Faye Muriel Wiskow

Faye Wiskow died at the hospital in Ft. Myers, Florida on October 21, 2015 surrounded by some of her dearest friends. Faye Muriel Bailey was born on May 30, 1933 to Lydia and Max Bailey of Chatfield, Minnesota and grew up on a farm north of town. She graduated from Chatfield High School in 1951 and married Vernon Rain in 1953. Faye remained in the Chatfield area until her retirement when she became a fulltime resident of Florida.

Faye loved and was devoted to the community of Chatfield. She was an active member of the Chatfield Lutheran Church as well as the Lions, Rotary, and Commercial Clubs. She was instrumental in establishing the hanging flowers along Main Street and the Tourism Center in the park. Faye’s service to the community was acknowledged when she was named as the Honorary Grand Marshall of the Western Days Parade and eventually was granted a key to the city.

Faye was a strong and independent lady. Following the death of her first husband (Vernon), she opened her own accounting and tax business called Town and Country Tax Service. She would often stay at work until 3 or 4 in the morning completing and refiguring tax returns for her beloved customers. Faye thoroughly enjoyed all of the morning conversations and coffee with her good friends, neighbors, and customers at the local restaurants up town.

In 1982 she married Marvin Wiskow. They were often seen together very early in the morning, pulling the red water wagon, watering the flowers on Main Street. Faye and Marvin enjoyed traveling and visited Alaska, Europe, Nova Scotia and Branson. During the winter, they snow birded at Riverwoods Plantation-a retirement village in Estero, Florida; Faye called herself the “dumb snowbird” because she usually ventured back to Minnesota during the coldest months of the winter for the tax season.

Following Marvin’s death, Faye eventually became a year round resident at the Tahiti Village Retirement Park in Estero, Florida and lived there for the remainder of her life. She considered her friends and neighbors here as her “Florida family”. Florida kept Faye young. She worked as a receptionist/security guard at the Riverwoods Plantation until July 2015 and decided to stop working only when the job became physically impossible for her to complete. She loved being a member of the “Golden Girls”, growing flowers all year round, riding her three wheel bike, hosting card parties, sharing inspirational stories at donut day, and celebrating life with her Thursday night ladies. She would frequently share her little piece of paradise with family and friends from Minnesota.

Faye will be greatly missed by her family and friends both in Minnesota and in Florida.

Faye is survived by her son Scott (Brenda) Rain and daughter Karla (Lee) Becker both from Chatfield; six grandchildren Eric (Becky) Rain, Joshua (Alex) Rain, Caleb Rain, Isaac Rain, Ellen (Aaron) Burt, and Lydia Becker; and six great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; infant brother; brother Warren Bailey; husband Vernon Rain; and husband Marvin Wiskow.

A funeral service will be held October 30, 2015 at 1:00 PM at the Fillmore Free Methodist Church,19127 County 8, in the village of Fillmore with the Reverend Michael Hopper officiating. Visitation will be on October 29th from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM and one hour prior to the funeral service at the church.

Riley Funeral Home in Chatfield 507-867-4310 is assisting the family with arrangements.  To share a memory of Faye with the family please visit www.rileyfuneralhomes.com.