Ila Amanda Staff, 96, passed away on August 6, 2013, at Gundersen Health System in LaCrosse with family by her side.
Ila was born in Big Slough near Pigeon Falls on January 2, 1917, to Oluf and Olava (Lien) Koxlien. On June 6, 1934, she married Jens Theodore Staff. Sadly, Ila was widowed in 1952 when Jens died in a farming accident, and she was left to run the farms and raise nine children. She often said how fortunate it was to have family, friends and neighbors help her during this time.
Ila lived her entire life in Big Slough. From childhood she spoke and read Norwegian at home, in school and in church, but she made sure her children spoke English. She valued learning and was most proud that every one of her children received a good education. At the age of 66, she surprised us with her high school diploma which she earned by attending classes on her own to pass the GED.
Ila had many varieties of house plants and took pleasure in tending her outdoor flowers, vegetables and lawn. She was fond of cooking and baking and often was first to try a new recipe; however, she especially liked preparing the traditional Norwegian favorites at Christmas time. Ila enjoyed sewing, needlework and making dolls and quilts at the church. She was a lifetime member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Pigeon Falls (Peace Lutheran), where she taught Sunday School for many years and was active in the Ladies Aid and Rebecca Circle. She taught herself to play the piano, and spent many hours singing and playing her favorite songs. All of the family acquired their love of music from her.
Ila is survived by her nine children: James (Delores) Staff of Sauk City, Sharon (Donald) Sampson of Hixton, Terry (Barbara) Staff of rural Hixton, Fred (Jan) Staff of Whitehall, Johnny Staff of Big Slough, Phil (Lil) Staff of Eau Claire, Randy (Kathy) Staff of rural Hixton, Creighton (Bonnie) Staff of rural Whitehall and Alton Staff of Big Slough; 18 grandchildren: Bradley, David, Diane, Dawn, Denise, Cerise, Bryan, Brenda, Michelle, Pamela, Matthew, Nathan, Carrol, Mark, Eric, Adam, Amanda and Jenna; 30 great grandchildren; one great great-grandchild; one brother and sister-in-law: Gerald (Beulah) Koxlien of Big Slough; and several generations of nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband and parents, Ila was preceded in death by daughter-in-law Dorothy Foss Staff; infant great grandson Jake Garret Neumeister; five sisters and their spouses: Martha (Albert) Stalheim, Isabel (Mathias) Anderson, Selma (Ernest) Stalheim, Trena (Emory) Erickson, Ida (Arnold) Mickelson; four brothers and their spouses: Norris (Edna) Koxlien, Olger (Pearl) Koxlien, Orin (Beulah) Koxlien, Truman (Marian) Koxlien; four sisters-in-law and their spouses: Hazel (Alvin) Thompson, Stella (Alvin) Grunlien, Anna (Norman) Hallingstad and Cora Staff.
Ila was the last surviving daughter of Oluf & Olava Koxlien and the last surviving granddaughter of Nils & Ingeborg (Holen) Koxlien.
Family and friends are invited for Visitation from 4 to 8 pm on Friday, August 9th at Jack Funeral Home in Whitehall, and also one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday.
A Celebration of Ila's Life will be held on Saturday, August 10, 2013, at 1:00 pm in Peace Lutheran Church of Pigeon Falls, with Pastor Roger Benrud officiating. Burial will be in the Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery.
Family prefers memorials be given in Ila's name to the Peace Lutheran Church of Pigeon Falls, PO Box 250, Pigeon Falls, WI 54760-0250.