August 19,1924 – January 16, 2022
Chrystal Lindberg La Muro was born to Herman and Emma (Danielson) Lindberg in Karlstad, Minnesota, on August 19, 1924. She passed away unexpectedly in her home in Fort Atkinson, WI, on January 16, 2022, and has joined her departed loved ones in her heavenly home. Chrystal was an intelligent and active 97 year old who loved gardening, gathering with family, and researching genealogy. She was always an early adopter of technology, from 1980’s camcorders and personal computers to the latest smartphones and social media. Chrystal had a curious mind and enjoyed life-long learning.
Chrystal met her husband Gene (Gennaro) La Muro, at the Crystal Ballroom in Fargo, ND, while they were both attending college. Their marriage on June 17, 1950, in Karlstad, MN, brought together Gene’s Italian family from Brooklyn, NY, with Chrystal’s Swedish family from Karlstad, MN. In the early part of their 53-year marriage, they moved to Ohio, where Gene served in the Air Force and where their four children were born. In 1963 they moved to Fort Atkinson, where they became part of the fabric of the community and lived for the rest of their lives. They were active members of Trinity Lutheran Church and were sustained by their faith community. As a couple, they enjoyed traveling, making several trips to Europe searching for family history and driving their Winnebago camper on many road trips throughout the U.S. After they retired, they spent their winters in the Phoenix area, where they enjoyed time with many friends and family members.
After attending one year at Moorhead State Teachers College, Chrystal began her teaching career in a one-room schoolhouse in rural Karlstad, MN, driving to that job in her dad’s Model A Ford. She then finished her second year of college with a teaching certificate and taught in Starbuck, MN. After moving to Fort Atkinson, Chrystal enrolled at UW-Whitewater to pursue her bachelors degree in education. In 1966 she was hired by the Fort Atkinson School District as a fifth grade teacher and taught there until her retirement in 1984. After retirement, she enjoyed spending time with her teaching colleagues in the retired teachers association, always looking forward to their monthly luncheons.
Chrystal delved deeply into the genealogy of all branches of her family, including her many in-laws and friends, and her home was filled with the details she gathered in her research. She loved to teach others how to find their roots and research their own family histories. She kept in touch online with many far-flung relatives that she found in her research, some of whom she had never met in person. She never missed a birthday or anniversary and often shared photos of those she loved on social media.
She continued to grow flowers and vegetables, experimenting with new varieties until her last summer, and had already begun ordering her seeds for the next season. She will be remembered in her garden, surrounded by family, who were never allowed to leave her house without a plant recently dug from her yard or a grocery bag full of tomatoes or vigorous zucchini.
Chrystal stayed closely connected to family and friends through the challenges of Covid, hosting birthday parties outside on her inviting patio and beautiful lawn, or inside on Zoom and FaceTime when they could not gather in person.
Chrystal is survived by her sister, Eileen Thomson; her children, Elaine (Jim) Ward, Robert (Leslie) La Muro, Richard La Muro, and Nancy La Muro; her grandchildren, Andrea, Paul, Julia, Christopher, Margaret, Nicholas, Brent; her seven great grandchildren; and many loving nieces and nephews. As her great-granddaughter Josie said, “She really was a “GREAT” grandma.” She will be loved and deeply missed by her large extended family and network of friends.
She is now reunited with her loving husband, Gene (Gennaro) La Muro; her parents, Herman and Emma; her brother, Curtiss Lindberg; her sister, Jean (Lindberg) Nordine; two beloved brothers-in-law and a sister-in-law; two nephews, and a niece.
Nitardy Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences and remembrances can be posted online at the Nitardy Funeral Home website at https://nitardyfuneralhome.com A memorial service is planned for the Spring.
Memorials in her honor may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, The Fort Atkinson Food Pantry or the Fort Atkinson Homeless Coalition.
Chrystal Vivian La Muro
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