Lori Kaye Haugen

Lori Kaye (Lowe) Haugen, age 66, passed away on July 26, 2025, in Barron, Wisconsin.

Funeral Services: Visitation will be held from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at the Burnham-Ours-Kolstad Family Funeral Home in Chetek, WI, followed by a memorial service at 1:00 p.m. Interment will take place afterward at the Lakeview Cemetery.

Lori was born on December 19, 1958, in Aurora, Illinois, to Rosemary (Gehler) and Donald Lowe. She graduated from Pardeeville High School in Pardeeville, Wisconsin, in 1977. She went on to earn her CNA license and a certificate in Respite Care from Madison Area Technical College, and later took additional medical coursework at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College in Rice Lake.

On September 28, 1996, Lori married Gary L. Haugen. They shared nearly six years of marriage before Gary passed away following a brief illness.

Lori dedicated more than 30 years of her life to caregiving, working as a Certified Nursing Assistant and respite care provider—most of those years spent at Knapp Haven Nursing Home in Chetek, Wisconsin. Her compassion and dedication touched countless lives, and she formed deep, lifelong friendships with both residents and colleagues.

Lori loved traveling to visit family, reading, catching up with friends, and enjoying her favorite coffee from Hope and Anchor in Chetek. During her years with Gary, they traveled extensively and shared a love for attending local athletic events. These experiences helped Lori build lasting friendships and a strong sense of community.

She is survived by her mother, Rosemary Busse of Mountain View, Missouri; sister, Dawn (Roy) Mulholland of Greenville, Illinois; brothers Craig Lowe of Endeavor, Wisconsin, and Chris (Tracey) Lowe of Trevor, Wisconsin. Lori is also survived by her beloved nieces and nephews: Ryan (Chelsie) Mulholland, Caris (Jon) Presutti, Ian (Analisa) Lowe, Michaela Lowe, Christopher Lowe, and Kaydan Lowe.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Gary Haugen; father, Donald Lowe; stepmother, Beverly Lowe; and stepfather, Jim Busse.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the PKD Foundation, PO Box 871847, Kansas City, MO 64187. Lori lived with polycystic kidney disease for most of her life—a condition that has profoundly affected the Lowe family. We remain hopeful for a cure in the near future.

The Burnham-Ours-Kolstad Family Funeral Home was entrusted with arrangements.