Kristin Rae Halverson

“If you met Kristin, you learned something.”

Kristin Halverson had many passions. She loved her God and was open with sharing her beliefs. Her mother, Carol, introduced Kristin early on to her life-long love of horses. Riding independently in shows as early as three-years-old, Carol encouraged and fostered this relationship with horses throughout Kristin’s life. This love extended to 4-H, the A show circuit, training horses and riders, many disciplines and even a trip to Spain to participate in the Spanish riding schools. During this trip, she also found and started a long friendship with her new dog, Stewart. Kristin loved her father and looked up to him in a way that shaped her life. Del was a military man, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army. Kristin developed a respect and love for military life, following in his footsteps and serving her country with honor. Kristin also loved her friends and would do anything for them, sacrificing time and energy to help them in whatever endeavor was important to them. If she told you she would help, you could count on her to follow through to the end.

Kristin R. Halverson was born on August 9th, 1972 in Racine, WI to Del and Carol Halverson, followed by a younger brother Chad. Kristin graduated from Walden High School in 1990 and followed in her father’s military footsteps by joining the Army Reserve. Del himself enlisted her at the MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Command) and saw her off to basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey. Her military career continued by qualifying to MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) and served as a medical specialist in orthopedics. She also had a civilian job at St. Mary’s in Racine as an orthopedic technician. Kristin renewed her service by joining the National Guard for a year of active duty as an instructor at the military academy. During her service, she met and fell in love with James Paul Becker, also a member of the Guard. A dinner was set up at a supper club to meet Kristin’s father Del. The two sat patiently at a table waiting for Del and his guest. Jamie’s eyes suddenly grew to the size of basketballs as two Colonels sat down to join them. Soon after, Kristin and Jamie were married in Racine. The newlyweds then followed Jamie’s career to new homes, first to Oshkosh and then to Springfield, IL. During their stay in Illinois, Kristin attended Milliken University earning a degree in business.

Kristin’s life took a new direction when her car was struck by another vehicle on base, narrowly surviving a severe neck injury. No longer able to pass the physical to reenlist in the military that she loved, Kristin was honorably discharged and eventually awarded 100% service-related disability. Following a divorce, Kristin moved back to Wisconsin and spent time in a few different cities including Milwaukee, Greenfield, Ixonia and recently just down the road from her parents in Caledonia. While in Greenfield, Kristin met Tracy Curran who would be her best friend for the rest of her life. To Tracy, Kristin was family, a sister she could count on. “My backbone” Tracy professed. They both shared a love of horses which was always a part of Kristin’s life. Now in Caledonia, Kristin helped manage her parent’s horse barn for a time, and then continued working with a dressage trainer and her horse Bella. When the COVID pandemic hit, Kristin’s life was upturned like everyone else’s. One of her changes was moving her horse to a new trainer, Howard Peet, and a new equine discipline. Kristin found that driving was what her horse Bella was meant to do and found a new passion in it. The last few months of her life were filled with purpose and a newfound self-respect as she flourished with her equine partner.

Kristin was always teaching others and helping them to reach new potentials that they did not know they had. Often working with youth, she had a skill for seeing what they needed to change and communicating it in a way they understood. She had the same skill with her animals; an intuition of how to get their best performance. Her very last ride with her horse, Bara was one of these. Tracy shared how Kristin was glowing after this self-fulfilling ride, appreciating the evidence of all her previous training. Whether you were a friend, a student, or an animal, as Tracy stated, “If you met Kristin, you learned something”.

At the age of 47, Kristin sadly passed away Friday, July 31, 2020, the result of a car accident. Surviving are her parents, Del Halverson and Carol Halverson; her brother, Chad; nephew, Sabastion; niece, Jayden; aunts and uncles, Collen and Tom McCarthy, Cyndi Sather, and Cathy Halverson; cousins, Robin Minosa, Carrie Hougard, Brian Halverson, Jef Halverson, Chris Halverson; other relatives and dear friends.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, 6400 Spring Street, Friday, August 14, 2020, 11:00 am with Rev. Yamid Blanco officiating. Interment with full military honors will follow at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

The services will be live streamed and may be viewed by going to the funeral home website, select Kristin Halverson page, select service, and select live stream. Relatives and friends may meet with the family at the funeral home Thursday, August 13, 2020, 5-7 pm and Friday at the church 10 am until 10:45 am. Groups of 50 for the visitation will be observed. Masks and social distancing are required and masks will be available if needed. Memorials to Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin have been suggested.