Bessie J. McMahon

Sun Prairie - Bessie Juanita (Vest) McMahon, age 89, passed away November 12, 2025. She was the youngest child of Marie and William Vest. She grew up in small towns around Richland County and called Richland Center her hometown.

In January 1954, at a dance hall in Sextonville, WI, Lester McMahon asked her for a dance. They dated and married later that year. The young couple settled down in Sauk City, WI in a house Lester built. In 1964, Lester started working in Madison, so they packed up their family and moved to Sun Prairie. For the next 28 years they lived, worked, and raised their children Steve, Todd, Becky, Craig and Carol in Sun Prairie. In 1991, they sold the family home and bought a condo in Fitchburg, WI. They lived together at the condo until Lester’s passing in 2006.

In her younger years, Bessie enjoyed square dancing, cake decorating, and researching her genealogy. She was a Boy Scout Den Mother and raised two Eagle Scouts. She was an avid card player and always had a deck of cards handy for a game of rummy or euchre. Bessie cherished her family and blessed our hearts with her laughter and her love.

She is survived by her children Todd of Stevens Point/Madison, Becky (Steve) Stahl of Kenosha, and Carol (Keith) Brockman of Sun Prairie, her seven grandchildren Adam, Amie, Brandi, Lucas, Morgan, Hannah, and Jacob, and her great grandson Drexel.

Bessie was preceded in death by her parents, her siblings Harold, Doris, and Melvin, her husband Lester, her children Jane, Steve, Craig, and her great granddaughter Layla.

A Mass of Christion Burial will be held at 11:30 AM on Saturday November 15, 2025, at EPIPHANY OF THE LORD FOR SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH, 221 Columbus St. Sun Prairie with Fr. Rob Butz presiding. Visitation will be from 10:00 AM until the service at the church on Saturday. Burial will be at St. Aloysius Cemetery in Sauk City.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service

1310 Emerald Terrace, Sun Prairie

(608) 837-9054

Please share your memories at www.cressfuneralservice.com