Lizette Kay Tanke

December 31, 1957 - January 8, 2021

Lizette Kay “Liz” Tanke, 63, longtime resident of Washington state, died on January 8, 2021. She was born on December 31, 1957, in Rockford, Illinois, to Keith and Ruby (Due) Tanke. The family moved to Brookfield, Wisconsin when Liz was a teenager. She graduated from Brookfield East High School in 1975 and earned her MBA in Engineering from the University of Wisconsin in 1981. Liz married Mark Peter on August 13, 1983. Shortly after graduation, Liz and Mark loaded their belongings into their station wagon and drove to Washington to start their careers. They fell in love with Washington’s mountains and diverse landscapes and made the state their forever home. Liz, Mark and their beloved Labrador Retrievers ventured into the backcountry to hike, camp and explore as often as they could. Liz mastered the technique of telemark skiing, gently descending the mountain with the grace of a dancer. She took great pleasure in identifying native plants and watching birds flit around and wildlife scamper through the snow. Time spent in nature brought her immense joy and refreshed her soul. With an insatiable desire to learn, Liz became a voracious reader, gaining knowledge about a wide variety of disciplines and interests, notably the natural sciences and psychology. She also enjoyed writing poetry, practicing meditation, and spending time with her friends and her dogs. While she left us too soon, we find comfort in the words she shared with Mark: “I am at peace, I’m in God’s hands, and I have no regrets.” Liz is survived by her husband, Mark; her nephew, Alex Tanke; and other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Jon. Due to Covid-19, there will be no funeral service. Memorials may be made to the Washington Native Plant Society (www.wnps.org) or the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org ). “My spirit is dancing even if my feet are not moving.” -Lizette Kay Tanke