Lillian Ann Pope of Arena, WI passed away peacefully on May 20, 2015. She was cared for at Maplewood Skilled Nursing Facility in Sauk Prairie with the assistance of Agrace Hospice Care in Fitchburg.


The youngest of eight children born to Amon Brager and Ida (Thorsrud) Brager, Lillian was raised on the Brager family farm in Vermont Township. Lily often spoke of her happy childhood, growing up on the farm and sharing many adventures with her siblings. She remained especially close to her four sisters as they shared hobbies and travels throughout their adult lives. Lil enjoyed collecting antiques, quilting, genealogy, creating Hardanger embroidery, and hunting Native American arrowheads. She was musically talented and played both the piano and fiddle by ear, often accompanying her father and siblings during their Norwegian family musicals. Her beautiful and flawless penmanship was a source of pride for which she and her sisters were noted. She was a baker, cook, and artist who often created birthday and wedding cakes as well as intricate hand-pieced quilts for family and friends. She was an avid birder who delighted in developing a welcoming environment for a wide variety of species to feed and nest. Spring bird migration was one of her favorite seasons. Lily was a voracious reader who could discuss a wide variety of subjects including history, baseball, politics, geography, and world affairs.


Lily married Dale Gene Pope in June of 1946 and together they raised a family of four children on a registered Holstein dairy farm in Arena. She was devoted to her family and especially loved sharing adventures with her children and grandchildren. She occasionally scheduled "apple-itis" days from school to wander outdoors, picnic, and hunt arrowheads with her kids, grandchildren and their cousins. Dale and Lil retired from dairy farming in 1986. In 2006, the farm was converted to a sheep rearing operation where she eagerly assumed the role of nanny to the orphaned lambs.


Lil loved having family and friends visit. The farmhouse door was always open and a large oak table offered ample seating for last-minute guests. Food was always rich and delicious. Lily was happiest when she could sit at the table and watch her family and friends enjoy bountiful pancakes, molasses cookies, home-made donuts, pies, mashed potatoes and gravies, lefse, Norwegian egg pancakes, decadent frosted cakes, and her famous potato salad.


Lillian was preceded in death by her son, Charles Vincent (Adrian) Pope; her parents, Amon and Ida; and her siblings Erland Brager, Norman Brager, Inez Skalet, and Lenore Seeliger. She is survived by her husband, Dale, of 68 years; her children, Scott Gene (Rosemary) Pope, Sondra Maureen (Reed Van Gorden) Pope, and Vincent Albert (Nancy) Pope; her three grandchildren, Christine (Jeff) Nehls, Jeremy, and Amanda; and two great-grandchildren, Cassandra and Jonathon. Lillian is also survived by her siblings, Ruth Marsh of Stoughton, Velma Hoffman of Baraboo, and William (Janet) Brager of Florida, and a sister-in-law, Gert Brager of Mt. Horeb; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.


Lily was love. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her loving and generous soul.

The family would like to thank Dr. Janelle Hupp, the staff of Maplewood Skilled Nursing Facility, and Agrace Hospice Care in Fitchburg. Memorial donations will be directed to Arena Historical Society.

A private burial service was held at Arena Cemetery. A celebration of Lillian's life will be held Sunday, July 19th at Grandma Mary's Brisbane Hall in Arena from 1-4 pm. Family and friends are invited to attend.