Hillen recalled as public servant
Ex-school board member, village trustee dies at 71
Village of Pewaukee — Louise Hillen's life can be summed up in a few words: family and community service.
Hillen, a former Pewaukee School Board member and Village of Pewaukee trustee, died Jan. 26 at the age of 71.
"My mom put family first and community service second," said Hillen's daughter Rebecca. "Everything she did was for people."
Hillen served on the Pewaukee School Board from 1979 to 1991 and on the Village Board from 1992 to 1996 and 2004 to 2006. Hillen was an impassioned elected official who was never shy about stating her position on issues.
"She was the master of making things happen," Rebecca said.
Her mother had a deep affection for her community.
"She loved Pewaukee," Rebecca said.
"She loved the politics of the village and school board," said her husband of nearly 45 years, Ronald.
But Hillen also cared deeply about children as she was actively involved in Boy and Girl Scouts, Explorers, and was an instructional aide in the Pewaukee School District from 1993 to 2005, working with early childhood and special education students, Rebecca said.
Rebecca said her mother was active when her health slowed her down, serving meals at a homeless shelter in Milwaukee and being active in St. Michael's Catholic School Alumni, where she went to elementary school.
"There wasn't a pie her finger wasn't in," she said.
Asked what hobbies his wife had, Ronald thought long and said, "I think her hobby was her family and community."
Rebecca said her mother was a collector of sorts, in particular geese and clown collectables and plates with Norman Rockwell paintings on them.
She also enjoyed the Christmas season, taking in the Bethlehem marketplace at Elmbrook Church and the Christmas light displays at the Country Springs Hotel off Golf Road, Rebecca said.
"We're going to miss her very much," Rebecca said.
Along with her husband and daughter, Rebecca (Brian Pekarske), Louise Hillen is survived by children Mary, Michael (Jani), and David (Dawn), and grandchildren Benjamin, Charles, Shawn, Nicole, Stefanie, Amanda, Seraphina and Rebecca. She was preceded in death by a son, Kevin.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association or the National Kidney Foundation.
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