate mother. As her children grew and moved away from home, she worked at a local nursery school and later as the Delavan court clerk.
Memorials will include a service during the spring of 2022 at the Delavan arboretum and a service in Rice Lake at the Orchard Beach Cemetery, summer of 2022 to be announced.
Many thanks to Delavan Health Services and St. Croix Hospice staff for caring for our mother.
