Deborah Mignonne Walther

Walther, Deborah Mignonne 62, passed away suddenly from natural causes in her Fox Point home on Monday, February 7, 2011. Deborah was born in New Orleans on Dec. 31, 1948, to Milton M. Walther and Elise C. Walther. With the love of her parents, older sister Cheri, younger brother McClellan and youngest sister Suzanne, she grew to be an engaging and intensely creative woman. Deborah studied French language and literature at Georgetown University and the Sorbonne in Paris, eventually graduating from Tulane University. It was at Georgetown that she met her husband Michael. After their marriage, she worked as a costumer and seamstress for the Folger Shakespeare theater until welcoming children Anna and Davin and settling in Milwaukee, WI. Deborah continued her education, becoming certified as a teacher. She taught French at Whitefish Bay H.S. and then at Divine Savior Holy Angels H.S. where she often referred to her young French students as "her little girls." She was active at Christ Church Episcopal in Whitefish Bay, helping with theatrical productions, singing in the choir, and working with the flower guild. Recently, she began training in the Docent program at the Milwaukee Art Museum where she counted among her immediate and pressing challenges trying to get school groups of five and six-year-olds to pay attention for the duration of the tour. In recent years she became a grandmother, welcoming granddaughters Emma and Olivia, with whom she played, and began to introduce French words and customs. Deborah was an exceptionally bright, creative woman who loved travel, gardening, music, cooking, art and learning. She loved exploring new places and trying new things. All these she did with a deep and abiding love for those around her. She will be missed, but her lively spirit will always be with those of us who knew her. She is survived and celebrated by her husband Michael D. Fischer, her daughter Anna Elise Walther (Katie) Dempsey-Fischer, her Son Davin Ross (Katie) Walther Fischer and her Grandchildren Emma Elise Fischer and Olivia Erin Fischer. A Memorial Service will be held at Christ Episcopal Church, 5655 N. Lake Dr., Whitefish Bay, on Friday, February 11, at 3 PM, with a reception to follow at the church. In Deborah's honor memorials may be made to the Milwaukee Art Museum, 700 N. Art Museum Dr., Milwaukee, WI 53202.