On Thursday, August 13, 2020, Evelyn Rose Sheedy passed away at her home in Flintville with several of her children at her side.

Evelyn was born to Anna (Wenzel) and Stanley Kaczmarek at their home in Flintville on February 28, 1927, and was welcomed by siblings Joe, 12, and Margaret, 9.

Despite growing up during the lean years of the Depression, Evelyn had an idyllic childhood and experienced the joys, adventures, and hard work of living on a farm. Her family instilled in her a love and respect for nature, the land, flowers, plants, and animals; Evelyn instilled that love in her children. She planted flowers and maintained a garden until she was in her late 80s, and at age 87, she canned her last quarts of tomatoes and pickles.

When Evelyn was four, her mother sent her to first grade so that Margaret, who was entering 8th grade, could help her adjust to school. The girls and their friends walked 3 miles (downhill) to Flintville School, and so began Evelyn's formal love of learning and her respect for education. For high school she walked to Flintville School and paid a weekly fee to ride a bus to Pulaski. Evelyn excelled in high school, graduated in 1944, and maintained life-long friendships formed during her school years.

After graduation Evelyn worked for five years as a bookkeeper and secretary for a business in Green Bay, boarding with relatives in town during the winter.

Evelyn's greatest adventure began when she fell in love with Harold Sheedy, a young man from the Anston-Flintville area. They corresponded while Harold finished his degree at Platteville after he had served two years in the army during the war. Her father died in March 1949, and with her mother's blessing, she and Harold married at SS. Edward and Isidore Catholic Church in Flintville on June 27, 1949. They lived in Chilton where Harold taught agriculture at Chilton High School and where Evelyn gave birth to their first two children.

In September 1951 they purchased a farm in Flintville, and Harold resigned from his teaching position to pursue his long-held dream of farming. They returned to Flintville, and Evelyn eventually gave birth to eleven more children. Evelyn and Harold raised their children and worked together to establish a modern, productive dairy farm. For decades she kept meticulous records, paid the bills, managed the farm and household accounts, and prepared and filed tax returns. She and Harold were partners in all aspects of their lives.

Recognizing the need for more educational options for area residents, Harold, supported and aided by Evelyn, began the long and sometimes challenging mission of creating the Howard-Suamico School District. Founding and establishing the district was tantamount to raising another child, and Evelyn always supported and maintained a deep and abiding fondness and respect for the school district. All 13 of her children, as well as multiple grandchildren, graduated from Bay Port High School, and a third generation continues at Bay Port this fall. Evelyn joked that her station wagon could travel to BPHS on auto-pilot after all the trips she made for her children's extra-curricular activities.

Both Evelyn and Harold firmly believed that a community would thrive as a direct result of the efforts of its residents, and they immersed themselves in the support of their church, community organizations, and the schools. Evelyn appreciated and respected the rights and responsibilities afforded those privileged to live in a democracy, and for decades she worked for primary and general elections.

Evelyn and Harold traveled to Ireland and England, and Evelyn was equally as proud of her Irish-by-marriage heritage as she was of her Polish-by-birth ancestry. Harold died in 1982 when Evelyn was 55, and she worked diligently to maintain a stable and loving home for the four teen boys still at home. She truly loved the farm and remained there until she died.

Evelyn loved art, and in her 60s she enrolled in painting classes. For years she continued to enhance her painting skills and gifted her paintings to her children and grandchildren. In addition to gardening, canning, and painting, Ev also enjoyed reading, baking, cooking, quilting, letter writing, and playing cards.

Ev enjoyed the simple things in life: birdsong, sunrise and sunsets, night skies, moon phases, new growth of plants and trees, and the entire spectrum of colors. She saw the wisdom, practicality, and necessity of recycling decades before recycling became a mandate and was averse to pitching something that someone else might use.

Evelyn believed in the general goodness and decency of people, and her empathy, acceptance, sincere warmth, and kind nature drew people to her. She was a good listener and genuinely cared about how people were doing, and people appreciated that. "I love your mom," was a phrase her kids heard often over the years.

Her Catholic faith was at the core of everything she did, and she was a firm believer in prayer, the communion of saints, and the guidance of angels. Through the years she spent countless hours volunteering for church organizations and activities and helping to serve the needs of the extended faith community.

Ev's love for her parents and Joe and Margaret ran deep and she regularly shared stories and anecdotes of her childhood. She also felt blessed to have married into the Sheedy family and loved and valued her in-laws and her nieces and nephews.

Ev considered her family her greatest legacy. She had a deep and unwavering love for her kids, as she called them; she especially loved her grands and great-grands and considered each one unique. "They are all so smart," she'd often say.

Survivors include her children: Anne, Pat, Mary (Ken), Kay, Bill (Angela), Mark (Sandy), Jean (Steve), Beth, Tom (Sharon), Jerry, Greg, Tim (Kim), and Shawn.

Grandchildren: Jason, Stephanie (Billy), Matt (Andrea), Ryan (Ali), Eric (Nikki), Becca (Jade), Kenny (Caroline), Meghan (Russ), Amanda (Tyler), and Cassie (Todd). Also, Ted (Kate), Allison (Chad), Todd (Carlie), Brad (Seugnet), Evan (Amy), Ashley, Lindsay, Brent, Derrick, Brennan, Hannah, Seth, Bryce, Bennett, and Anna.

Great grandchildren: Eden, Wyatt, Abigail, Zoey, Chael, Lincoln; Colin, Bradin, Quentin, Hudsin, Amelia, Mabel, Aidan, Grace; Annie, Charlie, Margaret; Jake, Jordy, Jayden, Levi, Kennedy, Bailey, Madilyn, Arlo; Madelyn, Mackenzie, and Baby Sheedy due in December; Alaina, Josephine, and Sophia.

Also survived by Joey (Jean) Kaczmarek, Mike (Janet) Kaczmarek, Julian Heier, Betty Sheedy, her Sheedy nieces and nephews, Jim Schultz (Kristin), and many friends.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Harold, her brother Joe (Lorraine), sister Margaret, infant brother Adam, grandchildren Tyler Sheedy (1998), and Erin Schultz (2008), life-long friend Ruth Matuszak, niece Judy, and Harold's family: Ambrose, Flora, Evelyn, Millie, Margaret (Milt), Dottie (Harold), Irv (Martha), Lawrence, Neil (Bev), Bobby (MaryJean), and Willie.

The family expresses its sincere gratitude to Sherry from Home Instead; and Erin, R.N., Kathy, and Heather of Unity Hospice for their kindness and respect for Ev and commitment to her health, care, and comfort; and to Andrea for her comforting reflexology sessions.

Much gratitude is also extended to dear friends and family for their regular visits, especially Margaret Wesolowski, Margie Sheedy, Beth Steinbrecher, and Jean Wenzel. You brought extra sunshine to her days, and she loved you.

Evelyn lived a long and blessed life centered on her faith, family, farming, friends, and Flintville. Her children promised her that she would be able to remain in her beloved home, and they diligently worked together for over six years to keep that promise.

Her journey on earth began surrounded by love, and her journey on earth ended the same way.

Open Visitation: Friday, August 21, from 9:30-11:00, SS. Edward & Isidore, Flintville.

Funeral: Limited to family due to spacing limitations. Fr. Dave Hoffman officiating.

Public Graveside Service: Flintville Church cemetery following mass.

Standard CDC protocol: Masks, social distancing, temp checks.

Livestream: Parish FB page.