Beatrice Melcher

MADISON/MILWAUKEE
Beatrice Jean (Hagensick) Melcher, "Bea", passed away peacefully at the Milwaukee Catholic Home, Friday, July 15, 2016. Bea was born June 7, 1924 in Milwaukee to Byron Luke Hagensick and Laura Marian (Rowe) Hagensick and grew up on the west side of Milwaukee with her beloved sister Ruth. She fondly remembered time spent with her family, the Rowe and Hagensick grandparents and her Aunt Bea.

She enjoyed activities at the Tripoli Masonic Lodge, seeing the old Milwaukee Brewers, and visits to her dad's office at the Wisconsin Telephone Company. In 1941, she graduated from West Division High School and matriculated to the Milwaukee State Teachers College. She joined the Lambda Phi Chi sorority and majored in Elementary Education. But most significantly, it was here where she met the love of her life, John Melcher. She graduated in 1945 and after John's return from service with the 8th Air Force in England, they were wed on September 1, 1945 at the Soldiers Home Chapel in Milwaukee.

She taught kindergarten for a year before devoting her time to raising six children. They moved to Madison in 1948 and lived together over 60 years. She enjoyed travelling with John, gardening, genealogy, knitting, and antiquing. They enjoyed many years at their cabin on Lake Finley in Vilas County, especially time spent with children and grandchildren. She devoted many years to caring for John until his death in 2012, after 67 years of marriage.

She was a compassionate, caring, and loving daughter, sister, mother, grandmother and aunt who is sadly missed by sister Ruth Patterson (Al), sons John Melcher, Peter Melcher (Marilou), Tom Melcher (Inga Oelschlager), Dan Melcher (Dianne) and Jim Melcher (Nancy Finnegan), daughter Mary Smith, grandsons Bob and Nick, granddaughters Sarah, Laura, Maggie, Molly, and Megan, great grandson Jack, great granddaughters Anna and Madelyn, and nieces Sandy and Nancy.

The family would like thank the Milwaukee Catholic Home for their compassionate care.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Thursday, July 21, 2016 at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, 401 S. Owen Drive, Madison, WI 53711, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow the mass and will be followed by lunch at the church.

If desired, flowers should be sent to Our Lady Queen of Peace, Madison or memorials may be made in Bea's name to Apostolate to the Handicapped, Inc. at 1760 14th Street, P.O. Box 443, Monroe, WI 53566.

Please share your memories of Bea.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road Madison
(608) 238-3434