Lisa Beckstrand

Madison- Lisa Ann Beckstrand, age 48, died unexpectedly Friday, June 15, 2012. She was born in 1963 in International Falls, MN. Lisa graduated from Stoughton High School in 1982, from Luther College of Decorah, Iowa in 1986, and completed her graduate studies at the UW and received a Ph.D in 1997 in French literature. She spent her junior year of college at the university in Nantes, France, and in 1990-91 on a Rotary Scholarship at the university in Geneva, Switzerland. Lisa taught French as an instructor at Lawrence University from 1993-1996 and UW-Oshkosh from 1996-97. After receiving her doctorate Lisa taught French at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN from 1998-2004, Montclair State University in New Jersey from 2004-2005 and at the New School in New York City from 2005-2006. From 2006 to the present she has been an academic planner in the administration department for the UW. Lisa's accomplishments were remarkable in spite of her long battle with depression and chronic health issues of immune deficiency. Delight and joys for her were her church, home, gardening and sailing, but especially being a very devoted and caring daughter, sister, aunt and friend to many, now being sorely missed by them all. Grieving her passing are her parents, retired Pastor Robert and Dorothy Beckstrand of Stoughton; her brothers, Lutheran Pastor Peter (Catherine) Beckstrand of Viroqua, William Beckstrand of Hovland, MN and Neebing, ONT; sister, Mary Beth (Tom) Lynch of Stoughton; nephews, Matthew (Aly) Lynch of Madison, Peter and Erik Lynch of Stoughton, James Beckstrand of Eau Claire and Joseph and Abram Beckstrand of Viroqua; nieces, Abby (Adam) Kuehn of Stoughton and Nora Beckstrand of Minneapolis, MN. Memorial services will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, June 21, 2012 at Luther Memorial Church, 1021 University Avenue, Madison. Friends and relatives are invited to a luncheon immediately following in the church fellowship hall. Private burial will take place in Lutheran Cemetery South in Stoughton. Friends may greet the family from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 at Cress Funeral Home, 206 W. Prospect Street, Stoughton, and from 10:00 AM until the time of services Thursday at the church. Memorials may be made to Luther Memorial Church or to the charity of the donor's choice.