Our mom passed away Saturday, August 30, 2025.She had lived with dementia for several years, as the disease progressed, she continued to lose her memory and ability to live a full life. This was a very trying time for both her and her family to watch a robust lady wither away. She was able to live at home with family, friends, and hospice assisting her. One of the things she didn’t lose was her sharp wit. She still was able to pull those humorous, one-liners from the depths of her mind.

Iris Jean Redlin was born on September 10,1929, to Ira and Madola (Kreb) Redlin in the Town of Utica. She lived on her family farm helping with chores and working in the fields along with her family. She attended Oakland School, a one-room school about a mile from her home. She often talked about the nice sledding hill they played on in winter. After graduating from the 8th grade, she continued her education at Oshkosh High School and graduated in 1948.

On October 14, 1950, she married Earl Raymond Busse at Zion Lutheran Church. Earl and Iris farmed their entire life at the Busse Farm. Iris was proud of her farming life and never turned down hard work. She had a large garden and harvested the crops from it. Each fall she would pick bushels of hickory nuts and pick the nuts out during the winter. She was the night shift foreman at the Pickett Cannery for many years. She also worked in the kitchen at the Hi-K Steakhouse in Zion.

Iris enjoyed traveling with her family and visited more than 40 states and Canada. Some of those trips included tent camping. They would relax at the cabin on Lake Alpine in their spare time. She was involved in her children’s lives while they were in school by helping with fundraising and chaperoning on high school band trips. Iris was involved in her children’s 4-H activities, projects, and was the Badger 4-H club organizational leader. Without her guidance, some of her children may not have gotten those blue ribbons.

She was lucky to have a lifelong friend, Mary Lou Jones. They grew up together since they were babies in a buggy and continued to be friends through school and for all life’s journeys until Mary Lou passed away a couple of years ago.

She loved collecting antiques and displayed them in her home. This hobby promoted the beginning of the annual Busse Farm Day party her family celebrates each year in the family museum, and one room school.

Iris and Earl have four children: Janis (Arthur) Eberhart, Joan (Ralph) Hunter, David (Judy-deceased), Lori (Alan) Giffey; six grandchildren: Bruce (Trisha) Hunter, Matthew (Emily) Hunter, Noah Busse, Shawn Eberhart, Jake Giffey, and Mariah (Lloyd) Sorrell; four great-grandchildren, Anamarie Schell, Zachary Hunter, Dalton Hunter, and Wyatt Hunter. She is also survived by a brother-in-law, Donald Binder.

Preceding in death were her parents, her husband, Earl; brother, Ira Redlin Jr.; sister, June Binder; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Lawrence and Dolores Busse, Art and Eileen Busse, Lorraine and Robert Prochnow; sister-in-law, Denese Redlin; and daughter-in-law, Judy Busse.

A visitation for family and friends will be on Sunday, September 7, 2025, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church 5355 W. Cty Rd K, Oshkosh. A funeral service will be held on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. at the church, with a lunch to follow. Burial will be on Monday, September 8 at 1:00 p.m. at the Ellenwood Cemetery, Oshkosh.

Mueller Funeral Home-Winneconne is assisting the family. If you wish, please submit online condolences/memories to muellerfh.net.