Encyclopedia Dubuque
"Encyclopedia Dubuque is the online authority for all things Dubuque, written by the people who know the city best.”
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
THEISEN, Marita
THEISEN, Marita. (Dubuque, IA, Sept. 13, 1935--Dubuque, IA, February 9, 2022). Upon her death, Marita's daughter Sharon Hagel remarked that her mother was the 'unsung hero' of the family. Together with her husband Leo A. "Jim" THEISEN, Marita left a lasting tradition of philanthropy in Dubuque.
In 1953, Marita graduated high school at ACADEMY OF THE VISITATION (THE). She met her future husband the same year and they married on November 24, 1956. She worked briefly as a legal secretary, but chose to remain at home after the birth of their first child. Her devotion to children led to the family helping to establish Marita Theisen Childcare Center at STEEPLE SQUARE.
After she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, Marita's care was directed by her husband. Through his awareness of the toll the disease took on the victim as well as the caregivers, he donated $1 million for the creation of the DUBUQUE AREA CAREGIVER RESOURCE CENTER at Stonehill Communities. The Center provided advisory and support services for caregivers whether their loved ones were older adults or ill.
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Source:
Kelsey, Elizabeth, "'Unsung Hero' Kept Family in Focus," Telegraph Herald, February 18, 2022, p. 1A