Lois Gilliland

Lois (Bramer) Gilliland, age 90, of Wausau, Wisconsin passed away on August 2, 2022, after a brief illness.

Lois was born in Shelby County, Iowa on August 1, 1932. Education was especially important to Lois. After graduating Harlan High School, she attended Dana College in Blair Nebraska and the University of Northern Iowa where she majored in Elementary Education. Upon graduation, she taught for two years at the elementary level.

Music was always especially important to Lois. She enjoyed being a soloist and participating in her school choir and decided to continue her education in music at the University of Nebraska where she studied as a Classical Voice Performer. It was at the University of Nebraska that she met her husband, Harold Gilliland, whom she shared her life with until his passing in 2011. They were married for 56 years. Lois enjoyed learning and went on to obtain her Master's in Business and Library Science from Idaho State University.

If you asked her family and friends who she was, they would tell you that Lois was a kind and smart woman who was very respectful of people and enjoyed creating opportunities. She treated everyone with kindness and respect.

Lois valued her family and career. She was reliable at home, on the job and was a well-respected boss. She helped people to better themselves using a very soft approach. She taught her children to be self-reliant and pursue skills based on education or on-the-job training. She had a high standard for education, and believed it was the key to success and opportunity.

She was creative and a community leader for Central Wisconsin and worked to build and develop educational programs for Northcentral Technical College (NTC), where she worked for 25 years. She was a director for adult basic education for the NTC Goal program. Later, she became a Dean of the Health and Human Service Resource Department -- leading the way to create opportunities for employees to develop in nursing, dental hygiene, and other programs.

Lois also enjoyed performing volunteer work with Altrusa International, Red Cross, United Way, Shriners and worked the election polls for the Village of Weston for several years.

Lois liked a simple life -- spending time with family vacationing and attending University of Nebraska football games. Lois made the best Beef Burgandy which became a Christmas meal tradition for her family.

Lois's legacy lives on in her children Mark (Janet) Gilliland, Michael Gilliland, and Lisa Riehle; grandchildren Carter, Brent and Maddy; great grandson Logan; and dear friend Jo Mosher. She was preceded in death by her husband Harold Gilliland and her parents David and Mabel Bramer.

Family and friends are invited to help her family celebrate Lois's life on Friday, August 12, 2022, with a visitation from 9 am – 11 am and a memorial service at 11 am all at Brainard Funeral Home - Everest Chapel, 5712 Memorial Court, Weston. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donating to a memorial at NTC in Lois's name.

The Gilliland family wants to thank the Aspirus hospitalists, cardiology department, palliative care, emergency department, Dr. Amy Sweet, and Renaissance Assisted Living for their dedicated care, kindness, and compassion.