Clarisse Marie Dieter

In Loving Memory of Clarisse Dieter June 25, 1936—April 11, 2025 Clarisse Marie Dieter (LaVoi), age 88, of Tomahawk, WI, passed away peacefully into our Heavenly Father’s arms on April 11, 2025. Clarisse was born on June 25, 1936 in Fosston, MN to Donald and Elizabeth LaVoi. She was the eldest of nine children; her youngest (twin) siblings were born on her 17th birthday. Clarisse’s family moved around northern Minnesota 17 times during the eighteen years that she lived at home. Besides helping to raise her siblings and keeping up with her many chores, Clarisse was active in the 4H Club. At age 11, she won a trip to the MN State Fair for her demonstration on the proper way to wash a sweater. Clarisse’s first paid job, at age 13, was plucking turkey feathers. After high school graduation, Clarisse completed the Communications Program at the Gale Institute in Minneapolis, MN. She excelled in her classes, and could take shorthand at over 200 wpm, and type up to 120 wpm. Clarisse quickly secured the position of a switchboard operator at the Santa Fe Railroad in Chicago, IL. After moving to Chicago, she met Walter (Wally) Dieter, who took her bowling on their first date. Soon after, they were married on May 10, 1958. Within the first five years of marriage, they had three children, bought a house in the suburb of Franklin Park, and then welcomed a fourth child a few years later. While raising kids and managing a household, Clarisse also worked full-time outside the home as an Office Manager at Clad-Rex Steel. Two employees needed to be hired to take her place when she left that position. In 1975, Wally & Clarisse moved their family to Tomahawk, WI, where they owned and operated the Fish Trap Bar & Resort until 1988. After a short stint making levels at Johnson Level & Tools, Clarisse went on to become a travel agent at Spirit Travel until her retirement in 2003. During the summers after that, she and Wally became a sales team at the Powder Keg Fireworks store in Tripoli. Clarisse was active in several clubs with Wally, including the Ham Radio Club, Gold Wing Motorcycle Club, Top Down (convertible car) Club, and Indian Hills Airpark Association, often serving as the secretary or treasurer. She volunteered at the Thrift Cellar and assisted with a stillborn baby layette ministry. Clarisse also enjoyed shooting pool, bowling, boating, Swedish weaving, reading, dancing (she once got in trouble her senior year for dancing on the tables in the science lab), and was a crossword puzzle queen. During their retirement years, Clarisse and Wally divided their time between Tomahawk, WI and Salome, AZ. They celebrated 63 years of marriage, before Wally’s death in 2021. Clarisse moved to Broadwell Senior Living in Plymouth, MN in 2024. Clarisse is survived by her children Deb Basco of Plymouth, MN; Ray Dieter of Naples, FL; Gregg Dieter of Tomahawk, WI; seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her son Walter (Buddy) Dieter, Jr.; brother Rene LaVoi; daughter-in-law Laurie Dieter, and son-in-law Mark Basco. The Mass of Christian Burial for Clarisse Dieter will be held at 10am on Monday, May 12, 2025 at St. Mary Catholic Church (320 E Washington Ave., Tomahawk, WI), with a 9am visitation beforehand. Interment directly after the service will be at Calvary Cemetery, with a luncheon following. An additional visitation for Clarisse will be held the night before on Sunday, May 11 from 4pm—6pm at Krueger-Nimsgern Funeral Services (101 N 2nd St., Tomahawk). “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20