Lou Anna Domann

Lou Anna Domann, 86, of Platteville, WI died on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.  She passed peacefully in the presence of her family. Lou Anna was born on March 15, 1940, the daughter of Francis and Rosa Lou (Smith) Jones in Bishopville in Lee County, South Carolina.  

Born into a family of three older brothers, she learned grit and resilience from an early age. She adopted a strong work ethic in her early years that persisted her whole life through; her first job being at Western Auto in Sumter, SC when she was just 17 years old. Her income helped support her family when her mother fell ill and died with cancer at an early age. A USO girl, Lou Anna could frequently be found entertaining the troops at Shaw Airforce Base nearby. That is where she met her future husband.

 She was united in marriage to Frederick “Fritz” Domann on January 3, 1959 in the town of Scott, Wisconsin.  They wed on a bitterly cold Wisconsin January day without even a winter coat to her name. It was the first of many moments that revealed her grit, determination, and high spiritedness. Together they shared 67 years of partnership.

In the early years of their marriage, Lou Anna worked at the Amity leather company in West Bend, WI while raising their children, making it possible for Fritz to pursue his education in physics. They moved across the country from Wisconsin to northern Vermont where their young family weathered long winters during graduate school, all enabled and accomplished only by Lou Anna’s resilience and practicality. She even typed Fritz’ PhD thesis, including equations and scientific notation, on a portable Smith Corona manual typewriter. When Fritz accepted a physics professorship at UW–Platteville, the family settled in Wisconsin, and Lou Anna continued to work while caring for her family. 

Lou Anna spent many years at the Shopping News, beginning as an entry‑level typesetter and steadily working her way to become manager of the department. She hired many people and was well-respected for her technical abilities and personnel management skills. She retired after a long and productive career. She made the most of her retirement volunteering for the schools and traveling around the world with Fritz. She was a patient, creative, and wonderful mother, encouraging her children to strive for advanced degrees. 

Lou Anna cared deeply about politics and was very civically engaged. She was a fierce crusader for women’s rights her whole life. She was an active political fundraiser and played an instrumental role in the election of the first Democratic Wisconsin Assembly member of the 49th district to be elected in 96 years. This was a milestone of which she was very proud.

Lou Anna’s passions were many, and they all centered on care, connection, and joy. She was immensely proud of her family. She loved tending her bountiful garden, growing and preserving vegetables.  She was a gamer and enjoyed weekly matches of mahjong and card games with her friends, and Rummikub daily with her husband. She was never happier than when surrounded by friends and family, with love, laughter, music, and dancing filling the room. Cooking meals for her family brought her deep pleasure.

Lou Anna is survived by her husband, Fritz; her son Rick Domann (Takako Moriguchi); her daughter Katherine Domann (Gregory Keller); grandsons John, Mark (Holly), and Paul Domann, sons of Rick and Ann Domann; grandson Brian Keller; great‑grandson Jack Domann, son of Mark and Holly; her sister Gale Crayton and many, many loving nieces and nephews scattered across Wisconsin, the Carolinas, and Florida. She was preceded in death by six siblings, four of which suffered the debilitating genetic disease Charcot-Marie-Tooth Syndrome. 

Ever the tree hugger, Lou Anna’s wish was to return naturally to the earth, so she planned a green burial at the Farley Center Nature Path Sanctuary. This will occur in a private family ceremony. A Celebration of her Life, as was her wish, will take place at a future date to be announced.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to the caring staff at Edenbrook and Southwest Health in Platteville for their compassionate care and support. The next time you see a hummingbird, think of Lou Anna; she loved them!

In lieu of flowers, please send gifts in memory of Lou Anna Domann to the Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association (https://give.cmtausa.org/campaign/750502/donate), Box 105, Glenolden, PA 1903, Tel. (800) 606-2682. Online tributes and memories can be contributed at www.melbyfh.com.