Sheila Mary Soletske, born on September 5, 1953 to parents Helen and Floyd O'Claire of Marinette, passed peacefully and on her own terms Tuesday, January 17, 2012, in the Palliative Care Unit at UWHealth Madison.

Sheila is survived by her husband of nearly 30 years, Mark Anthony Soletske and their two beautiful children, Katie Lynn Soleske Barahona-Valenciano (Rodrigo), and Derek Anthony Soletske. She leaves behind her dearly beloved dogs: Maggie, and "puppies" Bella, Bruno, and Lily. Sheila is also survived by her sister Kathy Revall (Randy) and her children Amanda Hady (Clevin), Nicholaus Barber, and Kevin Barber (Chrissy), as well as by her oldest sister, Maryann Lemerond (Erven) and her children Joe Lemerond (Amy) and Jim Lemerond (Carrie).

After her childhood at the white house at 735 Curie St, Sheila graduated from Marinette H.S. in 1972. She held her first job at Brother's Three Pizza of Marinette. At Coleman Products she met and married the love of her life, Mark. In her employment at Scott Paper/Kimberly Clark of Marinette Sheila enjoyed driving forklift, "bring your child to work" days, and leading M&M sales for her daughter Katie's Girl Scout troop. As a Certified First Responder and shift tester at Fibrek of Menominee, MI, she warmed her coworkers with grocery bag-sized lunches. A radiating motherly joy of compassion and goodwill, Sheila took pleasure in gardening. She was an artistically gifted spirit who delighted in long hours spent on her John Deere cutting grass. Sheila could always remember a good joke, as those around her remember she was often the first and loudest to laugh at it. She believed in the good in people, and friends and family recount how one couldn't help but love her. Fun-loving Sheila greeted strangers with a hug. She lived to sun bathe poolside on hot summer days in the comfort of her country home. She enjoyed riding motorcycles with friends, but found her greatest joy and the best of herself in her children.

Sheila's life was not defined by cancer, but her courageous and determined fight with breast cancer brought out the best in her. In death, Sheila's eyes have been donated and the record of her fight against metastatic triple negative breast cancer will guide the care of future diagnoses of this rare and devastating form of cancer.

The family would like to offer special thanks to Dr. David Mertens and the nursing staff at the Oncology unit at Bay Area.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like to collect donations to be provided to Bay Area Cancer Care for the purchase of materials for fleece blankets and hats.

Friends may call at Hansen-Onion-Martell funeral home from 4 until 8 p.m. on Sunday, January 22, 2012, with a vigil service at 7 p.m. Visitation will continue at the funeral home on Monday morning, January 23, 2012, after 9 a.m. A funeral mass will be held at Holy Family Parish at the Taylor Street Church of Our Lady of Lourdes at 10:30 a.m. on Monday.