Anita (Reckelberg) Schuller

Anita Schuller, 86, Kewaunee, passed away on Monday June 19, 2023, at home with her family by her side.

Anita was born in Kewaunee on July 14, 1936, to Julius and Helen Reckelberg, the sixth of ten children.

Anita grew up on the family farm in Montpelier, Wisconsin.  Her parents instilled a hard working ethic in her and her siblings. She attended High Bluff and St. Paul’s Lutheran schools.

After graduating from Kewaunee High School in 1953, Anita attended the Door/Kewaunee Normal School in Algoma and received her teaching certificate in 1955.  She taught at the Norman and Stangelville country schools.

On August 30, 1958, she married John Schuller at Holy Rosary Church in Kewaunee.  Their attendants were Grace Schmitt, Cisco Mastilir, Arnie & Shirley Kustka and Ken & Jeanette Froelich.  Anita’s brother Adolph gave her away, since her Dad had passed away when she was 15.

For the next fifty plus years, John and Anita milked cows and farmed the land that was homesteaded by Joseph Schuller in 1859. There they raised seven children who learned hard work and skills that would last a lifetime.

Anita also spent many a Friday night frying and serving perch at Pep’s in Kewaunee.  She also spent Saturday afternoons and evenings at Kubsch’s serving for weddings and holidays in which all of her daughters followed suit.

Anita had a passion for all things for her home.  She was a great cook and baker, and taught all her daughters so they were able to cook a meal or bake cookies before they started high school.  She enjoyed making sweet dough and loved soup, dumplings and homemade sauerkraut.  Did I mention she loved soup?

She also taught her daughters to sew which led her to being a 4-H leader from the time Jane started in 4-H until the youngest was through the program.  This included fair superintendent for clothing and home furnishings and eventually judging at area county fairs.  She also loved crafts and hobbies where she could make anything from nothing.  She excelled in sewing, knitting, crocheting, needlework, cake decorating, and quilting.  She especially loved attending classes at the Artisan Center in Kewaunee where she had many beloved friends as she learned new sewing techniques and participated in learning crafts.

She loved creating new quilts and was honored to make quilts for Quilt of Valor.  These were red, white and blue quilts presented to veterans to recognize their service and sacrifice.  She made three quilts, which were presented to Wayne Petersen, Ron Gilbertson and George Swagel.  She made hundreds of children’s blankets by quilting, knitting and crocheting which were donated to Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee.

She supported her kid’s school activities by getting involved in the Band Parents organization that supported the band program in Kewaunee.  She spent many a Friday night managing the concession stand at the high school football games.  Does anyone remember Konop’s hot dogs or that hot chocolate?

Anita served on the Kewaunee School Board from 1997 to 2005.  She was also honored with a nomination to the Wall of Fame at the Kewaunee High School, also a committee on which she served.

The organization she was most proud of was the Kewaunee County Homemakers which later changed its name to HCE or Home and Community Education.  She served on many, many, many committees as well as holding offices at the state and local levels.  She looked forward to the state convention each year, and excelled at helping with collection of donations for the state Nicaragua project where Wisconsin homemakers supported that country through donations.

Anita is survived by her husband, John, and her children, Jane Theys, Cheri Schuller, Linda & Roger Lacy, Cindy & Jerry Sisel, Barb Schuller and Patrick Schuller and son-in-law, Larry Brand.  She is also survived by her grandchildren, Jennifer and Kyle Leist, John Theys and Kaitlin Lacy.

Her daughter, Debra Brand, passed away from breast cancer in August of 2005 and her son-in-law, Dan Theys, passed away from multiple myeloma in August of 2004.  She was also preceded in death by Debra’s three children, Elizabeth, James and Jaimie in 1997.

In lieu of flowers or other material gifts of sympathy, memorials can be made in Anita’s name to Kewaunee County HCE, Kewaunee Artisan Center or Build the Future organizations to which she was so passionate about.

Visitation will take place at Kinnard Funeral & Cremation Services - Kewaunee from 1:00-4:00 pm on Monday, June 26, 2023. A funeral service will take place at 4:00 pm. Burial will take place at Forest Hill Cemetery.  Kinnard Funeral & Cremation Services - Kewaunee is assisting the family. Online condolence messages may be shared at KinnardFCS.com.