Teresa A. Sumnicht, age 75, died on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at her home in Columbus. She was born on January 14, 1951 to Kenneth and Barbara (Wright) Sumnicht in Columbus. She attended Zion Lutheran School and graduated from Columbus High School class of 1969. She furthered her education with an Associate's Degree from MATC.

Teresa never met a stranger. The moment she met someone, she wanted to know everything about them, not out of nosiness, but because she truly cared. She was fascinated by people's lives, their experiences, their families, and the journeys that shaped them. Her warmth and interest made others feel valued, heard, and important.

Teresa had a passion for public service and serving her community. She was elected to the Columbia County Board of Supervisors for several terms where she participated in the development of the new Health and Human Services building in Portage Wisconsin. She was appointed to the City of Columbus Police and Fire Commission and worked for the Columbus School District for many years. She enjoyed the adventure of traveling whether it was exploring locally or abroad and was passionate about spirituality, flower gardening, knitting, painting, cooking, music, and politics. She was open minded and appreciated the opportunity to learn something new. She had a deep love for her family and friends and was always ready to listen and offer support, advise or a kind comforting word. Her smile and laughter came easily and was distinct and contagious. She brightened up any space she occupied.

Words cannot adequately express how much we love Teresa and how profoundly affected we are by her absence.

Teresa is survived by her long time partner of 35-1/2 years, Michael Brisky of Columbus; daughters Channing Johnston of Columbus, Tessa (Jaun) Bester of Roselle, IL; grandchildren Brenna Johnston, Lilian Baker; brothers James (Zona) Sumnicht of Columbus, Richard Sumnicht of Columbus, Mark (Kathy) Sumnicht of Beaver Dam; sister Jennifer Price of Beaver Dam; other relatives and friends.

Teresa was preceded in death by her parents.

A Celebration of Life for Teresa Sumnicht will take place on Friday June 19, 2026 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a sharing of memories at 3:30pm at The Savanna Oaks Community Center 100 Savanna Rd, Fall River WI 53932. Please join us and share your fond memories of her. Light refreshments will be provided. Handicap access is at the rear entry of the facility.

We encourage you to share your online condolences with Teresa's family at jensenfuneralandcremation.com