Final Obit Draft

“Wherever you go, there you are!” This was just one of many memorable quotes that Sallie Jane Oechsner would often say to her friends and family. Oechsner, a Dodge County social worker and passionate accordion player, died on Monday of natural causes while she slept. She was 54.

Oechsner was born on April 12, 1954 at the Waupun Memorial Hospital in Waupun, Wis. She was the third child to Luverne and Frieda (Huettner) Puetz of Leroy, Wis.

In 1959, the Puetz family had relocated to the residence at 207 N. Hubbard St. in Horicon, Wis. Soon after, Oechsner began attending the Horicon School District.

Oechsner soon developed a life-long friendship with Ellen (Wagner) Sunderland who lived about a block away. Sallie and Ellen both attended the same school together as well as the same church, Zion Lutheran. They became the best of friends.

“She was the best friend I ever had. We were always there for each other, through the good times and the bad,” Sunderland said. She recalled their high-school days together and how they both loved to go out on the town. As they both grew older, their close friendship was always maintained, with the two of them meeting once a month for brunch to re-hash the good old days.

Exhibiting a passion for music, Oechsner began taking accordion lessons during elementary school and soon developed a life-long friendship with her teacher, Shirley (Liermann) Dahm of Waldo, Wis. During the summers of her childhood, Oechsner would spend time on the Liermann farm in Waldo and became another member of the family, developing long lasting bonds with each of the six Liermann children.

During high school, Oechsner participated in numerous extracurricular activities including tennis, being on Prom Court, choir and being involved in school musicals including, Lil’ Abner and Guys and Dolls. She graduated from Horicon High School in the spring of 1972.

Following high school, Oechsner worked as a nurse’s aide for the Bethesda Lutheran Home in Watertown, Wis. and followed this up with another nurse’s aide job working with the mentally ill for Dodge County Human Services in Juneau, Wis.

Unsure of what her career goals were, Oechsner decided to take some factory jobs through the early to mid-1970s which finally led to a stint in the U.S. Army.

In 1976, deciding she needed a change; Oechsner became a private, stationed at Fort McClellan in Anniston, Ala. After about a year in the Army, Oechsner returned to Wisconsin and decided that it was time to further her education and decided to attend a four-year program at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

Despite being out of high-school for over five years, Oechsner began attending college courses in the fall of 1977, majoring in human services with a minor in special education. She graduated in December of 1980 and had always taken pride in the fact that she finished a four-year program in three and a half years.

On April 11, 1981, a day before her 27th birthday, Sallie married Francis “Cisco” Oechsner also of Horicon, Wis. Cisco had long been a friend of Sallie’s brother, John Puetz, thus Sallie and Francis were acquaintances. At the reception held that evening at the Old Hickory County Club in Beaver Dam, Wis., Cisco’s father serenaded his new daughter-in-law with a chorus of “Happy Birthday” at midnight with her family and friends gathered around.

Five months later, on September 12, 1981 Cisco and Sallie welcomed a son Brandon. A daughter, Stephanie was later born on April 18, 1984.

Throughout the early 1980s, Sallie helped Cisco with his tavern business, helping him run the Depot Tavern and later the West Wings Saloon both of which were located in Horicon, Wis.

“She was a commanding woman,” daughter, Stephanie said. “She was always there to help us when we needed it.” For the most part, Oechsner became a stay-at home mom throughout the 1980s.

At this time, she did volunteer for local organizations including ABLE (Alliance to Build a Livable Environment) and for PAVE (Partnership to Address Violence Through Education).

Helping people is ultimately what led to her job in 1992 at Lutheran Social Services in Beaver Dam, Wis. where she worked for a year as an in-home, family based treatment therapist. This paved the way for her next job which she began on Jan. 11, 1993 as a state licensed social worker for Dodge County Human Services, at which she worked up until her death.

The first six years at Dodge County Human Services, Sallie worked in Child Protective Services. This job involved the assurance that abused and neglected children were protected from harm. In 1999, Oechsner switched to working in the Juvenile Justice Unit, working with juvenile delinquents.

Throughout her later years, Oechsner continued to enjoy playing the accordion as well as antiquing, gambling, polka dancing and collecting figurines of angels.

“She was truly a self-less lady, who wanted nothing for her children but to live successful, happy lives.” Stephanie said.

Her survivors include her husband of 25 years, Francis, one son, Brandon Oechsner of Oshkosh, Wis., one daughter, Stephanie Oechsner of Oshkosh, Wis., one sister, Margaret Kastenmeier of Beaver Dam, Wis, and one brother, John Puetz of Burnett, Wis.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, Oct. 1 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Zion Lutheran Church in Horicon, Wis. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Zion Lutheran Church.