Leanne Josephine Arnold Dyer, 49, born in Rockford, IL to Lee (Cathy) Arnold and Barbara Lake Arnold, died January 14, 2018 in Jefferson, WI. She attended Boylan Central Catholic in Rockford, IL and Edgewood High School in Madison, WI. Leanne furthered her education and attended Quincy College and in 1991, graduated as an R.N. from St. Anthony School of Nursing in Rockford. She served many years as a hospice nurse while living in Kentucky, and was a blessing to many families, often being given the pediatric patients because of her strong compassion and skill.

Leanne married John David Dyer on December 29, 1990 at St. John Vianney in Janesville, WI. Together, they raised two amazing daughters, Emily and Laura, first in David’s hometown in Kentucky, and later back in Wisconsin. Over the years, they shared it all as a family--challenges and beauty, highs and lows. Their love and devotion to each other remained and flourished, especially in recent years, and Leanne was enjoying life with her grown daughters and her husband. Throughout, Leanne and David were a matched set to each other, and for Emily and Laura.

As a child, Leanne excelled at Marco Polo, had fabulous 80’s hair, and enjoyed a menagerie of cats, dogs, guinea pigs, and her horses on the family ‘farm’ in Roscoe, IL. She knew how to swing a Louisville Slugger, even if sometimes it was just the hairbrush. She will be remembered, even in death, as being the most satisfying person you could ever hope to scare. Her screams of terror, often triggered unintentionally, will be remembered far and wide. As a mother, she didn’t hesitate to teach her daughters, as they began to hint at a southern drawl, that “yonder” was a naughty word. She spread that mischief freely with her nieces and nephews as well.

Leanne loved her family fiercely, even when they made her crazy, and her family will never stop loving her, missing her humor, and mourning the days ahead without her kindness.

She is predeceased by her maternal grandparents Robert and Ramona Lake, and paternal grandparents Lee Roy and Jean Arnold.

She is survived by her husband, David, daughters, Emily and Laura, her parents Lee (Cathy) Arnold, and Barbara Arnold. She also leaves behind a brother, Luke (Trish) Arnold and sister, Laura; nephews Thomas (Alexandra), Nicholas, and Daniel Arnold, Andrew and Daniel Rompot, Eric (Susan) Hughson, and nieces Jolyn (Eugene) Lindsey, and Maggie Rompot; aunts Rosanne (Tom) Nelson, Mary (Norm) Colcord, Helen (John) Nevins and beloved cousins Ann (Mike) Howell, Rita (Bob) Warner, Cathy Nelson, Jackie (Robert) Erickson, Colleen (Darrell) Shelby, Joe(Trisha) Nevins, Jim (Kathy) Nevins, Mike (Jamie) Nevins, and lifelong treasured friend, Jennifer Gasiorowski Mendoza.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to the charity of one’s choice in Leanne’s honor would be deeply appreciated.

A memorial mass will be held at 11:00AM on Friday, January 19, 2018 at St. John Vianney Catholic Church of Janesville with Fr. Joseph Baker presiding.  Visitation will be from 4:00PM – 6:00PM on Thursday, January 18, 2018 at Olsen-Gibson Funeral Home of Jefferson and on Friday from 10:30 until the time of service at the church.  She will be buried next to her grandmother at later date. 

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