AUDREY J. GADKE, age 88, of Loyal, WI, passed away at The Waterford in Colby, WI on Thursday, November 2, 2023.  Funeral services will be held at 11am on Thursday, November 9, 2023 at Trinity Lutheran Church, in Loyal.  Rev. Daniel Zimmerman will officiate, and burial will follow in West Spencer Cemetery, in Spencer, WI.  Pallbearers will be her sons.  Visitation will be held at the church on Wednesday, November 8th from 5pm to 7pm, and again on Thursday, from 10am until time of service.

     Audrey Hoeft was born on June 14, 1935 in Abbotsford, WI, the daughter of Otto and Elizabeth (Syring) Hoeft.  She was raised and received her education in Abbotsford, graduating from Abbotsford High School in 1953.  Audrey was united in marriage to Arnold "Arnie" Gadke on July 24, 1953 at St. Peter's Lutheran Parsonage in Dorchester, WI.  Right after their marriage, Arnie had to fulfill his military duties in the U.S. Army, so Audrey lived with Arnie's parents in Marshfield, until his honorable discharge on January 6, 1955.  They resided in Marshfield where they farmed until the Fall of 1957, and then moved to a farm north of Loyal.  In 1960, they moved back to Marshfield to farm, and Audrey also worked as a nurse's aide at St. Joseph's Hospital.  In 1967, they bought a farm northeast of Loyal, where they remained until Arnie retired in 1977.  Audrey, then worked seasonally at Figi's in Marshfield, until retiring in 1990.  After Arnie's death on November 10, 2001, Audrey remained in Loyal until moving to The Waterford in Colby, in June 2022.

     She had many interests, but especially loved baking, cooking, canning, sewing, gardening, walking, and Polka dancing.

     Audrey was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Loyal.

     She is survived by her children: David (Marcia) of Arpin, Pete of Arpin, Michael of Stratford, Debra (Fred) Konrardy of Marshfield, Gary (Bobbi) of Wausau, Jerry (Kristine) of Marshfield, and Tom (Roxanne) of Eau Claire; 21 grandchildren; 24 great grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; other relatives and friends.

     Audrey was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Arnie; one great grandson; her daughter-in-law, Donna Gadke; her sister, Bernadine Hanson; and her special friend, Jimmy.