“Goodbyes don't ever get easier.”
Amber Lynn Levenhagen, 25, of Madison, formerly of Sheboygan, passed away Friday, August 9, 2019 following a motor vehicle accident.
Born January 14, 1994 in Milwaukee, Amber was a daughter of Robert Paul and Jill Marie Ruppel Levenhagen and sister of Alyssa Rae. She attended Holy Name School, Cleveland Elementary School, Horace Mann Middle School and graduated from Sheboygan North High School in 2012. She continued her education at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater and graduated in 2016. Following graduation, she moved to Madison to further her career.
Amber worked for the Unified Newspaper Group in Madison as the government lead writer. In college, she was a photo journalist for the Royal Purple Newspaper in Whitewater. She previously worked at Bill's Piggly Wiggly in Howards Grove when she was in high school.
In 2018, she was named a Future Headliner by the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, one of only five reporters under the age of 30 across the state. She won many awards for her photography and as a “Rookie Reporter of the Year.”
Amber loved reading books, especially to her sister Alyssa. She was an avid environmentalist who loved the outdoors, camping, hiking, spending time on the water, nature, plays, concerts and music, and especially photography where she could always be found with her camera. She was fond of craft beer and was quite the foodie. Her favorite places were Peninsula State Park in Door County where her fiancé, Zach asked her to be his wife. She loved to explore, especially the Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison. She loved animals, especially their cat, Shelby. She played softball for many years with the Sheboygan Rec. Department, Sheboygan North High School and the Sheboygan Strikers.
She loved to travel and was selected as a student ambassador for People to People and was sent to England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. She also traveled to Paris when she was in high school.
Amber is survived by her parents, Robert & Jill Levenhagen, Sheboygan; her sister, Alyssa Levenhagen, Sheboygan; her grandparents, Helen Ruppel, Sheboygan, and Gerald & Jacqueline Ruppel, Sheboygan; and her God parents, John Levenhagen and Julie Carpenter. She is further survived by her fiancé, Zachary Keenum and the wonderful Keenum family who welcomed our daughter Amber into their hearts. Stephanie & Matthew Keenum, Lucas and Jacob, all of Illinois; and numerous loving aunts and uncle, cousins, other relatives and many friends.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Eunice & Fredrick Levenhagen and Margie Houghton; her great grandparents, other close family members and her loving hedgehog, Rigby.
A celebration of Amber's life will take place at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 24, 2019 at the Olson Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 1132 Superior Avenue, Sheboygan. The Rev. Lorri Steward will officiate. Family and friends are welcome at the funeral home on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in her name for a scholarship for photo journalism, Planned Parenthood and the Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin.
The family would like to thank the first responders and those who helped, Flight for Life, the doctors and nurses at the U.W. Health Hospital in Madison, especially nurse Sherry who stayed with us, held our hands, sat and cried when there were no words. And to the transplant team and all those involved with making Amber's gift possible. Amber made a decision to become an organ donor. Her gifts will help up to 75 people.
The Olson Funeral Home & Cremation Service has been entrusted with Amber's arrangements.
