| Notes |
- Germaine J. (Oestreich) Gloudemans
91, passed away on February 5, 2015 at St. Elizabeth Hospital after a long illness. She was born in Appleton, the second daughter of Orville and Edith Oestreich. Her elder sister, Eunice M. Jacobson, formerly of La Crosse, WI, died in 2013. A life-long member of St. Therese parish, Germaine attended St. Therese School, and graduated from Appleton High School in 1941. She worked at the Wisconsin-Michigan Power Company following graduation. In 1950, she married Appleton native Al Gloudemans, and they began a long and fruitful life in the Fox Valley, raising two children, involving themselves in school functions, charitable causes, frequent travel and family events. Golf and music were her passions. She and her husband Al, who preceded her in death in 1990, regularly traveled to different golf courses throughout the valley during the summer, and their scorecards were always discarded after each round. She sang in an all-female group in high school, and later, for the Xavier High School Parents Choir. Throughout the day, her radio was always tuned to an easy listening station, and she purchased the records for the house collection.
Germaine was an officer of the all-volunteer Christ Child Society, which among many contributions, founded the state's first one-week summer camp for intellectually challenged youth. Soon after, a one-week fall camp for intellectually challenged adults followed. Both were remarkable because the prevailing public opinion of the time was that intellectually challenged individuals were incapable of such experiences and would endanger themselves. Both were proven false. The camps endured for many years, bringing self-esteem and confidence to their numerous campers.
Germaine is survived by her two children: Philip (Karen McLaughlin) of Marblehead, MA, and their daughter, Brenna; and Ellen (Dr. Michael) Baisden, of Greenville, and their two children: Stephen (Sara) and Katherine, both of Woodbury, MN; as well as two nephews: Jeffrey (Sue) Jacobson of Cameron, NC and Thomas (Carol) Jacobson of Onalaska, WI and a niece, Kay Harding (Jim) of La Crosse. Gloudemans family nieces and nephews include Robert (Sue) of Phoenix; John (Linda) of Santa Fe; Jeanette (Gerald) Scanlan of Sun Prairie, WI; Steven Merkel-Hess (Mary) of Iowa City; Gretchen (Leon) Giles of Evergreen, CO; Sally (Ralph) Pennekamp of Edgerton, WI; Connie (Bruce) Sigler of Yampa, CO; and Barb (John) Novey of Glendale, AZ and many more.
Visiting hours: 4 - 6 PM on Sunday, Feb. 8, at Brettschneider-Trettin- Nickel Funeral Chapel and again on Monday, at St. Therese Catholic Church, (213 E Wisconsin Ave) Appleton from 9 AM until the time of the Funeral Mass at 10:30am. Interment will be in St. Mary Catholic Cemetery, Appleton.
The Gloudemans family thanks the staff of Rennes Health & Rehabilitation Center in Appleton for Germaine's care following her stroke and recovery.
|
1923 - 2015 (91 years)
