Arlene Lauterbach
Arlene M. Lauterbach, age 89, of Eau Claire and formerly of Strum, WI, passed away on Tuesday, December 3, 2019, at Oakwood Health Services in Altoona, WI.
Arlene was born on April 18, 1930 in Eau Claire, WI to Gustave and Julia (Piske) Gonitzke. She graduated from Lincoln Hill High School in Osseo in 1949. She graduated as valedictorian and was given the honor to address the class with the speech.
Arlene married Oscar Lauterbach on June 3, 1951, at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Foster. Together, they farmed in the Strum area.
Arlene was a faithful member of St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Foster. She taught Sunday school, confirmation and ladies Bible study. She was a lifelong member of the LWML, a member and treasurer of the ladies aid, and did volunteer work at Bethesda's Thrift Shop for 20+ years. Throughout her life, she worked various bookkeeping jobs and before retirement she worked for 24 years as Notary Public & Treasurer for the Town of Clear Creek, Eau Claire County, WI.
She enjoyed sewing clothes and quilts for family and "World Relief Quilts" for the "Grain Train" out of NE. She loved flowers, vegetable gardening, and canning. Her days never stopped. She enjoyed cooking, baking homemade bread, making Christmas cut out cookies, and artistically frosting them with all of the kids help. She also enjoyed wine making with Oscar and reading, including map reading. She was quite the navigator and helped Oscar drive across the Western United States and Canada with four kids in the back seat of the car. They traveled on two lane roads before the highways were built and when some campgrounds were only hayfields. She was Google Maps before there was an actual Google Maps.
Arlene always had an eye for art and beauty. On a 1960's family camping trip to Jasper in Alberta, Canada, her eyes found a beautiful wooden post with two large, beautiful burls. She purchased it and repacked the car trunk with it at the bottom. You can still see this post as a mailbox post at the family farm.
In her most recent years, she discovered painting and loved it. She also enjoyed walking daily. She wore out so many tennis balls on her walker that it was hard to keep up with replacing them. Sunday was her favorite day. She looked forward to Sunday dinners with family and friends all of her life. This was always followed up with a Sunday adventure drive with her daughter and her husband.
Arlene is survived by her daughter Nancy (Hal) Swanstrom and granddaughter Nicole (Dave) McElwaine. She is also survived by many step grandchildren and step great grandchildren.
Arlene was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Oscar; and three sons: Dennis Lauterbach, Rodney Lauterbach, and Bradley Lauterbach.
Funeral services will be held 12:00 noon, Friday, December 13, 2019 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, E11770 County Road HH, Osseo WI with Pastor Mark Benning officiating. Burial will follow at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church Cemetery.
Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Thursday, December 12, 2019 at Schiefelbein Funeral Home, 13507 7th Street, Osseo, WI and again from 11:00 a.m. until time of services at the church on Friday.
Schiefelbein Funeral Home of Osseo, WI is assisting the family with arrangements.
