Mae Joy Scholz

Mae Joy (Lyman) Scholz Knutson, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, friend, artist, and musician, entered into her eternal reward July 8, 2024.  She passed away peacefully at home.

Mae Joy was born in 1925 to William Edgar Lyman and Maude Leona (Hathaway) Lyman in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Except for a few early years in Minneapolis, she grew up on her beloved prairie in Fall City, raised by her grandmother after the death of her mother. She graduated from Menomonie High School in 1942.

Mae Joy married Edgar William Scholz in 1942. For 50 years they grew together, sharing life’s journey from teenage sweethearts to husband and wife, becoming parents and then grandparents, living first on the Washington Stock Farm and later at Lake Wissota. They celebrated their Golden Anniversary less than a year before Edgar’s unexpected death in 1993.

In 1998, Mae Joy married David Martin Knutson, the love of her life. Music brought them together and they shared many other interests; together they made a beautiful life full of art and music, books and poetry, friends and family. They were married for 25 years and said “I love you” every single day. A special event in Mae Joy’s life was their vacation to France, where they spent several days in Paris, toured many museums, and made a day trip to Giverny, the home of Claude Monet, her favorite artist.

A woman of deep, strong Christian faith, Mae Joy used her gifts of the Holy Spirit to lead the first women’s Bible study at the Lutheran Church of St. Matthew in Eau Claire. She also created and led the phone prayer chain for 17 years. She manifested Christ’s love in her loyalty to her friends and her interest in the lives of her extended family.

A gifted musician, Mae Joy became the pianist for the rural Baptist church in Fall City at age 12. She played piano and organ for St. Matthew’s for 47 years, and directed the adult, junior, Sunday School, and cherub choirs. She served as the musical director for the Sunday School Christmas pageant and the Vacation Bible School program.

A prodigious artist, Mae Joy created an immense portfolio of sketches and paintings using many mediums. She took great pride in being self-taught and enjoyed “teaching” her grandchildren and great-grandchildren to make art alongside her. Her talents extended beyond the artist’s easel to sewing, furniture refinishing and upholstering, home decor, and landscape design.

Although Mae Joy worked in the offices of Presto, UWEC, and the Northern Center, her professional life did not define or fulfill her. Instead, she found delight in this Earth created by God; spending time in nature, whether the rugged West, the New England coastline, or her own gardens, gave her great joy. Of all God’s creatures, she had a special fondness for trees and for dogs, most especially her beloved Schuyler, Sparkle, and Kodee Girl. A warm and gracious hostess, she loved to welcome friends and family into her lovely home, to prepare a delicious menu, and to serve it at a beautiful table.

Mae Joy is survived by her husband David Knutson; her brother Ralph Ness; her daughters Sherry Hofer and Kathryn (Richard) Benashski; her step-sons Michael (Jana) Knutson and Karl Knutson; four grandchildren: Christian (Jennifer) Hofer, Jason Hofer, Jessica (Christopher) Watkin, and Alison (William) Taylor; two step-grandchildren: Elizabeth (Cameron) Knutson Rosenau and Drew Knutson; five great-grandchildren: Jacob Rosenblum, Joseph Watkin, Katherine Watkin, Amelia Taylor, and Zoe Taylor; and her dear friends Leslie (Thomas) Pearson and Sue Henneman along with many other friends and relatives.

Mae Joy is preceded in death by her parents William Lyman and Maude (Hathaway) Lyman; her first husband Edgar Scholz; her brothers-in-law Donald Scholz and Robert Scholz; and her son-in-law Jimmy Hofer.

Mae Joy’s family and friends are so grateful for the staff and providers at St. Croix Hospice, for their expert service and tender care.

Funeral service will take place at 10:30 am on Saturday, July 20, 2024 at Ekklesia, 1005 Oxford Avenue, Eau Claire, WI 54703 with Pastor Dan Shambro officiating.  Visitation will take place Friday, July 19, 2024 at Hulke Family Funeral Home from 4-7 pm.  There will be no visitation time at the church on Saturday morning prior to the service.   Committal service will take place at 2:30 pm later that Saturday afternoon in the Fall City Cemetery in the Town of Spring Brook. To view the service virtually please use the link provided  http://www.ekklesia-ec.org/funeral

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in her name to the American Red Cross or to a charity of the donor's choice.  

Friends and family may offer condolences online at www.hulkefamilyfh.com.

Hulke Family Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 3209 Rudolph Road, Eau Claire, WI 54701 is assisting the family with the arrangements.

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