Mavis Ethelyn Wolstad, age 90, passed away peacefully on December 5, 2025. Born on February 25, 1935, on the Banner Farm near Hesper, Iowa, she grew up surrounded by the rhythms of farm life. Her gentle parents, Harley Odin Larson and Emma Bertina (Mindrum) Larson, moved the family to establish their Mabel Minnesota farm, and Mavis discovered what would become the landscapes of her heart: carefully tended fields of grain, the bustle of farm animals, and the magical gardens that inspired her own love of beauty and nature.

There were always fresh vegetables from the garden, strawberries warm from the sun, and bouquets of dazzling flowers filling the house with color. And should anyone stop by, fresh bread or cookies were always within reach. That kind of welcome became one of her lifelong trademarks: she made every person feel cared for, comfortable, and wholly at ease.

Mavis married her childhood schoolmate, R. Dwayne Wolstad, on November 26, 1953. Their marriage lasted nearly six decades until Dwayne’s passing on December 29, 2012. Together they built a family grounded in warmth, integrity, and steady encouragement.

She was a devoted mother to Steven (Ann) Wolstad and Natalie (Paul) Geyer, and a cherished grandmother to Emily (Julio) Arnau, Allison Geyer (Pete Ramand), and Christen (Phil) Geiger. She delighted in her great-grandchildren — Sasha Arnau, Alana Arnau, Harley Geiger, and Cora Geiger — each of whom brought her immense joy. She is preceded in death by her siblings Helen (Larson) Mann and Rollis Larson. She is survived by her brother Keith Larson and many cousins and relatives. Her family was her life’s greatest blessing, and she nurtured them with the same tenderness she had shown since her days on the farm.

Mavis was a woman of many gifts, and she gave generously of them. As an elementary teacher in the Milwaukee and Sheboygan Public Schools, she created classrooms that brimmed with movement, curiosity, and possibility. Her students did not sit silently with hands folded; they explored, learned at their own pace, and felt seen. Many remembered her for one singular ability: She made them feel safe and accepted, and from that simple foundation, she believed anything was possible.

Later, she dedicated herself to the family business, Wolstad Insurance Agency, where she worked alongside loved ones to provide protection and peace of mind to families throughout the Coulee Region. Her reliability, warmth, and genuine care made her a comforting presence to the many clients who came to trust her.

Music and theater were Mavis’s lifelong joys. She played piano — especially show tunes — with spirit and expression, sang in the church choir, and found deep happiness as coordinator for AAUW Children’s Theater and as a performer in La Crosse Community Theater productions. Where there was music, she brought harmony. Where there was a room full of people, she brought light.

To all who knew her, Mavis was sweetness and joy — a woman who kept things light, who was quick with a gentle joke, and whose sparkling personality made others feel instantly welcomed. She was, in every way, a role model for how to live: with kindness, patience, perseverance, and a generous heart.

She will be deeply missed and forever cherished by her family, friends, and all whose lives she touched.

Coulee Region Cremation Group is assisting the family with arrangements and an opportunity for family and friends to gather and give thanks for Mavis’s life will be held at a later date.