Lee Ann Michalske, 86, of Iowa City, passed away on October 31, 2023 at Legacy Pointe Assisted Living.
Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. - 11: 00 a.m. on Saturday, November 11, 2023 at Lensing Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City. A funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m. Private interment will be held at a later date at Woodlawn Cemetery in Green Bay, Wisconsin after a portion of her ashes are sprinkled on the bay of Green Bay, per her request.
Lee Ann was born on October 25, 1937 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to August and Doris (Luke) Michalske. She grew up in various places as her father was a college football coach after his career as a Green-Bay Packer concluded. These locations included: DePere, Wisconsin, Ames, Iowa, and various places in Texas. Following high school, she received her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Texas and her master of arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
Lee Ann worked as a Librarian for many years, both at public libraries and school libraries. She worked 20 years as Librarian of Dickinson Grade School in DePere, Wisconsin. Her favorite part of being a librarian was bringing children and books together and the children's faces upon finding a book they liked. She received the Wisconsin School Teacher of the Year Award in 1987-88 and in 1989 the Harriet Naylor Volunteer Administration Award. After retirement, Lee Ann volunteered at the Door County Library with an organization called “Friends of the Door County Library.” This organization had an annual book sale that she was heavily involved with for several years. Lee Ann was part of a Reading Buddy Program in Door County, reading aloud to the children at the public school and helping them select and find library books geared towards their interests. Lee Ann was a member of the First United Presbyterian Church in DePere, Wisconsin for many years, followed by First United Methodist Church of Sturgeon Bay and First United Methodist Church of Iowa City.
In her free time Lee Ann enjoyed reading, gardening, walking, knitting, cross stitch, traveling, boating, and being on or around the water. She spent time on sailboats Dreamer 1, Dreamer 2 and cruiser Annie Rose while navigating the Great Lakes and the Canadian waters. She moved from DePere, Wisconsin to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin after she retired and she built a lovely cottage-style home on the ship canal (joining the Bay of Green Bay to Lake Michigan) where she lived for 17 years. She moved to Iowa City when she was 79 to be near her family. She had a fondness for dogs and owned many in her lifetime. Lee Ann had a joy in living and her wish was that people would honor her by doing random acts of kindness to keep her love of life alive. Above all, Lee Ann enjoyed spending time with her family, friends, and loved ones.
Lee Ann is survived by her children: Michael Greenwood and Katherine Greenwood-Williams; grandchildren: Dalton (Rachel) Williams, Dusty Williams, Brandon Greenwood and Cory Greenwood; great grandchildren: Eli Williams, Selah Williams, and Bently Greenwood as well as her sister, Melinda (Dennis) Bricker and one nephew, Matthew Bricker. She was preceded in death by her parents and her former spouse, John Greenwood.
Memorials by be made to the Sturgeon Bay Library.
