Janette Arleen Marchese, age 91, of Port Washington, formerly of Whitehall, died on Wednesday, March 10, 2021 in the Aurora Medical Center in Grafton.

Janette was born on September 14, 1929 in Whitehall to Phillip Edwin and Laura Edna (Kurth) Phillipson.  She was the fourth of thirteen children.  At the age of five, she contracted osteomyelitis, an infection of the bone in her right leg.  She was taken to the University Hospital in Madison where doctors never expected her to recover, but did so after six months of treatment.

After graduating from Whitehall High School in 1948, she moved to Minneapolis, MN where she attended North Central Bible College.  There she met her husband, William Eugene Marchese.  They were married on May 26, 1951 and enjoyed 65 years together.  Bill and Janette had six children, ten grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Above everything, Janette valued faith and family.  She and Bill were very involved in church ministry and serving others.  An avid reader, she started and maintained several libraries at churches she attended.  She loved to sing and often sang solos with the music ministry.

Janette was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and was happiest when she was with her family.  She was a strong role model for her children (and others) supplying the tools needed for success.  She loved playing dominoes and card games with family and friends.  Janette was crafty and loved knitting and crocheting, especially on long road trips to see her family.  She had a green thumb and loved gardening.  Janette embraced technology in order to keep in touch with family, even creating a Facebook account in her 70's.  Her husband was noted as saying, "there isn't anything she couldn't do once she set her mind to it".

While we are saddened and will miss her greatly, we also rejoice that she is now reunited with Bill and her family in Heaven.

Survivors include her six children, Debra (Wesley) Davis, Philip (Kathy) Marchese, James (Patti) Marchese, Rebecca (Thomas) Krueger, Susan Marchese, William (John Haroll) Marchese Jr.; eight grandchildren, Jason Marchese, Kristy (Nathan) Hogue, Crystal Collins, Katherine (Paxton) Davis, Andrew (Janie) Marchese, Lynn Marchese, Melissa Marchese and Luke Marchese; nine great-grandchildren, Selah, Asher, Judah, Isaac, Matthew, Oliver, Ezekiel, Luke and Abraham.

She is also survived by siblings, Conrad (Genevieve) Phillipson and Dale (Andrea) Phillipson; sisters-in-law, Donna Phillipson, Phoebe Phillipson and Ruth Marchese and many nieces and nephews.

Janette was preceded in death by her parents, Phillip and Laura; her husband, Bill;  her siblings, Lawrence (Linnea) Phillipson, Sylvia (Ross) Curry, Earl Phillipson, Phyllis Cornwall, Howard Phillipson, Marie (Roger) Dissmore Sr., Robert Phillipson, Gene Phillipson and John Phillipson and grandchildren, Jonathon and Carla Davis.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, June 26, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. in the Jack Funeral Home in Whitehall.  Rebecca Krueger will officiate.  Burial will be in the Old Whitehall Cemetery in rural Whitehall.

Friends may call one hour prior to the service.

The Jack Funeral Home in Whitehall is assisting the family with arrangements.