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Obituary for Frances A. Hutson


Frances A. Hutson, 92, died peacefully on Tuesday, November 14 at Gundersen Health System.

Fran was born on January 20, 1931 in Sparta, WI to Eugene and Marie (Saley) Sullivan. Fran grew up as the middle child and went to then St. Francis Nursing School. She married Tom Hutson on June 20, 1953.

Fran was a nurse, but she really didn’t like working in a hospital. She worked for many years as a Visiting Nurse through the city, then took a position with the county working with mentally challenged people. There she started a respite program for families who with mentally challenged children. Then she went back to being a Visiting Nurse until she retired. She and Tom were snow birds in Arizona for many years and she always welcomed guests. She and Tom were very involved in St. Pius X parish where she was the president of the women’s group, sang in the funeral choir, and used her nursing skills by setting up Blood Pressure Clinics.

Fran is survived by her five children: Mark of Coon Valley, Greg (Pam) of West Salem, Jeff (Matt) of Baltimore, Maribeth (Glen) of Onalaska, and Ann (Pat) of Portage. She is further survived by her eight grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, sister Kay (Jim) Larson and many nieces and nephews.

Fran was preceded in death by her husband, Tom, her parents, her brother, John (Vernice) Sullivan, her sisters Mary Sullivan and Bette (Don) Ingham and her daughter- in-law, Joanne.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m., on Monday, November 20, 2023, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in La Crosse. Father G. Richard Roberts will officiate.

A visitation will be held at Fredrickson Funeral Homes and Crematory, Woodruff Chapel, La Crosse, on Sunday, beginning with a Final Call Service conducted by the Wisconsin Nurses Honor Guard at 3:00 p.m., and concluding at 5:00 p.m.

A visitation will also be held one hour prior to Mass, Monday, Holy Trinity Catholic Church.

Online condolences may be offered on this website.