Elizabeth Zita Mohr, Madison, died peacefully May 27, 2003 at Heartland Country Village in Black Earth, Wis. She was born on Sept. 27, 1916, to Charles and Margaret Golueke. Menominee, Mich., was her childhood home. In 1937, she married Karl A. Mohr, a childhood playmate who evolved into the love of her life. Other than a brief interlude in Washington, D.C., Green Bay, Wis., was their residence until 1972. They moved to Madison, Wis., after Karl became the Health Director of the City of Madison. Their 62 years of marriage ended when Karl died in 1999.

She was also preceded in death by her brother, Carl Goleuke. She is survived by her beloved sister, Carol, who also resides at the Heartland Country Village. She will be greatly missed by her four children and three daughters-in-law, Karl and LuAnn Mohr, Luxemburg, Wis.; Stephen and Barbara Mohr, Chisago City, Minn.; Rich and Joan Mohr, Fitchburg, Wis.; and her daughter, Sister Julia Mohr, Grand Rapids, Mich. She is also survived by 11 grandchildren, Kristopher, Kurt, Keith, Kim, Laura, Kyle, Lisa, Lynda, LaKindra, Erik and Kevin; and seven great-grandchildren, Maximilian, Mick, Zita, Jared, Victoria, Daniel, and Karl.

Despite her diminutive size, Zita was an extremely strong woman, both physically and emotionally. Her resiliency, determination and sense of conviction were extraordinary. In fact, her spirit often seemed “larger-than-life”. She was a gifted home-maker. A very skilled seamstress, she created beautiful outfits for every member of her family. As an immaculate housekeeper; she hung clothing and sheets out to dry throughout all four seasons to give them that lovely fresh outdoor scent. In addition, she actually enjoyed ironing everything, including sheets and dish cloths! She possessed a sense of style which enabled her to create an ambiance of elegance mixed with comfortable “hominess” in each of her residences. She was a lover of rich, vibrant colors and eclectic beautiful objects. Fresh flowers always filled her home. Although very frugal, she always enjoyed the simple luxuries of life. Her husband Karl sustained her love of chocolate by buying a large box of her favorite chocolates on the 13th of every month of their marriage. Her children have happy memories of her special traditions, such as taking them out for hot-fudge sundaes every year on Mother’s day. Zita was the conservator of family history and artifacts. She saved and preserved everything from photos, and baptismal gowns, to antique quilts and special childhood toys. She was also the repository of a multitude of old family traditions and stories. She managed to pass down to each of her children her strong sense of adventure (during her youth, she rode motorcycles and enjoyed ice boating). She loved travel and experiencing new activities. She also taught her children the value of hard work and instilled each of them with a strong determination to succeed at their chosen professions. In her spare time Zita excelled at playing bridge. She was a member of several bridge clubs during her lifetime. Zita found great pleasure in beachcombing during the winters she spent in Florida with Karl. Her most joyful accomplishment was collecting perfect sand dollars along the shore. Zita’s deep faith sustained her throughout her life, but particularly during her recent poor health.

Friends may call Friday, May 30, 2003 from 5 to 8 p.m., with a Prayer Service at 7 p.m. at the Cress Funeral Home, 3610 Speedway Rd. A memorial Mass will be held on Saturday, May 31, 2003 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, 401 S. Owen Dr., Madison. Burial with a memorial service will be on Saturday, May 31, at 4 p.m. at the Nicolet Memorial Gardens, Green Bay, Wis.

The family is profoundly grateful to all the extraordinary staff of the Heartland Country Village for their genuinely caring attitudes and the excellent physical care our Mother received from them.