Ann Isely

MADISON - On Tuesday, June 9, Ann Carolyn Johnson Isely left this life trailing loads of love and happy memories behind her. Born on August 29, 1940, Ann was the first child of James and Frances Johnson from Argyle, Wisconsin. She grew up a third generation Norwegian-American in a family of five children, milking cows, corralling chickens, learning to sew, cook, and garden. She reaped the rich benefits of being raised by a farmer father and a business woman, turned farmer, mother. With extended families close by, aunts, uncles and cousins were a significant part of her upbringing, and she made this a part of ours as well. We grew up enjoying frequent Sunday gatherings at her home farm, as well as extended family holiday and milestone celebrations.

Mom attended the Mud Branch one-room schoolhouse as a youngster, eager to stay busy, try new things, be in-charge, and determine the most efficient way to excel in everything she attempted. She carried that attitude into high school where she learned French horn, competed in Forensics, attended Summer Music Clinic, was Homecoming Queen, and graduated in 1958 as Valedictorian of her class. While she initially hoped to be an engineer, her academic achievements garnered her a scholarship from Methodist Hospital Nursing School that was too good to pass up. She embraced the opportunity, fell in love with her class and the profession, and began a life-long nursing career in 1961.

Once a nurse, always a nurse. Mom tended to the neighborhood and was always on-call to friends and family. She volunteered as nurse-on-site at family camp, vacation bible school, and on class field trips. Professionally, patients loved her compassionate, practical approach, from her early hospital nursing days, to foot care and orthopedics at Jackson Clinic in Madison, to her last long gig in Family Practice at UW Health in DeForest. She could reliably keep her cool while problem-solving, soothing, and encouraging any patient in need.

On June 24, 1961, she married her high school sweetheart Erling Isely, son of Willis and Leona Isely of Argyle, and turned her over-achieving ways to nurturing a family and tending her community. They raised five daughters in a swirl of band and chorus concerts, sporting activities, academic encouragement, girl scouts, 4-H, driving lessons, school dances, and AFS club. Mom was in the thick of things volunteering to lead committees and coordinate hot dog days and concession stands. She joined our water fights and didn’t press us to clean our rooms. Life skills were modeled through extensive vegetable and flower gardening, sewing clothes and Halloween costumes, cooking, baking and candy-making. She was always willing to host both large and small-scale events at our home.

All the while, she continued to embrace new learning and crafting trends, and built up an array of supplies to support her creative ways. She made a stained glass light fixture for the dining room, learned then taught needlepoint as a Community Education program, made candles and macrame, embroidered, crocheted, learned rosemaling, flower arranging and cake decorating.

Her kids' friends called her “Domestic MacGyver” for her ability to immediately solve tricky problems by manufacturing solutions out of thin air. Later, she fully embraced quilt-making and truly shined in her pattern-making and striking color combinations.

She was a loyal friend and friend group leader, whether swapping books or driving for breakfast gatherings and shopping trips. She was active in her church communities including Faith Lutheran in Janesville, Morrisonville Evangelical Lutheran, and Christ Lutheran in DeForest. She volunteered at the Senior Center, and was a member of the DeForest Lions Club. In addition to activities with the local club, she and Erling made cornea deliveries around Wisconsin and completed over 20 international missions bringing eyeglasses to people in Mexico and Central America.

Mom didn’t sleep much.

Ann was predeceased by her husband, her parents, her in-laws and stepmother-in-law Charlotte, as well as her brother-in-law Bill Kummer. In addition, Isely in-laws Daryle (Joyce), Roger (Carol) and (Dorothy), John Shippee, Joanne (John) Bruehlman, Marlys, Dan Dugan, niece Laurel Bruehlman and nephew Gerald Bruehlman.

She leaves behind her five darling daughters, twelve grandchildren and three great-grandchildren: Karen (Tim Sanderson), Emma (Simon) & Evie, Chris (Julia); Karla (Mark) Newman, Emma; Kathy (Scott) Cooper, Addie (Ben) & Remi; Kristin (Brett) Whyte, John, Jaxson & JJ; Karel (Doug Grennan), Seth, Stella, Everett, Lucy, Elise & Willa. Her siblings: Nancy (Roger) Adler, Ellen Kay Kummer, David Johnson, and Denny (Geri) Johnson. In addition, Erling’s siblings Junice Shippee, Eldon (Sally), Donnie (Paula), Alan (Iola), Angie Dugan, Imogene (Craig) Wilner; 33 nieces and nephews and their families.

Ann touched many lives as a daughter, sibling, cousin, wife, mother, nurse, friend and community member. Her glass was always half-full and whenever life gave her lemons, she made lemonade. Our humble thanks to the caregivers and activity coordinators at Vista West - Blu Grotto for creating such an active, joyful, and loving environment for her final years. We would say rest in peace, Ann, but we suspect there will be no resting.

A funeral service will be held at 11AM on Thursday, June 18, 2026 at CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH, 220 S. Main Street, DeForest. A visitation will be held from 9AM until time of service. A private burial will be held at a later date at Apple Grove Lutheran Church in Argyle.

Memorials may be made to the Wisconsin Lions Foundation or Families Working Together. To view her obituary and leave a memory, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com


Ryan Funeral Home & Cremation Services
Windsor/DeForest Chapel
6924 Lake Road
608-846-4250