Doris M. Little

PORTAGE, WI – Doris Mae Little, age 90, of Portage, died peacefully after a brief illness. Doris was born and raised in Portage, where she met and married Ben H. Little at the Presbyterian Parsonage in Portage on June 27th, 1944. Doris and Ben celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in June at their home with family.

Doris and Ben built their home on the hill behind her parent’s house. Doris was a partner and successful entrepreneur in the three businesses owned with her husband: Little Heating & Electric, Shady Oaks Campground (Markesan), and Kitchen Solvers. After retirement, Doris and Ben continued to reside in Portage, with time spent traveling, camping, and boating. As the family matriarch, Doris was a warm and gracious host to family and friends, who frequently enjoyed her gourmet cooking and entertaining style. While Doris was elegantly sophisticated, she was also creative and adventurous. She encouraged her two grandsons, Mike and Mark, to be creative through hands-on activities creating pottery, gardening, and rock collecting. She shared her love of other creative crafts like knitting, sewing, etc. with her daughter, Cheryl, and other friends. All who knew her recognized that above all, family and friends were the most important to Doris.

Doris is survived by her daughter, Cheryl Wenker, and her husband Jon; and their two children and their families, Michael (Karen) Semonson with children, Spencer and Holden; Mark (Tracy) Semonson with children, Jordan, Jake, Michael and Nicki; and many loving nieces, nephews and friends. Doris was preceded in death by her husband, Ben H. Little; her parents, Werner and Edna Roberts Marquardt; her sister, Jean Kampen; her brother-in-law, Ross Kampen; and her great-granddaughter, Taylor Semonson.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, November 8th at Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage at 10 am. Funeral services will be held at 11 am with Chaplin Nancy Davis officiating.  Burial will follow at Oak Grove Cemetery. A luncheon will be served following the committal at Dino’s Restaurant.

The family would like to thank Sherry Bornick, Connie Mair and the staff at Columbia Health Care Center for taking care of Doris in such a gentle and caring manner.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to ABC Connections, Portage, or Columbia Health Care Center in Wyocena.

We’ll miss you Mom & Grandma … the legacy you left will continue to grow in all of us~