Harriet Lois Feil

Harriet Lois Feil (nee Jackson), 69, went home to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Sept. 12, 2009 at her home in Randolph, surrounded by her loving family. She courageously battled ovarian cancer for 3 years with patient endurance and an ever present smile.

Visitation for Harriet will be at Friedens Ev. Lutheran Church, 335 Jones Dr., Randolph on Tuesday, Sept. 15 from 5-8 pm and on Wednesday, Sept. 16 from 10am-2pm. Funeral services will follow at the church beginning at 2pm. The Rev. Walter Goers will officiate. Burial will be at the Randolph cemetery.

Harriet was born on Feb. 6, 1940 in Whitehall, WI to Harry and Lillian (Lee) Jackson. She walked to a one-room country school called Irvin Coulee grade school. She graduated 8th grade as the only student in her class. Harriet then attended Whitehall High School and graduated in 1958. In the Fall she began taking classes at La Crosse Technical College. She met Herbert Feil in La Crosse and they were married July 2, 1960. Harriet worked for various companies, creating financial reports, and worked as an IBM key punch operator, returning to work after the birth of their first child. Herb and Harriet moved to Horicon in 1964, and she became a full-time mother.
In 1969 she and Herb embarked on a 40-year adventure with the purchase of Club 73 south of Randolph. They renamed it Feil's Supper Club and began serving delicious homemade bread and German & American cuisine. Throughout the years Harriet served as business partner, waitress, and thoroughly detailed bookkeeper. In recent years, she was the smiling face at the hostess stand. She made so many dear friends with people who worked or dined at the restaurant. Harriet had an intense love of learning and never backed down from a challenge. When computers changed the way she kept books, she jumped in whole-heartedly, teaching herself to use the accounting software and the internet.

Harriet's proudest accomplishment was being a wife and a mother. She gave the best hugs and baked the best cookies. She sewed beautifully and knit gorgeous Norwegian sweaters. Her handiwork is a legacy to her grandchildren. Harriet was proud of her Norwegian heritage. While she grew up learning some words from her parents, she took language classes as an adult. She made sure that each of her children learned how to make lefse, so that no holiday would be without this Norwegian staple.

Harriet is survived by her husband of 49 years, Herbert Feil; five children: Terry (Ann) Feil, Randolph, WI; Rhonda (Michael) Patzlsberger, Germantown, WI; Heidi (Neil) Milkowski, Stevens Point, WI; Andrew (Carrie) Feil, Smyrna, TN; James (Jennifer) Feil, Randolph, WI; 16 grandchildren: Brandon (Sarah), Jonathan, Ryan and Stephanie Feil; Alyssa Baldner; Lindsey, Karlee, and Shane Patzlsberger; Joseph Bottensek; Jackson, Karalee, and Evan Milkowski; Aaron and Alexandra Feil; Summer and Deanna Feil. Sisters: Marian (Toby) Ellison, Carolyn (Dennis) Karlstad, and other relatives and friends. She is preceded in death by her parents and daughter-in-law Lori Feil.

A memorial fund is being established in Harriet’s name for Freidens Ev. Lutheran Church, Randolph, WI