VFW Auxiliary honors Marie Skic with memory quilt

Family, friends, and fellow veterans gathered on Dec. 28, 2025, to honor Marie Skic, a 98-year-old lifetime member of VFW Auxiliary Post 1638, with a special quilt presentation recognizing her more than 52 years of service to veterans and their families.
The handmade quilt, created by Auxiliary member Cheryl Coyer and her sister Mary Lezotte, tells Marie’s personal story through carefully selected photographs spanning her life, from her marriage to World War II Navy veteran Anthony Skic to images of her children, her farm, and her beloved hunting accomplishments.
“On behalf of our family, I would like to thank you for joining us for this special presentation to celebrate and recognize an amazing woman, Marie Skic,” said Marie’s daughter, Rose Skic.
VFW Auxiliary member Alicia Weix shared details of Marie’s extensive service to the organization, which began when she joined as a lifetime member on May 25, 1973.
“As an Auxiliary Sister, Marie has been an inspiration to me and many others along the way,” said Weix. “She has lived life as an example to be followed, with dedication and compassion that can’t help but light the path for others.”

Marie served as the 67th President of the Department of Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary from 1991 to 1992, when her theme was “Wisconsin Cares.”
During her presidency year, the Rehabilitation Program recorded 73,129 hours and $214,025 on projects. The Hospital Program showed 1,152 volunteers working 50,689 hours with donations of $73,281.17. Poppy distribution of 271,797 poppies raised $111,727.77.
During her year as president, Marie visited sisters from 37 auxiliaries, made 16 hospital visits, and visited 10 districts in addition to marching in four parades.
“I cannot say this enough, Marie, you are truly an amazing person and an inspiration to all that have the pleasure of meeting you,” said Weix.
Rose Skic shared her mother’s remarkable life story, which began on Oct. 30, 1927, as one of the first babies born at Holy Cross Hospital in Merrill. Her parents had immigrated from Switzerland and settled in Pine River, where they farmed on Center Road.
At just 13 years old, Marie drove a truck into town every day loaded with milk cans, dropping them off at Page Milk Company and lifting each heavy can herself.
“Marie grew up during the Great Depression when food was very limited, and nothing was wasted,” said Rose.
Marie married Anthony Skic in 1948. He had served as a Gunners Mate in World War II in the Navy on the USS Hughes (DD-410) Destroyer.
Tragedy struck the family multiple times. In 1969, Marie’s oldest son Anthony was killed in an automobile accident at age 20. In 1977, her younger son John died from leukemia at age 10. In December 1979, when her husband passed away suddenly from a heart attack at age 56, Marie kept the farm running, milking 120 cows while raising her children.
On the day of her husband’s funeral visitation, Marie traveled to Madison with other farm wives to testify before the State Legislature in support of removing the inheritance tax for farm widows.
“Her advocacy wasn’t for recognition; it was for fairness, and for families like ours,” said Rose.
Despite never attending high school, Marie accomplished more with an eighth-grade education than many do with advanced degrees. She joined Toastmasters to improve her public speaking skills and served in numerous organizations, including Wisconsin Business and Professional Women’s Association, Wisconsin Ginseng Board, Wisconsin State Auctioneer Board, and Northcentral Technical College Board of Directors.
In 1982, Marie was named Wisconsin Farm Wife of the Year.
Marie ensured that all 11 of her children attended Trinity Lutheran School in Merrill. She also became a foster parent, welcomed foreign exchange students, and up until 2019, visited up to 20 shut-ins each week in nursing homes in Wausau and Merrill.
An avid outdoorswoman, Marie started hunting when she was 21 years old. Over the decades, she harvested many deer, turkeys, a few moose, and even a bear. Her last moose hunt was when she was 80 years old. In 2020, at 92 years old, she made her final ice fishing trip to Canada. In October 2025, at age 98, she shot a doe during gun hunting season.
The memory quilt includes photos from throughout Marie’s life. The top row features Anthony Skic and Marie’s 1948 wedding. The second row includes a picture of her husband taken shortly before his death on Dec. 9, 1979, when he was Post Senior Vice Commander, a picture of the star on the Skic family farm silo, and a picture from a VFW program showing Marie framed by poppies. Other rows show the first bear Marie shot, the Skic family farm, a buck shot in 2023, Marie with her children, and Marie with a turkey she shot at age 93. The bottom row features a senior picture of her oldest son Anthony J. Skic Jr., who was killed in a car accident on July 12, 1969, at age 20, and a fourth-grade picture of her son John J. Skic, who died from leukemia at age 10 on May 25, 1977.
“Our family would like to thank Cheryl Coyer and her sister Mary, for creating this beautiful and meaningful quilt for our mother,” said Rose. “This is more than just a gift; it’s a symbol of honor, service, and the deep sense of family and community that the VFW represents.”
“Today, we gathered not to just review Marie’s accomplishments, but to honor the woman behind them — her strength, her resilience, her generosity, and her extraordinary determination,” Rose said.
“Cheryl and the Auxiliary wanted to do this special quilt for my mother in recognition for all she has done for the VFW Auxiliary through the years and for being the only member from Merrill to be a Department President.”
“God bless you all, and God bless America,” Rose said.