Constance Mary Fuller

Constance Mary Fuller, age 89, passed away Aug. 21, 2024, at Friendly Village Nursing Home. 

Connie was born April 13, 1935, to Irvin and Angeline (Sowinski) Hein of Sugar Camp. Connie spent most of her childhood there in the house on Lost Lake but would spend some of her school years in Rhinelander at the Catholic school. Connie graduated from Three Lakes High School in 1953 and married Gene Krouze in August 1953. Together they had four children. After their divorce, she went to work as a waitress at various locations and would meet her husband of 52 years, Dick Fuller. They worked to blend the families and together had a son. When an opportunity arose for work on the Burlington Northern Railroad in Laurel, Mont., they took the chance and moved there in 1976. After building a log home together on Beartooth Drive, another opportunity arose to start their own business, owning two 7-Eleven stores in Wyoming. After deciding to sell those businesses and move back to Wisconsin to be closer to their children, Connie and Dick started Star Distributing in Horicon and worked that business together until retiring and returning home to the Northwoods. 

Connie was a stylish woman of many talents. She was a gifted painter, had a beautiful singing voice, had an eye for fashion and interior design, and was an excellent cook and baker. She made every home she was in a thing of warmth and beauty. Connie and Dick enjoyed traveling around the United States, including RVing, and would go on many adventures — often on the spur of the moment. Connie was a hard worker and was always busy until she started experiencing health problems soon after retiring related to a mystifying infection in her hand that almost took her life. It started the decline of overall health and Dick was always by her side for care and comfort. 

Connie is survived by her beloved husband, Dick, and children, Gene (Candy) Krouze, Curt (Julie) Krouze, Renee (Pete) Tenderholt, Rachelle (Emilio) Ibarra, Gentz Fuller, stepson, J Fuller, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She is further survived by her siblings, Sally Sipes, Jerry (Judy) Hein, Elizabeth (Dave) Joswick, and John (Cindy) Hein. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Joe and Jim Hein, and young sisters Elizabeth and Mary Ann Hein.

The visitation for Connie will be held at St. Kunegunda of Poland Catholic Church, located at 6895 State Highway 17, Sugar Camp, on Monday, Sept. 23, 2024, from 10 a.m. until the noon Memorial Mass. Fr. Ron Serro, Fr. Raja Birusu, and Dn. Al Goodrich will be officiating.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Hildebrand Funeral Home & Cremation Specialists, 24 E. Davenport Street, Rhinelander, Wisconsin, 54501, 715-365-4343. Everyone is invited to leave an online condolence at http://www.hildebrandrussfh.com.