Carole Ann Fechner died at home, surrounded by family, on Friday, March 15, after a long illness.
From a young age, Carole shouldered responsibility beyond her years. Despite this — or maybe because of it — Carole retained a childlike sense of fun and mischief her entire life.
Born in Kenosha on July 26, 1946, Carole revealed her talent for making hilarious trouble early in life, like the time she convinced her freshly pajama’d and combed younger brother Jimmy to jump into the bathtub with her — and once their long-suffering mother had fished him out and changed him into clean jammies, she got him to do it again.
“Carole was our leader and we all looked to her — especially if we were laughing,” says her sister Lila.
The siblings and their parents lived with Carole’s Norwegian grandparents, Peter and Ulrikka Jensen, in their early years, and Carole was proud of her Norwegian heritage.
Growing up wasn’t all fun and games for Carole. Their father died when she was in her early teens, and Carole often served as surrogate parent while their mother worked to support the family. Despite these responsibilities, Carole was very social and had lots of friends. She graduated from Mary D. Bradford High School and married her high school sweetheart Ronald K. Fechner.
Carole and Ron raised three daughters together. The family loved to travel, making 30 trips to Disney World and camping all over. The family also loved spending time in their cabin on Little Green Lake. A stay-at-home mom, Carole shared her sense of humor with her kids, who all grew up with a love of laughter.
Later, Carole served as a teaching assistant for Kenosha Unified School District for 12 years, and as an assistant supervisor at the Kenosha Achievement Center for 11 years until her retirement. Carole was a lifetime member of the VFW Women’s Auxiliary.
Family was everything to Carole. When her mother was disabled by a stroke, Carole stepped up as family matriarch, hosting Thanksgiving dinners and the most fun family Christmas parties anyone has ever attended. Close with all her siblings, especially her two sisters, Carole led girls’ shopping and casino trips while the men were off deer hunting.
Carole loved flamingos, 1950s and ’60s rock and roll (especially Elvis Presley) and shopping. She was generous with her family and her many friends, and just a little bit over the top. Presents from Carole were usually big bags containing many items, each picked out with care. She sent special cards to friends and loved ones for every occasion.
Becoming a grandmother — and then a great grandmother — was a whole new outlet for fun. She told her grandsons to call her “Rambo Grambo,” and sleepovers at her house were never boring. She served as godmother to multiple nieces, nephews and a grandniece, and was a favorite among all kids who were lucky enough to spend time around her.
Carole probably never realized how much she was admired and looked up to. Her sister Janice colored her hair blond for much of her life, because, she said, she wanted to look like Carole. Everyone who knew Carole has a story of something wonderful and unheard of that she did or said.
Carole is survived by her husband of 60 years, Ron Fechner, daughters Julie Shilhavy, Kristen (Matthew) McDaniel and Stefanie (John De Young) Staton; sister Lila (Fred) Kirby-Chubrilo, brothers Jim (Linda) and Bill (Teri) Kirby; brother-in-law Wes (Leah) Fechner and sister-in-law Barbara (Wayne) Riley; stepfather Lee Dederich; grandsons Justin (Carly Frieman) Tawwater, Joshua Shilhavy and Matthew McDaniel Jr.; great grandson Dustyn McDaniel and many cousins, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Nancy Dederich and James Kirby, sister Janice Johnson, brother-in-law Robert Johnson, brother-in-law Fred Chubrilo, and her daughter Julie Fechner and grandson “Baby Matt” McDaniel, both in infancy.
Funeral Services for Carole will be held on Friday, March 22nd at 1:00 p.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (8760 – 37th Ave.). Entombment will follow at Sunset Ridge Memorial Park. Visitation will be held on Friday from 11:00 a.m. until the time of service at the church.
The family would like to thank Laurie Kuhn Cooper, Venessa Figerou and the wonderful caregivers of the Hospice Alliance. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Danish Brotherhood Lodge #14 (1300 Sheridan Road).
