Surnames: Dudei, Krause, Hales, Thibodeau, Nelson, Mills, Steiner, Eid, Miller, Dahl, Hillert, Gordon

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) January 7, 2009

Dudei, Evelyn Ruth (21 June 1922 - 2 January 2009)

Evelyn Dudei, 86, of Granton died Friday, Jan. 2, 2009, at the Memorial Health and Rehabilitation Center in Neillsville.

Evelyn Ruth Hales was born June 21, 1922, at Home in the Town of York, Clark County, the daughter of Loren and Amelia (Krause) Hales. She attended Stevens Point Normal School for two years and then graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. Evelyn then taught at Kimberly until her marriage to Hubert Dudei in 1950. Evelyn and Hubert then moved to Milwaukee, where she worked for Globe Union. In 1954, they moved to the Town of Grant in Clark County to farm. They were later divorced in 1974. Evelyn taught at the Mayflower School in Lynn Township. She later taught at the Granton Public School for many years before retiring. For the past few years, Evelyn worked as a volunteer at the Living Well Health Center.

She was a member of the Zion American Lutheran Church in Granton and taught Sunday School for many years. Evelyn enjoyed traveling, flowers, gardening and quilting. She was a past honored Citizen of the Year during the Granton Fall Festival. She was a member of the FFA Alumni and received the Honorary FFA Chapter Degree in 2008, honoring her outstanding assistance to children.

Evelyn always had exuberance for life. She had a passion for caring and sharing with others and talked often of her "Earth Angels" and how they cared about her, while still allowing her the independence she enjoyed on her farm.

She is survived by her children, Bob (Nancy) Dudei of Appleton, Nancy (Jim) Thibodeau of Fort Kent, ME, and Sue (Tom) Nelson of Canaan, ME; grandchildren, Kristen (Travis) Mills, Nikki Dudei, Paul Thibodeau, Renee Thibodeau and Gretchen Nelson; a brother, Bert (Katie) Hales of Granton; two sisters, Jeanette (Francis) Steiner of Granton and Marjorie (John) Eid of Winneconne; a stepsister, Hazel Miller of Clintonville; a step brother, Alvin (Jean) Dahl of Loyal; and a brother-in-law, Martin Hillert of Neillsville.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents; her stepmother, Verla Hales; a brother, Norman Hales; and two sisters, Lucille Hales and Marie Hillert.

A Memorial service for Evelyn will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009, at the Zion American Lutheran Church in Granton. Pastor James Gordon will officiate. Music will be provided by Marjorie Dahl, organist. Interment will be in the Windfall Cemetery at a later date. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Gesche Funeral Home in Neillsville and from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. Wednesday at the church.

The Gesche Funeral Home is assisting Evelyn’s family with funeral arrangements.