Julia Lafuse

Julia Ella Angi Lafuse, age 84, passed away on June 30, 2021, after a long illness.  Judy, as she preferred to be called, was married for 56 years to her loving husband, Don.  She was born in Richmond, Indiana, on February 7, 1937, to Louis V. and Rose Angi both of whom had immigrated from Hungary. The family spoke Hungarian at home and Judy loved to cook traditional Hungarian dishes.

Judy graduated Richmond High School in 1955.  Following graduation, she worked for Olin Corporation in Richmond where she convinced her boss to hire her future husband.  Throughout their early years of marriage Don and Judy lived in Ohio and Indiana before moving to Dodgeville, Wisconsin and raising their family.

While in Dodgeville, Judy spent many years working for the Whitford Insurance Agency and after moving to Missouri, she enjoyed many years working as the executive secretary to the president of AccuTherm of Monroe City, Missouri.

Judy and her husband were active members of the Dodgeville Methodist Church and the Park United Methodist Church of Hannibal, Missouri where she sang in the choir at both churches and was very proud of her frequent solos.

Judy was a member of Sigma Phi Gamma International Sorority and spent many years as a volunteer in the Hannibal Regional Hospital Auxiliary.  Judy enjoyed cooking shows, cheering on her favorite PGA Tour professional golfers, and watching the birds in her backyard.  She enjoyed gardening and usually had a large vegetable garden and even in retirement, Judy had a small container garden to tend.

Judy was an avid bowler and loved playing cards.  She participated in many bowling leagues in Indiana and Wisconsin, and she enjoyed attending the Wisconsin State Bowling Tournament.  Judy enjoyed playing cards with her husband and other couples in card clubs in Woodburn, Indiana, Dodgeville, and Hannibal. She kept in touch with many long-term friends from all three cities.

Judy grew up with the love of fishing.  Growing up her family vacationed on North Lake, Coldwater, Michigan.  This continued throughout her life as she and her family, including her beloved sisters, spent many summers fishing and teaching her children to fish, in Coldwater, Michigan and Chetek, Wisconsin.

The Lafuse family would like to thank her family doctor, Dr. Kristine Berg of Stoughton Wisconsin and her cardiologist Dr. James Stein of Madison, Dr. V. Eric Thompson of Kansas City, Missouri.  They would also thank all of the staff at UW Health Care Direct, Stoughton EMS, Stoughton Hospital, Meriter Hospital, the University of Wisconsin Hospital, and Saint Luke’s Mid-American Heart Institute.

Judy is preceded in death by infant son Scott Lafuse, parents Louis and Rose Angi, siblings Ethel Cook, Lewis Angi, Rose Horvath, Margaret Angi, Elizabeth Angi and Steven Angi.  Judy is survived by her husband, Don Lafuse of Stoughton, Christopher Lafuse (Fiona) of Westfield, Indiana and Jennifer Lafuse (Mike) of Stoughton.  She is also survived by two grandchildren, Alex Lafuse and Zachary Lafuse of Westfield, whom she was always checking up on, and many nieces and nephews.

The family will conduct a private graveside service.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Park Methodist Church or the Hannibal Regional Hospital Auxiliary, both in Hannibal, Missouri.