Arlene Susanne Fechter

    Arlene Susanne Fechter (nee Burkel) passed away peacefully in her sleep on Sept. 6, 2020, in Minnetonka, Minn.
    She was born in Sheboygan, Wis., to Edmund and Matilda (nee Schwartz) Burkel. She attended Random Lake High School, where she graduated her senior year in 1953.
    She met Clarence Fechter in Newburg, Wis., and they married and had two children, Karen Fechter (Robey) and Jeffrey Fechter. She has two grandsons, Jamie and Jeffrey Robey, and two great-grandchildren, Jeffrey and Jovannah.
    Her calendar was always full. She was involved with the Christian Mothers Society at St. Augustine Church.
    She and Clarence would host a large church family and friend celebration on Christmas Eve at their home after Mass at St. Augustine Church which would go well into the night with great food, music, laughter and good friends and family. She enjoyed playing card games, and sheepshead was her favorite. She also played bingo, bowling, and golfing.
    She enjoyed her outings with the social singles group out of West Bend, sometimes they would travel on mystery trips. Her life was full of her travels to Europe and around the U.S.
    She worked at the West Bend Co. and had many titles with the company. She even had her operator’s forklift license. She retired with them after 42 years.She would also help with the voter’s registration during elections. She would travel to Florida often to visit with her daughter Karen and her family. She was always there for others and her friends who ever needed rides to and from hospital visits or other doctor appointments.
    She always had her Fechter Racing Team jacket on as she cheered on her son at the races. She was very active with the church of St. Augustine and enjoyed volunteering with the church.
    She loved to have her grand and great-grandchildren on her lap and would give them a cookie out of her kitchen drawer. She talked about the fond memories of the farm when she was growing up.
    She would fill in her calendar wallet and there would only be two days left that did not have an event and she would ask, “What should I do with those two days? I have nothing to do?” We would say, “Just rest mom.” We all will surely miss her.
    Arlene was preceded in death by husband Clarence Fechter, brother Gerald Burkel, sister Rose Mary Burkel, father Edmund Burkel, mother Matilda Schwartz and other in-laws.
    A funeral service for Arlene will be held at noon on Friday, Sept. 11, 2020, at Phillip
Funeral Home Chapel, 1420 W. Paradise Dr., West Bend, WI 53095, with Deacon Michael Koebel presiding.
    Visitation will be at the funeral home on Friday from 10 until 11:45 a.m. Interment will be at St. Augustine Cemetery.