Amara Rose Lee

Amara (Mari) Rose Lee found the peace she was searching for and passed away on January 7, 2022. Amara may have left a devastated family behind but is in the Lord’s loving arms. He’s wiping the tears from her eyes and showing her the glories of heaven. She is Home.

Amara was born in La Crosse, WI, on March 25, 1990, to Jeff Richardson and Heidi (Lee) Overson. She was cuter than a bug’s ear and filled our world with joy. As she grew, she blossomed into a vivacious, caring and passionate young lady. She found adventure and humor every place she went and in every situation. She was fiercely devoted to her friends and had a lot of them. She was a very hard worker who stuck to the task at hand until it was completed well.

She graduated from Westby High School in 2008 and attended WTC and then cosmetology school. She was a waitress extraordinaire at Rocky’s Supper Club in Stoddard for many years. She loved her customers and co-workers and was blessed to have Jaynne and Jan as her compassionate bosses. They loved her like she was their own child.

Much of Amara’s time here was spent on her parents’ hobby farm, where she spent her teenage years and some adult years. She loved her llamas, Lucy and Lulu, and she and her friends would spend many hours in the barn trying to calm them down enough to hug them (without getting spit on). Amara loved the beauty of nature of the farm and often wrote about the gentle breezes, the sky, fresh air, wildlife and animals that were raised there. She was a very gifted writer who poured her heart and soul onto paper.

Amara was happiest when she spent time with her dog Rocko and with her siblings, Kristen, Jacob and Hallie. Her face radiated with laughter and joy every time they were together. No one made her siblings laugh harder than Amara did. She’d do Kristen and Hallie’s hair with her special finesse. She’d take them all on unforgettable car rides. Time spent with all of them was always fun and interesting to say the least.

Amara loved traveling. She went to Norway with her Grandma Lee and vacationed all across the country, to the interesting places her dad lived--from San Francisco and Berkeley to New York City, the Outer Banks of NC and Hilton Head of SC. Those trips were great times that left everyone wanting more time with Mari. Brothers Cole and Owen loved spending time snuggling, watching movies and doing art with her. Sister Eileen loved the daily French braids and the occasional blue manicures!

Amara had a very special bond with her mother that grew stronger as the years went by. She knew her mother would do almost anything for her and leaned on her more as time passed. Talks and letter-writings were full of soul searching and life lessons. Each conversation always ended with ‘Lean on Jesus.’

Amara was one of a kind. No one can argue that. Her spirit was bubbly, animated, free-spirited, bold, outlandish, creative, sunny, compassionate, colorful and non-judgmental. She was utterly and completely beautiful, inside and out. That is how we will all always remember our Mari.

Amara is survived by her parents, Jeff Richardson (Tom McEntegart) and Heidi (Lee) Overson; her stepfather, Randy Overson; her siblings:  Kristen (Dan) Godding, Jacob Overson, Hallie Overson, Owen, Cole and Eileen McEntegart; her niece Isla, her grandma, RoseMary Richardson; her grandpa, Roger Overson Sr., and her many very special aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her loving grandma, Herdis Lee, her grandpa Selmer Lee and her grandpa Larry Richardson.

The funeral service and burial will be private.   A Remembrance of Life will be held Saturday, January 15 from 3-6 at Old Towne Inn in Westby. Friends are welcome to come and eat and share their memories of Mari. Memorials may be given to the family, who will use it to help those struggling with addiction. The goal will be to stop illegal drug activity and save those who are fighting addiction and feel all hope is lost. Never give up hope. If you are struggling with addiction and reading this, your life does not need to end like our Amara’s did. We beg of you … please quit and reach out for help. Life is beautiful. Your life is worth saving. Amara is not here any longer, but if she was, she’d be pleading with you to stop.

From the bottom of their hearts, the family would like to thank all the people who tried to help her. Your efforts were appreciated more than you know.  Let’s passionately continue this fight together. Condolences may be given at selandsfuneralhome.com.

To our beautiful Mari:  Always and forever, our baby you’ll be.