Dessa Marie Foote

Dessa Marie Foote, 92, longtime Douglas County resident, died peacefully, Wednesday, September 1, 2021, at Mayo Clinic Health System-Red Cedar in Menomonie, WI. She was born in Washburn, WI, April 2, 1929, the daughter of Donald and Gertrude (Karrow) Potter.

Dessa was united in marriage to James L. Foote, February 19, 1949. They celebrated seventy-one years of marriage before his passing in 2020.

She earned both her Bachelor of Education degree (1962), and her Master’s in Reading degree (1971), from the University of Wisconsin-Superior, and worked as an elementary school educator and principal in the Maple School District until her retirement.

Dessa was a member of the board of directors of the Imogene McGrath Memorial Library, Lake Nebagamon, and was instrumental in the library’s establishment. She was also a former board member of the UW-Superior Alumni Association.

She had a passion for reading and books and loved to play scrabble. She enjoyed travel and, when they retired, she and her husband spent their winters in Sun City, AZ surrounded by good friends.

Dessa was an avid supporter of environmental, health and child-centered causes and was a member of the Red Hat Society as well as several bridge clubs. Above all, Dessa was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and sister.

She is survived by her daughter, Margaret “Maggie” Foote, Menomonie, WI; son, James Foote, Jupiter, FL; grandsons, Ben (Cortney) Foote, Downers Grove, IL, Lincoln Savage-Foote, Denver, CO; great-grandchildren, Amelia, Aaron, Adam, and Emmett Foote; sister, Shirley (Gerry) Petite, South Range, WI; and sister-in-law, Sally Christman, Superior, WI.

Dessa is preceded in death by her husband, James Foote; grandson, Jason Foote; sisters, Joyce Kelley and Dorothy Baer; brother, Donald D Potter; and her parents.

Visitation will begin at 10:30AM, on Friday, September 17, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 11416 E. 1 ^st Street N., Lake Nebagamon, WI, with Memorial Service to follow at 12 Noon with Pastor Darrell Kyle officiating.
Burial will be in Lake Nebagamon Cemetery.

The Lenroot-Maetzold Funeral Home, 1209 E. 5 ^th Street, Superior, is assisting the family with arrangements. To leave a condolence or sign the guestbook, please visit our website at www.lenroot-maetzold.com .

Should friends desire, memorials may be made in Dessa’s name to:

Imogene McGrath Memorial Library (IMML) P.O. Box 502, Lake Nebagamon, WI 54849 or designated for the “Superior Floating Classroom,” UW-Superior Foundation, P.O. Box 2000, Superior, WI 54880.