we love you colette

PORTAGE -- Colette Denise Carr Larson, age 42, of Portage, died unexpectedly on Wednesday, Feb. 25. Colette was born March 19, 1961, in Oshkosh. She graduated from Madison East High School in 1979, with Honors with Distinction. She earned a B.A. in social science and visual arts from Bennington College, Vermont, in 1983, graduating with a 4.0 grade point average.

She continued her studies at the UW-Madison, earning a B.S. in elementary education in 1992, and making the Dean's List each term. She was a gifted and talented woman. Over the past 12 years, Colette shared her gift of teaching at several different schools. Most recently, she was employed at John Muir and Woodridge Elementary schools as a teacher in Portage. She was very successful in this position and will be deeply missed by her students and coworkers, who have described her as caring, committed, dedicated, creative, and inspiring.

Prior to this, she taught at Frank Allis and Schenk Elementary schools in Madison, Pardeeville Elementary School in Pardeeville, and Ebinport Elementary School in Rock Hill, S.C. Colette was a wonderful mother, and completely dedicated to her children.

Colette is survived by her daughter, Rebecca Anne, age 14; her son, Giles Conner, age 18 months; her sister, Michele (Timothy) McConnell of Monona; her grandmother, Anna Lou Chaney of Colusa, Ill.; her step-father, William F. Thompson of Madison; her step-mother, Judy Schneider, of Washington, D.C.; two step-brothers, Ross (Janet) Thompson, of Davis, Calif., and Brian Thompson of Palo Alto, Calif.; a step-sister,Susan (Alvin) Ligh of La Mirada, Calif.; and nieces and nephews, Adam and Ryan McConnell, Scott and Brian Thompson, Megan Bohling-Ligh, Kimberly and Christina Ligh, and Noel Thompson. Colette was preceded in death by her father, Robert R. Carr, in 1981; and her mother, Connie C. Thompson, in 2001.

Colette faced many hardships in life, and always remained dedicated to her children and her students. Being a mother and a teacher were the things that always gave her the greatest satisfaction. She will be greatly missed. The family wishes to thank Brandon Beaven and his mother for their incredible bravery and support during a time of crisis, Kevin and Connie McElroy for their continued love and support, the Portage EMS for their efforts to save Colette, the Portage Police Department for their thoroughness, and Gunderson Funeral Home for their assistance.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Colette's name to a trust fund to be established for her children.