Full Obituary

GWEN I. PIGOTT, age 76, of Loyal, died at the House of the Dove on Saturday, January 25, 2014. Funeral services will be held at 12pm on Saturday, February 1, 2014 in the Loyal High School Gymnasium. Rev. Patsy Roe will officiate and burial will follow in the Loyal Cemetery. Pallbearers will be John Kaiser, Curt Mrotek, Cliff Thorson, Tom Kingsbury, Brett Bushman and Henry Aumann, Jr. Visitation will be held in the high school gymnasium, on Saturday, from 9am until time of service.
Gwen Illa Fensome was born on March 15, 1937 in Barron County, WI, the daughter of Herbert G. and Selma I. (Schaeffner) Fensome. When she was a young child, her family moved to Loyal, where she was raised and received her education, graduating from Loyal High School in 1954. Gwen then attended Wisconsin Rapids Teacher's College for 2 years, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree, and then earned her Master of Science degree at Stevens Point State University.
She started her teaching career in the fall of 1956. Gwen taught in country rural schools all within the Loyal School District. First at Mack School for 2 years and then at Lincoln School for 6 years. In 1964, she started the first Kindergarten in Loyal, thus beginning a 42 year run in the Kindergarten classroom. After 50 years of teaching, Gwen retired in the spring of 2006.
Gwen was united in marriage to Harland Pigott on June 1, 1957 at the Loyal United Methodist Church. He died on November 22, 1981. During that time, they farmed in the Town of Fremont and opened their home to more than 30 foster children. After Harland's death, Gwen continued teaching, taking in children that needed a home, and had several foreign exchange students from Japan.
She had many interests, but especially enjoyed attending school activities and sporting events. While teaching, Gwen loved to travel, and did it extensively since her retirement, having traveled to 58 countries and 47 states in the U.S.
Gwen was involved with many organizations and received much recognition throughout her teaching career, including: a member of the Loyal Free Methodist Church, where she was the Christian Education Director and Sunday School teacher for more than 25 years, a long-time friend of the Loyal United Methodist Church, for more than 20 years she was the director of the Loyal Community Bible School for grades Pre-K through 6, was past secretary of the Loyal Silver Wrestling Committee, she started the annual Community Easter Parade put on entirely by Kindergarten children, entered and won many times at the June Dairy Month Clark County Bake-off, nominated Loyal Teacher of the Year twice, she was one of the first recipients of the Herb Kohl Foundation Fellowship award, Loyal's Citizen of the Year in 2001, a recipient of the Community Service Recognition award from Modern Woodmen of America, a member of Delta Kappa Gamma since 1982, a member of Tri-County Retired Educators, and a past member of the Loyal Education Association, Wisconsin Education Association and the National Education Association.
She will be dearly missed by her sister: Carol (Clair) Mrotek of Spring Valley, MN; her nephew: Curt (Tamra) Mrotek; her niece: Cindy (Brett) Bushman; 3 great nieces: Mariah and Tehya Mrotek and Brianna Bushman (fiance Justin Schmidt); great nephew: Jared (Amber) Bushman and their daughter Zoey; her foster children: Rita Johnson, Tina Braun, and Jean, Michael and Jenny Delo; other relatives and many friends.
Gwen was preceded in death by her parents; and her husband, Harland.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Loyal Public School for scholarships or the House of the Dove would be greatly appreciated.