Sharon Lee Lietzow

Sharon Lee (Anderson) Lietzow, 80, of La Crosse, beloved wife of Edward Lietzow, went home to be with her parents and sisters on Monday, April 20, 2020 while in the loving care of Bethany St. Joseph Care Center. She was born in La Crosse on August 27, 1939 to Otto “Andy” and Lillian (Christopher) Anderson. She was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church where she also attended Sunday School and sang in the Church choir.

She graduated from Logan High School in 1957. She attended Luther College, Decorah, Iowa one year and graduated from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1961. She was on the Dean’s List her senior year at UW-L. Her post-graduate studies were at UW-Madison in creative writing.

Sharon was from a creative family that loved music. Her father nicknamed her “Hooptie”; he taught her to play the banjo uke at age eleven years old. Her favorite song was “Stars Are The Windows To Heaven”.

In High School she was in the Swing band, the Marching band, Triple trio, the Senior Seven choir, and the Church choir.

In college she sang in the Luther College Messiah Choir. While at UW-L, she was chosen as a choir soloist with Tony Desmond for the summer Choir presentations. During the summer and from September to New Year’s Eve she sang at the Oaks Supper Club in Winona, MN. She played her banjo uke and sang with friends for Logan assemblies and UW-L variety shows. She was chosen by the American Association of University Women along with four other women to model clothes in La Crosse department stores.

Sharon taught elementary school in the Kenosha, Madison, Minneapolis, and Tucson school systems. She said the most impressive person she met was the late Dr. David Stewart, Superintendent of the Kenosha School district. She was chosen by her School Principal in Minneapolis to be a Master teacher, instructing future teachers at Hamline College and the University of Minnesota.

In the summer she tutored children in reading and traveled the United States and Europe. She attended the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City; while there she enjoyed a Broadway play with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward in “Baby Want A Kiss”.

She sailed on the Queen Elizabeth I to Europe and was invited to sit at the Captain’s Table on that voyage. She toured seven countries in Europe that summer.

She married Edward Lietzow on June 5, 1970 in Calvary Lutheran Church, Tucson, Arizona. Sharon got a kick out of going to Mexico to buy things for the apartment. She didn’t like to bargain and didn’t. Games of tennis and volleyball with friends were enjoyable. They moved back to La Crosse after Ed got his MBA degree. They continued to enjoy playing tennis and volleyball for several years.

Sharon loved progressive jazz sung by the old and new Four Freshmen or played by Stan Kenton. Her favorite singers were Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Michael Buble, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee and K.D. Lang. She was a voracious reader of history, biographies, poetry, and mysteries. She was a C-SPAN junkie, especially Book-TV. The best blended voices and least rehearsed trio was Sharon singing with her sisters, Sally and Joyce; they had a lot of fun. She did volunteer work over the years for the causes of cancer, heart, and leukemia and also volunteered at the Onalaska Care Center. She enjoyed having friends over for dinner, or going out to various restaurants in the area.

She is survived by her husband Edward Lietzow, brothers-in-law Gale Grimslid, Ronald (Marlys) Lietzow, sisters-in-law Marian Ellingson, Lorraine (John) Seaverson, nieces Holly Grimslid, Brooksy (James) Beilke-Skoug, nephew Barry (Miranda) Beilke, cousins Steve (Joan) Anderson, Darlene Linder, David Christopher, Tom Christopher, and many great nieces and great nephews.

Preceding Sharon in death are her father Otto, and mother Lillian, sisters Sally Grimslid, Joyce Beilke, brother-in-law Melvin Beilke, sister-in-law Clare (Erling)Thompson, nephew Kent Grimslid, aunt Marcella “Marcie” Christopher, cousins Gerald Christopher, Susan “Tootie” Anderson, Elizabeth “Betty” Boenigk.

Sincere gratitude to the incredible, loving staff at Bethany St. Joseph Care Center for their gentle care administered with patience, compassion, empathy, professionalism, humor and love.

To Dr. David Momont, the doctors and staff of the Gundersen Clinic----thank you for your loving care of Sharon down through the years.

In keeping with Sharon’s wishes there will be a private church service at Trinity Lutheran Church followed by a private burial at the Oak Grove Garden Mausoleum-La Crosse. At times following with family and friends, there will be gatherings for laughter, fellowship, celebration and remembrance of Sharon. Sharon will be sadly missed but lovingly remembered in our hearts by her husband, family and friends.  Memorials may be sent to Trinity Lutheran Church, 1010 Sill Street, La Crosse 54603.