Obituary for Diana Mikkelson

She was born on September 18th, 1943 to Ray and Virginia Davis. Diana spent her childhood in Southeast Wisconsin, attending Hazel Green and Benton schools. She earned an English degree at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse.

Diana married Harold Mikkelson in August of 1966, and they lived and raised their daughters in rural Mindoro. She was an active member of the Mindoro Lutheran Church.

Throughout Diana’s work career, she held various positions, including: teaching English at Arcadia, WI school district, working as a purchasing agent for a wood stove company in Galesville, WI, assisting in maintaining records and developing computer programs at Fort McCoy in Sparta, WI, and retiring from several years of service as a librarian and training coordinator at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Office in La Crosse, WI.

After Harold's passing in 2008, she married Larry Rodenberg in August of 2011 and became a member of the Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in West Salem, WI. Diana and Larry enjoyed traveling together and occasionally “giving each other a hard time” all in the name of fun.

Diana enjoyed bird watching, doing crosswords, reading books with her book club, attending Red Hat meetings and events, and periodically sneaking in a bar of chocolate or two. Her homemade pies were amazing and always came out of the oven with the perfect crust.

Her affinity for putting colors and textures together presented itself in the beautiful garden beds she created in the spring and also in each of the amazing quilts that she hand crafted. Diana ensured that each member of the family received one of her unique quilts. She was also very generous in her donation of the quilts to several charitable organizations.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Harold; their infant son, Reid; her sister, Maxine; in-laws Wilford and Helen Mikkelson; sisters-in-law, Joyce Heineck and Anne Davis; brother-in-law, Dennis Mikkelson; nephew, John Heineck; and niece, Sandra Pierce.

She is survived by her husband, Larry Rodenberg of Onalaska, WI; brother Carsen Davis of Waukesha, WI; daughters, Kari (Sam) Jandt, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Amy (Doug Huehne) Matson of Cuba City, WI; grandsons, Zeb (Saige) Jandt of Montpelier, VT, and Malakai Jandt of Savannah, GA; granddaughters, Savanna Matson of Winter Park, FL, and Jade Matson of Lake Mary, FL; sister-in-law, Sharon Mikkelson of Melrose, WI; Brother-in-law, Roger Heineck; and several nieces and nephews.

The family expresses their gratitude to the Morrow Home and to the Mayo Clinic Hospice Team.

A memorial service will be held from 12:00 p.m. noon on Saturday, March 1, 2025 at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, 500 Park St, West Salem, WI 54669. A visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. until the time of service.

Fredrickson Funeral Homes and Crematory, Jostad Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.

Online condolences and expressions of sympathy may be offered at www.FredricksonFuneralHomes.com