Champeau, Beatrice

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 4695
• Obituary: 6 Oct 2007; Appleton Post Crescent

Notes:

Obituary:
Beatrice "Bea" Elizabeth (Champeau) Connelly, 81, Green Bay, died Thursday, Oct. 4, 2007, surrounded by her family. Born in Bay Settlement, Nov. 28, 1925, she is the daughter of the late Isadore and Anna (Besaw) Champeau. Bea met Ward Connelly at a dance at Bay Beach, and then married Ward on June 12, 1945, at Holy Cross Church in Bay Settlement. Bea, affectionately known to many as "Auntie Bea-i" cherished her family and friends. She was a member of the Gold Star Mothers. Bea loved dancing, square dancing, flowers, learning the computer at 73 years old, playing cards, and riding her bike. She owned and operated Honey Bea Bakery for over 20 years while raising her family. Ward and Bea were blessed to have spent 20 years of retirement together; spending their winters in Arizona where they met so many special friends. Bea achieved one of her passions in life and started painting at age 70. Mom always put her family first; now her family would like to thank her daughter, Amy and her husband, Dave and their children for bringing Mom and Dad into their home. By doing this, we were all blessed to have spent Mom's last days together; laughing, reminiscing and caring for her.
Bea is survived by her husband of 62 years, Ward; children, Connie (Ron) Nelson-Tillmann, Green Bay; Mike (special friend, Karla Krause) Connelly, Abrams; James (Barbara) Connelly, Sobieski; Terry (Albert) Flores, Schertz, Texas; Amy (David) Wilinski, Sobieski; and Kim (Kory) Goral, Green Bay; 15 grandchildren, Sue, Patrick, Jeff, Jenny, Lisa, and Michelle Connelly, Carrie and Melissa Connelly, Tomas and Eric Flores, Ryan, Shelby, and Hunter Wilinski, and Danielle and Shannon Goral; 27 great-grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; special daughter-in-law, Bernie Simon; sister, Alice De Bauche; sister-in-law, Jeanne Connelly; nieces and nephews.
Bea was preceded in death by her parents; two sons, Patrick (killed in Vietnam in 1967) and Tom (from Muscular Dystrophy in 1976); grandson, Rick Nelson; son-in-law, Gary Nelson; four brothers and five sisters.
Visitation at MALCORE (West) Funeral Home, 1530 West Mason Street, Saturday (TODAY) from 9 a.m. until the time of the funeral. Funeral service 12 (NOON) Saturday (TODAY) at the funeral home with the Rev. Thomas Hagendorf, O.Praem. officiating. Visit malcorefuneralhome.com to send a condolence to the family.
A special thank you to ALL the Hospice nurses especially Shannon, Kris, Lori, Ashley, Rikki and Lisa. Thank you so much for all the care and help you gave our family.
To Our Mother:
With your firm but gentle guiding hands you have given us love, strength, and a strong family bond. YOU were truly the wind beneath our wings!
Through the years we stayed strong as a family, with you showing Dad you always believed in him. Losing Pat in Vietnam, while still raising all of us. To taking care of Tom with all his special needs. And still, always taking care of everyone else's needs first.
You never let us fall...though we may have slipped when we had a few hard times you were ALWAYS there to pull us back up and give us strength.
Now, on your journey to God, with such heavy hearts and sadness we must let you soar to the ones who went before us. Mom...finally, WE will be the wind beneath your wings.

Beatrice married Connelly, Ward [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 4695