Rachel Ann Skundberg Favor, 88

Rachel Ann Skundberg Favor, a beloved wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend, passed away on May 7, 2026, a week after her 88th birthday.

Rachel was born May 1, 1938, in Viroqua, Wis., the daughter of Reuben and Clara (Hanson) Skundberg, and was raised in Westby, Wisconsin. Her father started a small grocery store, gas station and rental cabins.

When Rachel had just finished the eighth grade, she developed rheumatic fever and was very ill and bedridden for months. Rachel was taken to a rest home for children, called Kiddy Camp, in Middleton, Wisconsin. She was treated there for 6 1/2 months and received trial medications of Cortisone and Bicillin injections.

Fortunately, Rachel started to improve and was able to walk again. These treatments were used on other children as well, and ultimately the medications were so successful that one year later Kiddy Camp closed. Rachel missed her entire freshman year at Westby High School.

However, she was an excellent student and was able to manage four years of school in three years and graduated with her classmates in 1956 with honors.

In the fall of 1956, Rachel enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she met the love of her life, Conrad A. Favor, on the steps of the Memorial Union. In 1957, the couple moved to Milwaukee, and Conrad transferred to the Layton School of Art and Design, while Rachel transferred to the Milwaukee County School of Nursing.

Rachel and Conrad were married on Aug. 22, 1959, at Westby Coon Prairie Lutheran Church.

Rachel ranked third in her nursing class and graduated with honors. Rachel often talked about how she was the first student nurse in the state to administer 5 FU injections, a new cancer drug at that time. She worked as an RN for more than 37 years and was a very hardworking and compassionate nurse.

Rachel and Conrad moved to Stevens Point in February 1962 and lived in a small trailer park in Park Ridge. Conrad worked at Sentry Insurance, and Rachel at Saint Michael’s Hospital. She worked in OB and medicine, and later worked at the Rice Clinic in the internal medicine department.

Rachel took pride in being an RN and taking good care of her patients, but her greatest joys were the birth of her four children, their educational pursuits, marriages and grandchildren. Rachel did not go on many family vacations in the 1940s and 1950s, so it was a priority for her to take her kids and travel to different places, including Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; New York; Gettysburg; California; Florida; and Colorado.

The entire family was very good at downhill skiing. Rachel volunteered at Trinity Lutheran Church and was very involved in the church rummage sales. She also volunteered for Sons of Norway and the SPARC running program. Rachel loved family gatherings, special occasions, birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.

Rachel was an excellent cook, and the house would come alive with decorations and smells of home-cooked meals and desserts. Nothing brought Con and Rachel more joy and love than spending time with their children and grandchildren.

Rachel was a kind and beautiful person, always smiling, fun to be around and a very positive person. Conrad and Rachel celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in August 2024. During their retirement years, they enjoyed traveling, especially to Europe.

They enjoyed camping and going to the Winter Ice Caves on frozen Lake Superior. It was quite a hike on the icy drifted snow, but that did not stop them. They would walk to the ice caves, and on their way back to the car, Conrad would pull Rachel in an orange plastic sled.

They had such a strong loving bond and were role models in all facets of their life. Rachel and Conrad taught us to be kind, compassionate, work hard, help others and live life to the fullest.

Rachel loved seeing her children playing in the Park Ridge neighborhood — on their bikes, unicycle and on the stilts Conrad built. Their four children could always recognize their dad’s whistle in the neighborhood and knew it was time to run home.

Rachel and Conrad created a life filled with memories — raising their kids, taking trips, laughing together and simply being a family. Those were the days they treasured the most. Conrad and Rachel also loved to dance, including in their kitchen. Such a loving memory we hold close to our hearts.

Rachel always believed that it is the little things that make a life meaningful — the love you give, the people you hold close and the memories you create along the way.

Rachel is survived by her three daughters and their families: daughter Carrie (Robert) Butt of Stevens Point; daughter Kristine (Adam) Payne of Plymouth; and daughter Suzanne (John) Favor of Thousand Oaks, California.

Also mourning are her cherished grandchildren: Erik (Carly) Butt, Forrest (Courtney) Payne, Rachel (Jake) Grosenick, Ari (Brittany) Bault, Abby (Mike) Daly and Kylie Hamilton, along with great-grandchildren Emalin, Jett, Hollan, Sophie, Jayce and Laina.

Also surviving is Rachel’s sister Cheryl (Jim) Thompson of Goose Creek, South Carolina; sister-in-law Yvonne Halvorson of Stevens Point; nephews Chad Emerson and Mark Halvorson; and nieces Anne Haugland, Sara Koehler, Kari Franz and Michelle Emerson.

Rachel was called Mimi after her first grandchild was born. If you look up the definition of Mimi in the dictionary, it is a sweet, kind, loving, beautiful grandmother.

Shuda Funeral Chapel and Trinity Lutheran Church are honored to be assisting the family.

A Celebration of Life for both Rachel and Conrad Favor will be held Friday, May 29, 2026. Visitation and church services will be at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1410 Rogers St., Stevens Point. Visitation starts at 11 a.m., followed by the church service at noon. Coffee and snacks will follow.

Rachel was preceded in death by her beloved husband Conrad; her cherished son Daniel Favor; nephew Steven Halvorson; brother Gary; sister-in-law Mary Skundberg; and her parents, Clara and Reuben Skundberg.