Vivien Mae Edwards, PhD, was the eldest of six children to be born to Gordon and Marie (Gruessing) Edwards on July 30, 1940 in Wausau WI. She was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church. Vivien was preceded in death by her parents, and sisters Patricia (Huffaker) and Mary (Schwenkhoff). She is survived by brothers James (Marilyn) of Fairview Park, OH, Lawrence (Carol) of Woodbury, MN and Ronald of Wausau, WI along with nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Vivien related a story of being in 3rd grade and failing to recite the 7’s multiplication tables. Her teacher said to her: “You will never amount to anything…”

After being graduated from Wausau East High School (within the top 10 of her class and being the “first chair” violinist in orchestra), Vivien attended St. Mary’s School of Nursing in Wausau and became a Registered Nurse. She also attended Divine Savior convent in Milwaukee, WI. From the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Vivien earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. She worked at St Joseph’s (now Marshfield, WI) clinic, and while there, taught nursing at the School of Nursing. Also, during this time, Vivien worked at the University of Madison hospital doing clinicals with veterans.

Pursuing higher education, Vivien attended the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and obtained Masters degrees in Public Health Nursing and Public Health Education. She taught nursing at East Carolina University in the department of Health and Community Service. Again, seeking to become more educated, Vivien attended the University of Utah, Salt Lake City graduating with a PhD in Community Health and Science.

After her father’s death, Vivien moved back home to care for her mother, working as a nurse at Aspirus hospital. (During this time, Vivien’s dissertation was published in “Nursing Research.” Health professionals from India and Israel contacted her to understand her methods on how she calculated the data).

For over ten years, Vivien was Assistant Professor of Nursing at Viterbo University in La Crosse, WI and then, for another nine years until her retirement, was Professor and Dean of the School of Nursing there. And although being retired, Vivien continued working as a Health Paraprofessional at Irving Pertzch Elementary School in Onalaska, WI and for a few summers with the Girl Scouts.

Vivien considered herself “a professional student” and took extension courses in Cultural Anthropology (and at one time, took up folk guitar to learn songs by Peter, Paul and Mary, a favorite group of hers). She enjoyed volunteering and made trips to Guatemala and Tanzania with Global Volunteers and did research at Fort Thompson in South Dakota with The Benedictine Sisters. Vivien also served in the Stephen Ministry at her church.

Vivien had enjoyed cross country skiing (in Utah), golfing, working crossword puzzles, scrabble, Alfred Hitchcock movies, WWII documentaries, defeating family in the card game “May I” and the book clubs she attended. She loved the Dodgers and Packers (way back “in the day” when her father “made” her listen to them on the radio) and going “up North” with family (and always having nearby a Coke (only diet). She had said: “I love you all and watch for the eagle.”

Vivien’s “Glory to God Celebration” will be held at Olivet Church, 2100 Bainbridge St. La Crosse, WI on July 11, at 3:00 P.M.

Vivien’s family offer their thanks and heartfelt gratitude to staff at Agrace, the Mayo Clinic Health System, Havenwood and Olivet Church for their kindness and compassionate care for Vivien through the years.