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

----Source: Loyal TRG 07 January 2009

Dudei, Evelyn R. #3 (21 JUN 1922 - 2 JAN 2009)

Evelyn R. Dudei, 86, Granton, died on Friday, Jan 2, 2009, at the Memorial Health and Rehabilitation Center, Neillsville. A memorial service was held at 11 a.m., on Wednesday, Jan. 7, at the Zion American Lutheran Church, Granton. The Rev. James Gordon officiated. Music was provided by Marion Dahl, organist. Interment will be in the Windfall Cemetery at a later date.

Evelyn Ruth Hales was born on June 21, 1922, at home in the town of York, to Loren and Amelia (nee 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. She then taught at Kimberly, until her marriage to Hubert Dudei in 1950. They then moved to the town of Grant to farm. They later divorced in 1974. She taught at the Granton Public School for many years before retiring. For the past few years, she has worked as a volunteer at the Living Well Health Center.

She was a member of the Zion American Lutheran Church, Granton, and taught Sunday school for many years. She 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 FA Alumni and received the Honorary FFA Chapter Degree in 2008, honoring for outstanding assistance to children.

She 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.

Survivors include her children, Bob (Nancy) Dudei, Appleton, Nancy (Jim) Thibodeau, Fort Kent, Maine, and Sue (Tom) Nelson, Cvanaan, Maine; grandchildren, Kristen (Travis) Mills, Nikki Dudei, Paul Thibodeau, Renee Thibodeau, and Gretchen Nelson; a brother, Bert (Katie) Hales, Granton; two sisters, Jeanette (Francis) Steiner, Granton, and Marjorie (John) Eid, Winneconne; a stepsister, Hazel Miller, Clintonville; a stepbrother, Alvin (Jean Dahl), Loyal; and a brother-in-law, Martin Hillbert, Neillsville.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her stepmother, Verla Hales; a brother, Norman Hales; and two sisters, Lucille Hales and Marie Hilbert.

The Gesche Funeral Home, Neillsville, is assisting the family with arrangements.