Lynn Ellen Teschan

Lynn Teschan (nee Trevillian) age 92, died on Sunday, September 1st, 2024, after a brief illness. 

Lynn was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Harvey and Ada Trevillian on December 14th, 1931. She met the love of her life, Rudy Teschan, while attending Washington High School. Rudy and Lynn married in 1952 and moved to Minocqua, Wisconsin, where Lynn's parents had purchased an island on Lake Minocqua in the 1930s. Lynn and Rudy took odd jobs to support themselves and to remain close to the Island and the Minocqua area, which they loved. Three of their children, Rudy Jr., John, and Elizabeth were born in the Lakeland Memorial Hospital in Woodruff. Eventually Rudy began working for the fish hatchery in Woodruff. Later, he accepted a position with the Wisconsin Department of Tourism in Chicago and the family moved to Winthrop Harbor, Illinois. While there, Lynn gave birth to their youngest child, Kathleen. A position as resident manager of the Conservation Center (now the MacKenzie Environmental Center) moved the family to Poynette, Wisconsin. Lynn became the adoptive mother to many species of wildlife that needed care. Injured or motherless creatures that needed bottle feeding in the middle of the night were no strangers to the Teschan household. Lynn prepared warm milk bottles for bear cubs, deer fawn, coyote pups, and kit fox. 

Lynn's passion for helping things grow and bloom was expressed in her extensive gardening skills. Her beautiful flower gardens were toured by the Poynette garden club. The family tended a large vegetable garden under her supervision. Lynn grew plants and flowers wherever she lived, indoor or outdoor. 

Lynn was fond of her first office job and the skills she acquired working as a legal assistant for a Milwaukee law firm. She was an expert at Gregg shorthand. When her children were grown and she returned to the workforce full-time, she began working for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers in Madison, where she was employed for many years. 

She then served as a secretary at the University of Wisconsin Extension, where she learned barcoding. Next, Lynn was hired by the Department of Employment Relations, Division of Collective Bargaining as secretary to the director. 

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers offered Lynn a position again, asking her to return after a 13 year absence. Lynn opted to return to her good friends and co-workers at the IAM and settled in Sun Prairie, making it her home since 1993. 

Lynn and her sister, Lois, became the last family owners of the island in Minocqua. Many generations enjoyed wonderful times on the island that are indelibly imprinted to memory. Lynn's mother and father kept their summer home on the island beginning in the 1930s (with Lynn's four sisters) and wintered in Milwaukee, where Lynn's father worked in the office for the Milwaukee Road. Lynn journeyed to the island as often as possible with her children and grandchildren. She loved family gatherings there, especially the 4th of July when the island would be buzzing with swimmers and skiers, wood smoke and snacks, and family all around her. This was like heaven to her. She loved her family more than anything.

Lynn was a lover of words. She devoured books and often had a stack that needed to be returned to the library. She was always reading something for her next book club meeting, or preparing her notes for discussion. She loved poetry and kept several collections on her bookshelf. She enjoyed an expansive vocabulary and kept a dictionary and thesaurus nearby for the opportunity to learn another word. She loved games, word games especially. Any games that drew people together were a vehicle for her fun spirit and quick wittedness. Lynn loved to laugh. 

She is survived by her children, Rudy Teschan V (Kim Coombs Teschan), New Berlin, WI; John Teschan (Cindy), Fredonia, WI; Liz Frasier (Bill), Waterloo, WI; and Kate Teschan Lueders (Randy), Wisconsin Dells, WI; six grandchildren; eleven great grandchildren; three sisters: Lois Maslowski, Cedarburg, WI, Gayle Schwibinger, Friendswood, TX, and Harvada Elisberg, Madison, WI. She was preceded in death by her parents, a grandson, Jeremiah Teschan, Madison, WI, and her sister, Beverly Bassett of Madison, WI. 

A celebration of life will be held at the Sun Prairie United Methodist Church on Saturday, October 12, 2024 at 11:00 am, Visitation begins at 10:00 am followed by celebration of life with a light lunch to follow.