Arlene Janice (Graykowski) Rhein

ARLENE JANICE RHEIN

June 23, 1947 - May 31, 2023
The radio was playing Roy Orbison's "Crying" as the car drove down the dark, empty roads. The hospital had called 20 minutes earlier, a little after 1AM - mom's blood pressure was dropping rapidly, and her breath was growing shallow. With her husband and children gathered together at Holy Family Hospital, Arlene Rhein drew her last breath shortly before dawn on May 31st, 2023. She was 23 days shy of her 76th birthday and ended her days in the same hospital where she began them.

Born Arlene Janice Graykowski at 6:59AM on June 23, 1947, she was the only child of Wesley and Marjerie Graykowski. Arlene graduated from Manitowoc Lincoln High School with the class of 1965 and studied fine arts and home economics at Silver Lake College, graduating in 1969.

Her long professional career began the same year, at Holy Family Hospital as a food service supervisor. Starting her family with marriage to Timothy James Rhein on May 01, 1971, Arlene continued to work until the birth of her second child in 1975. After sending her youngest child off to grade school in 1985, Arlene resumed both work and her studies, earning Dean's List honors while continuing to raise their four children and work as dietician and meal planning educator for Memorial Hospital.

After graduating with a teaching certification in 1987, Arlene began a three-decade career as an educator and administrator for parochial schools in Francis Creek, St. Nazianz and Hilbert. Arlene earned a Master's degree in administration from Marian University in 1997, once more with honors.

Arlene retired for the first time in 2004, as principal of St. Michael's Catholic School in Whitelaw, before resuming work as an English as second language instructor for Lakeshore Technical College the following year. Arlene finally decided to retire from education in 2015, having helped hundreds of students of all ages across the region.

In the years since, Arlene filled her time with quilting, completing dozens of beautiful and intricate designs she gave freely to family and friends, as well as vegetable and ornamental gardening, experimenting with new recipes and enjoying her role as a devoted grandmother to her four grandchildren. Diagnosed with cancer in 2019, Arlene survived chemotherapy and received a remission diagnosis in 2020. A devoted Catholic, Arlene was a lifelong member of the St Francis of Assisi parish and the Manitowoc Senior Center.

Arlene is survived by her husband of 52 years, Timothy; her children: Phil and his spouse, Jenna Derrico; Jeff and his daughters, Grace and Cecelia; her baby boy, Andy; and Christina, her spouse Charles "Charlie" Brown and their two sons, Parker and Emmett; in addition to many brothers- and sisters-in-law, cousins and many close friends, former co-workers and students.

A memorial mass will be held at 11:00 am on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at St. Francis of Assisi church on Marshall Street, 1114 S.21st St, Manitowoc. Fr. Doug LeCaptain will celebrate the mass of Christian burial. Relatives and friends may greet the family on Tuesday from 9:00 am until the time of service at 11:00 am. Following mass there will be a luncheon for family and friends at City Limits.

The Lakeshore Family Funeral Homes, Pfeffer Funeral Home location is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed by visiting www.lakeshorefamilyfunerlahomes.com

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