Anne Gilfry Schierl, 86, a retired Stevens Point physician and community activist, died unexpectedly Thursday, April 12, 2018, at her home. She was unexpectedly hospitalized on Tuesday, April 10, due to complications from pneumonia, kidney failure and reduced liver function, then was placed into hospice care Wednesday, April 11, and returned home.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday, May 3, at St. Stephen Church in Stevens Point. A Celebration of Life will follow from 4 to 6 p.m. May 3 at the Stevens Point Country Club and attendees are asked to consider wearing a bit of Badger Red in celebration of her life.

Visitation will be at the Shuda Funeral Chapel in Stevens Point from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 2.

Memorial gifts may be made payable to the Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin, 1501 Clark St., Stevens Point, WI 54481, Attn: Anne G. Schierl Memorial Fund.

Online Gifts may be made at https://cfcwi.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create?funit_id=1371.

Memorials funds will be equally divided between the Boys & Girls Club of Portage County and the Arts & Culture Mission Fund of the Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin.

Condolences may be offered online at www.shudafuneral.com.

Dr. Schierl was born Feb. 11, 1932, in Milwaukee, the only child of Ralph and Ruth Gilfry (Portage County’s first public health nurse). She graduated from P.J. Jacobs High School in 1950.

She attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and graduated as one of the first two women from UW-Madison Medical School in 1957.

She was married to Butch Schierl, her high school sweetheart, June 11, 1960, in Stevens Point.

She was employed by St. Michael’s Hospital as the first female anesthesiologist and then served as the anesthesiology department chair for more than 25 years.

After retiring from medicine in 1989, she began her work as a “professional volunteer.” She was passionate about a litany of organizations and causes for the betterment of the community’s youth, arts and culture, and drug and alcohol prevention.

She was instrumental in founding multiple programs including: elementary school sex education, Home Free (Save Ride Home), MORP (alcohol-free post Prom event), Portage County Alliance for Youth, Community Capers (funding St. Michael’s Hospital), Shoestring Players (children’s performance theater), Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin, The Community Show (Community Foundation and CREATE Portage County fundraiser), Boys & Girls Club of Portage County, Soiree Musicale (UWSP Music Department fundraiser), ArtsBash (Theatre & Dance/Art & Design Departments fundraiser) and Riverfront Jazz Festival.

She also participated in supporting Teen Leadership Mentoring, Monteverdi Chorale, Hospice, Central Wisconsin Symphony and UWSP Theatre & Dance students (where she was known as “Mama Anne”) with several annual Anne Gilfry Schierl student scholarships.

She performed in many Area Community Theater shows, served on the UW Medical School Alumni Board, was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and was noted in the “2000 Women of Achievement” publication, as well as receiving numerous other honors and recognitions throughout her lifetime.

Survivors include three sons, Tim (Sara), Stevens Point, Fritz (Julie), Plover, and Bill (Sarena Melotte), Stevens Point; and six grandchildren; Samantha, Fritz, Kali, Emmy, Max and TJ.