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Teresa Silva

Teresa Schillinger Silva, age 64, of Clear Lake, WI, passed away at home due to natural causes on Wednesday, May 5, 2021. Teresa was born September 9, 1956 in New Richmond, WI to parents Merwyn & Jane Schillinger. Teresa was raised alongside her four younger siblings on the family farm in Woodville, WI, & graduated from Baldwin-Woodville High School in 1975. She spent a good portion of her youth guiding the siblings with her straightforward, honest, & quiet demeanor, while still pushing them to be their best. As an adult, Teresa was a wonderful & great sister; always offering help to her family wherever she could. Teresa was baptized & later confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Woodville. Her faith was strong & deeply felt throughout her life.

Teresa enjoyed growing up in the country & having many animals. She strived for perfection in everything she did. Teresa had a knack for working with & showing Arabian horses. She showed through 4-H, Open WSCA shows, & Arabian shows both regionally & nationally earning many awards. Teresa had many hobbies, including plants, landscaping, & sewing. Teresa sewed many of her own show outfits for horse shows, as well as her own costumes and clothing for any occasion. She also enjoyed ceramics & dancing. Teresa had a creative spirit & big imagination, & it showed through her creative works.

Teresa met her husband, Jesús, while living in California where Jesús was working on a large berry farm. Together they moved back to Wisconsin & purchased a small farm near Clear Lake, WI from where they started Country Lane Berry Farm. Teresa was known by many as “the Strawberry Lady,” & always wanted to be known for having the best strawberries around. She traveled to many towns & farmer’s markets to sell her fruits & vegetables. Together with Jesús, they enjoyed working on their farm, hunting with both a bow & a rifle, as well as hiking & fishing. Teresa enjoyed her “off season” by wintering in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Teresa was a bright light in the lives of many, & could always be counted on to provide smiles & laughs with her jokes & pranks. She was the perfect example of a hard worker; & her determination & desire to do things just right allowed her to accomplish many of her life’s goals. She passed this determination down to her nieces & nephews by teaching many of them to ride, train & show horses. Teresa’s hardworking nature was taught to her nieces & nephews as well, as she employed many of them to help sell her berries & learn the business. Today, many of them have started businesses of their own with the help of the knowledge of entrepreneurship Teresa imparted upon them. Teresa’s kindheartedness & empathetic nature led her to be admired by many; & she will be dearly missed by family & friends alike.

Teresa will remain in the hearts of her husband, Jesús Silva; her father, Merwyn (Janice) Schillinger; siblings, Linda (Robert) Kuhn, Richard (Jeanne) Schillinger; Judith (Leon) Prinsen, & Gary (Melissa) Schillinger; numerous nieces & nephews; special friends, Holly Booth, Mary Kadela, Bob Kramer, & Larry Jerome; as well as the many wonderful friends she made at both horse shows & farmer’s markets. She is preceded in death by her mother, Jane Schillinger; & both her maternal & paternal grandparents.

A Celebration of Teresa’s Life will be held from 2:00-6:00 P.M, Sunday, May 23, 2021 at the home of her sister, Linda & Bob Kuhn, 2764 Hwy. 12, Wilson, WI 54027. Cremation services entrusted to O’Connell Family Funeral Home, 715-684-3434, info@oconnellfuneralhomes.com.

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