Marie C. Milbauer's Obituary
Please Note: The visiting hours have changed: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm.
Racine - Marie C. Milbauer, age 87, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family on September 24, 2021, due to complications caused by a stroke in July, earlier this year.
Marie was born in Lockhaven, Pennsylvania to Louise Delaney Myers. She was born out of wedlock. Her father was John Daniel Foreman. Marie was adopted by Clarence and Helen Ripka also of Pennsylvania.
After the loss of her father Clarence, she moved to Ohio to live with her paternal Aunt and Uncle, Katie and Haven Grover. She attended high school in Painesville, Ohio.
Marie moved to Racine, WI, and married Allen Leroy Milbauer on October 31, 1952. They began a family with the arrival of Katherine Lee on February 22, 1957. They suffered a loss of her second child, son, six months later in childbirth. She worked as a housewife and gave birth to five more daughters: Patricia Jean, Jacquelyn Lou, Julie Ann, Tammy Jo, and Michelle Lynn, always hoping the next would be a son. In 1974, she became a widow, with the loss of her husband, Allen, due to complications with asthma and a heart attack.
While raising six girls on her own, she also took in neighborhood children for lunch hour and did house cleaning for extra income. In her middle 50s for about six years, she was a caregiver for the elderly.
Marie never had driven a car and would walk to the grocery store to run errands and to friends’ houses when needed.
Marie always enjoyed music, dancing, playing cards and watching the Packers play. Marie and Allen were on a Dart Ball team and had trophies to brag about. Her in-laws, Naomi and Archie, would visit most weekends to play cards with her and Allen.
Family gatherings for milestone events and holidays were constantly a joy with the Gerbers. Marie enjoyed many weekend outings with family friend such as: Baumanns, Milburns, Rundles, Carl Gehring, the Silvers family, and many neighbors. She is best known for her splendid potato salad and chocolate mayonnaise cake.
Marie will be lovingly remembered by her daughters: Katherine Brenengen, Patricia (Craig) Aude, Jacquelyn (MIchael) Thompson, Julie (Pete) Bass, and Michelle Milbauer; son-in-law, James Derks; grandchildren: Richard (Lauren) Woodward, Elijah (Kelly) Milbauer, Amanda (Adam Kollgaard) Aude, Izak Thompson, Alex Milbauer, and many step-grandchildren; great-grandchildren: Dylan, Dustin and Donovan Woodward, Trevin, Julie, Arianna, Jackson, Molly Milbauer, and future Baby Aude-Kollgaard; numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-great-nieces and nephews.
Marie was preceded in death by her: parents, husband, mother, and father; daughter, Tammy Derks; grandson, Erik Thompson; in-laws: Naomi (Archie) Overson and Eric (Stella) Milbauer; son-in-law, James Brenengen; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Calvin (Delores) Gerber; siblings; great-nieces: Tammy Hush and the Konsinowski infants; and many friends.
A ceremony will be held at the Wilson Funeral Home on Wednesday, September 29, 2021, at 1:00 PM. Visitation is from 11:00 AM until the time of service at 1:00 PM. Interment will follow at Graceland cemetery in Racine. Visit www.wilsonfuneralhomerinc.com to share stories of Marie and online condolences.
Special thanks to the Holistic Home and Hospice Center staff for their loving care and support.
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