September 8, 2020 – Arlene Susanne Fechter (nee Burkel) passed away peacefully in her sleep on September 6, 2020 in Minnetonka, MN. She was born in Sheboygan, WI. To Edmund and Matilda (nee Schwartz) Burkel.
She attended Random Lake High school where she graduated her senior year 1953. She met Clarence Fechter in Newburg, WI, 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.
Arlene’s calendar was always full; involved with the Christian Mothers Society at the St Augustine Church. Arlene and Clarence would host a large church family and friend celebration on Christmas Eve at their home after the Mass at St. Augustine Church which would go well into the night, great food, music, laughter and good friends and family.
Arlene enjoyed playing card games; sheepshead was her favorite. She also played Bingo, bowling, and golf and enjoyed outings with the social singles group of West Bend; sometimes they would travel on mystery trips. Her life was full of travels to Europe and around the U.S.
Arlene worked at the West Bend Company and had many titles with this company. She even had her operators forklift license. She retired after 42 years.
Arlene would also help with the voter’s registration on the 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.
Arlene 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, and mother Matilda Schwartz and other in-laws.
A Funeral Service for Arlene will be held at 12 p.m. on Friday September 11, 2020 at the 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 a.m. until 11:45 a.m. Interment will be at St. Augustine Cemetery.
