Obituary for Frances J. Udee
Frances J. Udee, 87, of Hurley,
died Friday, Oct. 29, 2010, in Hurley. The former Frances J. Kopacz was born Dec. 19,
1922, in Montreal, daughter of the late Walter and Julia (Hoholek) Kopacz,
attended grade school there, and graduated from Lincoln High School in Hurley in
1940. She then attended Northland College in Ashland for two years and was
employed as a secretary for the Montreal Mining Co. for six years. Frances was married to Leo J. Udee on Nov. 9,
1946, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church rectory in Montreal by the late Fr.
Kolman. They moved to Milwaukee in 1950 where they raised their family. She was
employed in clerical work at Allis Chalmers for ten years, and attended
Marquette University for one year. She then worked as a library aide in the West
Allis school system for 25 years, retiring in 1987. Leo and Frances moved to
Hurley in 2000 where he preceded her in death on Dec. 21st of that
year. Frances was a former member of Holy
Assumption Catholic Church in West Allis and Sacred Heart Catholic Church in
Montreal, and a current member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hurley. She was
also a member of, and past negotiator for, the West Allis-West Milwaukee
Teacher's Association. She enjoyed traveling, all sports, and working crossword
puzzles. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, and will be dearly
missed. Surviving are three sons, Leo (Loleta), Fond
du Lac, Paul (Jane), West Allis, and Tom (Kelly), Milwaukee; two daughters,
Linda (Steve) Schmidt, Franklin, and Janice (Steve) Amelunk, Wales; eleven
grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; a sister, Geraldine Anderson,
Montreal; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Besides her parents and husband, Frances was
preceded in death by brothers, Joseph, Steven, Walter "Vako", Chester, Edward,
Eugene and John Kopacz; and sisters, Amelia Studden and Mary Beres. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated
Thursday, Nov. 4, at 11 a.m., at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hurley, with the
Rev. Michael Hayden, celebrant. Rite of Committal and interment will follow in
St. Mary's Cemetery, Hurley. Luncheon will be served in the parish hall
immediately upon return from the cemetery. Relatives and friends may call at the church
from 10 to 11 a.m. on Thursday. Pallbearers will be Leo, Paul, Tom, Todd and
Dirk Udee, and Hans Schmidt. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to
either St. Mary's Church, 404 Iron St., Hurley, Wis., 54534 or the Iron County
Food Pantry, 72 Michigan Ave., Montreal, Wis. 54550. To view Frances' obituary online, sign the
guestbook and express condolences, visit
mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick
Funeral Home Inc., Ironwood.
died Friday, Oct. 29, 2010, in Hurley. The former Frances J. Kopacz was born Dec. 19,
1922, in Montreal, daughter of the late Walter and Julia (Hoholek) Kopacz,
attended grade school there, and graduated from Lincoln High School in Hurley in
1940. She then attended Northland College in Ashland for two years and was
employed as a secretary for the Montreal Mining Co. for six years. Frances was married to Leo J. Udee on Nov. 9,
1946, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church rectory in Montreal by the late Fr.
Kolman. They moved to Milwaukee in 1950 where they raised their family. She was
employed in clerical work at Allis Chalmers for ten years, and attended
Marquette University for one year. She then worked as a library aide in the West
Allis school system for 25 years, retiring in 1987. Leo and Frances moved to
Hurley in 2000 where he preceded her in death on Dec. 21st of that
year. Frances was a former member of Holy
Assumption Catholic Church in West Allis and Sacred Heart Catholic Church in
Montreal, and a current member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hurley. She was
also a member of, and past negotiator for, the West Allis-West Milwaukee
Teacher's Association. She enjoyed traveling, all sports, and working crossword
puzzles. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, and will be dearly
missed. Surviving are three sons, Leo (Loleta), Fond
du Lac, Paul (Jane), West Allis, and Tom (Kelly), Milwaukee; two daughters,
Linda (Steve) Schmidt, Franklin, and Janice (Steve) Amelunk, Wales; eleven
grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; a sister, Geraldine Anderson,
Montreal; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Besides her parents and husband, Frances was
preceded in death by brothers, Joseph, Steven, Walter "Vako", Chester, Edward,
Eugene and John Kopacz; and sisters, Amelia Studden and Mary Beres. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated
Thursday, Nov. 4, at 11 a.m., at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hurley, with the
Rev. Michael Hayden, celebrant. Rite of Committal and interment will follow in
St. Mary's Cemetery, Hurley. Luncheon will be served in the parish hall
immediately upon return from the cemetery. Relatives and friends may call at the church
from 10 to 11 a.m. on Thursday. Pallbearers will be Leo, Paul, Tom, Todd and
Dirk Udee, and Hans Schmidt. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to
either St. Mary's Church, 404 Iron St., Hurley, Wis., 54534 or the Iron County
Food Pantry, 72 Michigan Ave., Montreal, Wis. 54550. To view Frances' obituary online, sign the
guestbook and express condolences, visit
mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick
Funeral Home Inc., Ironwood.