MABEL E. GUILLIEN

July 1, 1933 - February 15, 2015

Mabel E. Guillien, 81, of Caledonia, died peacefully on Sunday February 15, 2015 at Gundersen Medical Center, LaCrosse, WI. Mabel was born July 1, 1933 in Coon Valley, WI to Martin and Eleanora (Olstad) Jacobson. She graduated from Westby High School in 1951 and attended the Secretarial Program at Western Wisconsin Technical College. She worked for Northern Engraving as a secretary for 5 years, and then she married Leland Guillien on October 3, 1957 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Caledonia. Lee died September 8, 1988. Mabel stayed at home with her children and helped her husband farm. The couple moved to Caledonia in 1982. She became the parish secretary for St. Mary's Parish, Caledonia in 1979 until her retirement in 1999. Mabel taught religious education for 34 years at St. Marys and received the Bishop's Award for Religious Ed. In addition to writing her own poems and stories for herself and others, she enjoyed researching genealogy and learning more about her family tree. She is survived by her children: Greg (Lola) Guillien of Caledonia, Vincent (special friend, Julie Ann Griffith) of Altoona, IA, and Mary (Duane) Rhodes of Batavia, IL; grandchildren, Lyndsi Guillien, Abbie (Zach) Fordahl, Phillip, Alex, Luke, Cole, and Matthew Guillien, Joseph, Amanda, and Julia Rhodes; 4 great grandchildren, Dunkin and Danick Guillien, Nora and Mila Fordahl; a sister, Elaine (John) Dalsasso of Muquanago, WI; and a brother, Paul (Beverly) Jacobson of LaFarge, WI. In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a grandson, Nick Guillien and a brother, Otis Jacobson. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 am, Thursday, Feb. 19, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Caledonia. Father Matt Fasnacht will officiate and burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Caledonia. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 pm on Wed., at McCormick Funeral Home, Caledonia, where there will be a prayer service at 4 pm.Visitation will also be from 9:30 until 10:30 Thurs. morning at the church. Memorials may be given to Calvary Cemetery, Caledonia.