Kristine Kaski

Born Dec. 6, 1936 in Ishpeming, Mich. to Joe Phillips and Helen (Anderson) Phillips, she spent her childhood years in Michigan and Ohio. She graduated from Negaunee High School in 1954 and earned an R.N. degree from the Augustana School of Nursing in Chicago in 1957.

She married Richard Kaski of Ishpeming in 1958 and soon after, the couple moved to Neenah, Wisconsin, where they raised three children and lived for 38 years. While in Neenah, Kris furthered her medical education at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wis., becoming one of the nation’s first Pediatric Nurse Practitioners in 1971. She eventually held certifications as an R.N., P.N.P. and P.A. while working at the Twin City, LaSalle and Nicolet clinics in Neenah, Appleton and Oshkosh, Wis.

Kris (as she was known to friends) was a dynamo who rarely sat still. She enjoyed cooking, baking and entertaining friends and family for dinner. She filled her retirement years with gardening and golf, painting and world travel. For the past 25 years, she spent summer and fall at a beautiful home on the Dead River Flowage and winters in Florida.

Kris was preceded in death by her parents, an infant brother and her husband.

She is survived by her children, Joseph and his wife Jennifer of San Antonio, Texas, Jeff Kaski of Carrollton, Texas and Kristine (Kaski) Zedler of Pottsboro, Texas. She is also survived by four grandchildren: Kristen (Kaski) Homeyer, David Zedler, Robert Zedler and Rebecca (Zedler) Chrestopoulous. Kris was blessed with five great grandchildren: Madeleine, Avery, A.J. and Clara Homeyer as well as James Chrestopolous. She is also survived by her longtime life partner and Negaunee High classmate, Ronald Kauppila of Temple, Texas.