Dodgeville - Melinda M. (Haupert) Portzen, age 62, of Dodgeville WI passed away at Agrace HospiceCare peacefully on Tuesday, April 3, 2018 surrounded by her family after a short, but well fought battle with cancer.

Melinda was born in Dubuque, IA to Mr. and Mrs. Richard & Frances (Hunt) Haupert on August 18, 1955. She was a 1973 graduate of Senior High School in Dubuque IA. Melinda and Nick were married on June 6, 1975 and rounded out their family with four children. In 1989, they moved from Dubuque to Dodgeville, WI where they have owned and operated the Dodger Bowl Lanes for 29 years. During this time, Melinda sat on the board of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association and was a Dodgeville Chamber of Commerce board member. Melinda will be most missed for her sharp wit, creativity, and mad baking skills. Her life's accomplishments are not so much wrapped up in titles she held, but in the love and devotion she had for her husband of 43 years and the endless encouragement she gave her children to pursue their dreams.

Melinda is survived by her husband Nicholas J. Portzen II of Dodgeville; her children Nicholas J. Portzen III (Ann) of Dodgeville, Christine (Brian) Kuzdas of Mount Horeb, Amanda (Curt) Kaiser of Madison and Katy Portzen of Nashville TN; her grandchildren Nick IV, Makayla, Hank, & Oscar; her mother Mrs. Frances (Hunt) Haupert of Dubuque; her siblings Deborah Haupert of Dubuque, Richard Haupert (Chris) of Dubuque, Nancy K Smith (Ryan Johnson) of Dodgeville and William Haupert (Sue) of St. Charles MO; other relatives and friends.

Melinda is preceded in death by her father Mr. Richard Haupert, her maternal grandparents Samuel & Frances Hunt, & her paternal grandparents Joseph & Marie Haupert.

Her husband and family would like to thank Agrace Hospice and all the medical staff for the kindness and compassion shown to Melinda and her family as she journeyed through the last months of her life.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, April 9, 2018 at ST. JOSEPH'S CATHOLIC CHURCH in Dodgeville. Monsignor Daniel Ganshert will officiate. Friends may call from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Sunday at the GORGEN-McGINLEY & AYERS FUNERAL HOME in Dodgeville and from 10:00 a.m. until 11:15 a.m. on Monday at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a contribution to Agrace Hospice & Palliative Care or Iowa County Cancer Coalition.