Adaline Ahrensmeyer

Ahrensmeyer, Adaline Lois MADISON - Adaline Lois Ahrensmeyer, age 89, passed away from natural causes on Sunday, April 8, 2007, at the Main Street Quarter Assisted Living Home in Oregon. She was born on a farm in Packwaukee, on Oct. 9, 1917, daughter of Richard and Sara (Dye) Klinke. Adaline loved school and enjoyed being in operettas at Madison East High School. She was an LPN during World War II and then completed two years of business college. Adaline married Arlow Ahrensmeyer in 1944 and they were long time Monona residents. Arlow operated Ahrensmeyers Grocery on Monona Drive. He preceded her in death in 1989. Adaline worked for the state of Wisconsin and Monona Grove High School as the first secretary. Adaline and Arlow were charter members of St. Stephens Lutheran Church, Monona, where she was the church secretary, sang in the choir and was president of the Womens Circle for many years. In 1964, they moved to Sarona, and operated Crows Nest Resort, along with other family members until 1973. She was an avid golfer, bowler, and fisherwoman. Adaline loved to read and teach her grandchildren about the nature of the northwoods. They then traveled throughout the west and settled in Prescott, Ariz. for ten years, where she started a new career as an ophthalmologist assistant. They moved to Palm Desert, Calif. in 1985, to be near their daughter and enjoy the sunshine and golf of the beautiful California desert. There Adaline sang in a local musical group and performed in many productions at Palm Desert Greens. She was extremely active as a volunteer at Hope Lutheran Church and Carlotta Senior Home in Palm Desert, where she cared for her mother for many years. In 1988, Adaline returned to Wisconsin for her "second" retirement and enjoyed living near her many friends and family members in Madison and the McFarland area. Adaline is survived by her daughter, Sharon (Dennis) Eley of Madison; two grandchildren, Jessica Pauley of Irvine, Calif. and Christopher Pauley of Chico, Calif.; two step-grandchildren, Deana (Reed) Foster of Cottage Grove, and Andrew (Jennifer) Eley of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; two great-granddaughters, Lily and Taylor Foster; and many nieces and nephews, who she was very close to and loved dearly. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Maurice and Douglas Klinke; and two sisters-in-law, Trudy and Grace Klinke. A memorial service will be held at ST. STEPHENS LUTHERAN CHURCH, 5700 Pheasant Hill Road, Monona, at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 12, 2007, with the Rev. Bruce Burnside presiding. Visitation will be at the church from 5 p.m. until the time of the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Madison chapter of Gildas Club, 3000 Cahill Main, No. 201, Fitchburg, WI 53711 or American Cancer Society, 8317 Elderberry Road, Madison, WI 53717. The family would like to thank the dedicated staffs of Chamomile Assisted Living and Main Street Quarters, for their kindness and special attention to Addie these past five years.