Arlene Baudry

Arlene Margaret Baudry, 88, went home unexpectedly to her loving Creator on Friday, October 14, 2016 at St. Luke’s Hospital in Milwaukee, WI surrounded by her loving husband, eight children with their spouses and sixteen of her grandchildren. Arlene was born in Evanston, Illinois on May 7, 1928, the daughter of Michael and Julia (Prom) Taff. She graduated from St. Mary’s Grade School and Goodrich High School in Fond du lac, WI.

On February 26, 1949 she married Alden C. Baudry (Al) at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Fond du Lac, WI. In 2016, they celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary among family and friends.

Arlene was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church in Fond du Lac, WI. Besides raising her eight children, she worked as a telephone operator for a number of years at the Wisconsin Telephone Company and as a retail clerk at Younkers Department Store in Fond du Lac.

Arlene will be remembered as a selfless giver to her husband and children. She always put their needs first and would lose sleep at night hoping that her children and grandchildren were safe and successful. Arlene would drop everything to enjoy her travels to timeshares in Hawaii, Florida or Mexico or to cruise the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Adriatic or Black Seas or the Atlantic/Pacific Oceans. She lived weekly for her bridge games and would call her children to let them know her score and what was served for lunch. As a talented seamstress and quilter, she made bed quilts and tree skirts for all of her children and grandchildren.

Since her husband Al was a carpenter, she helped him design and build three family homes. There was nothing Arlene could not do once she set her mind on accomplishing it: upholstering furniture, making candles, designing cakes, making prom dresses and doll clothes, setting up her Christmas villages, canning vegetables, patching clothes, or painting. She had a passion for going to movies and reading novels. Arlene was an Associate with the Sisters of St. Agnes in Fond du Lac, WI. Arlene was most proud of the legacy that she and Al created.

Her loss will be deeply felt by Al, her husband of 67 years and their eight children: Sharon Baudry (friend Linda Miller) of Oak Creek, WI, Sandra (Steve) Hess of Fond du Lac, WI, Mary (David) Colwin of Fond du Lac, WI, Patricia (Mark) Patin of Eden, WI, James (Jennifer) of Fond du Lac, WI, David (Maggie) of Wauwatosa, WI, Jeffrey (Heidi) of Franklin, WI, Michelle (David) Hamilton of Farmingdale, NJ. She is further survived by twenty-one grandchildren: Lori (Hess) Veley, Lisa (Hess) Pieper, Brian Hess, Kevin Hess, Katie (Hess) Burr, Shannon Colwin, Kevin Colwin, Dan Colwin, Michael Patin, Christopher Patin, Andrew Patin, Christine (Baudry) Delisle, Lexi Baudry, Nolan Baudry, Michaela Baudry, Ellie Baudry, Zak Baudry, Alec Baudry, Brittany Hamilton, Marissa Hamilton, Rebecca Hamilton and nineteen great grandchildren with one on the way. She is also survived by brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Leroy and Carol Baudry, Rosemary and Jerry Dettlaff and Sr. Ruth Ann Baudry, CSA along with numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother Kenneth Taff and a brother and sister in law: Georgene (Baudry) Clair and Gerard Clair.

Visitation:  Arlene’s family will receive relatives and friends on Tuesday, October 18, 2016 at 4:00 to 6:30 PM at Zacherl Funeral Home, 875 E. Division Street in Fond du Lac. Visitation will also be held on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at Holy Family Church, 271 4th Street Way in Fond du Lac from 9:30 to 10:15 AM.

Service:  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at 10:30 AM at Holy Family Church. Entombment will be in the Chapel of the Risen Christ, Calvary Mausoleum.

Memorials in Arlene’s name may be directed to the Loaves and Fishes Program in Fond du Lac, WI where Arlene often served meals or to St. Mary Spring’s Academy where she and Al supported eight children with a Catholic high school education.

Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the family. www.zacherlfuneralhome.com