Pauline Athans

Visitation will take place on Tuesday, August 26th at HERITAGE FUNERAL HOME (1901 N FARWELL AVE, MILWAUKEE) from 10:30 to 11am.
Funeral Service will take place on Tuesday, August 26th at HERITAGE FUNERAL HOME (1901 N FARWELL AVE, MILWAUKEE) at 11am.
Burial will take place on Tuesday, August 26th at PINELAWN MEMORIAL PARK (10700 W Capitol Dr, Milwaukee) at 1pm.
Born to Earthly Life: April 7, 1941
Born to Eternal Life: August 19, 2025
Pauline Athans was a gifted athlete, artist, loving wife of mathematics teacher Basil George Athans (Athanasopoulos) for 39 years, good-hearted step-mother to Cleopatra Joan Athans, and wonderful friend to both. She was the only child of working class Henry and Charlotte Schreck. Pauline was a Juneau High School Class of 1959 Graduate, and a professional figure skater by 1960. She held a Master's Degree in Library Science, and 36 years with the City of Milwaukee Public Library, as a Librarian III. She was also a past member of: United States Professional Figure Skating (Association), St Louis Figure Skating Club, and the Wisconsin Figure Skating Club.
She began her figure skating career in Milwaukee at age 12. Pauline skated 2 summers in Lake Placid, New York, under the instruction of Lake Placid Figure Skating Coach Gustave Lussi, where she tested and was awarded National Certification of 8th Gold Test Metal in Figures and Free Skate, and 7th Silver Test Metal in Dance. She competed in Wisconsin Regionals, Midwesterns, and ranked 10th in Nationals, before declaring Professional Figure Skating Status at age 19.
Pauline traveled to St Louis, Missouri, where Nationally Certified Figure Skating Instructors, were in high demand. There, she taught public and private lessons, and used the skating income, to pay for her college tuition at Webster University. After a time, she returned to Milwaukee and transferred to the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, while she worked at the Wauwatosa Figure Skating Rink (NKA Pettit National Ice Center), to pay for her undergraduate tuition. She graduated from UWM, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Secondary Education, teaching English and German.
At graduation, she was hired as a Library Assistant, with the City of Milwaukee Public Library. Upon receiving her Master's Degree in Library Science from UW-Milwaukee, she was promoted to Librarian I, and subsequent promotions followed. Pauline pursued additional night courses in Business Administration at UW-Milwaukee, to sharpen her technical skills at the Science and Business Desk, and received 'A's in UWM's Greek Language I & II. She retired from MPL as a Librarian III, having worked at the Central Library's: Science & Business, Ready Reference, Humanities, Periodicals, Fine Art & Music, and Card Catalogue; Neighborhood Libraries of: Atkinson, Bookmobile, Capitol, Center Street, Eastside, Finney, Martin L King Jr, and Tippecanoe.
Pauline passed peacefully, after 5½ years at Eastcastle – Bradford Terrace – Memory Care, where she enjoyed: partaking in outings, singing and listening to all music styles, sharing her artistic talents to draw and paint, and reading books to the other residents.
Special thanks to: Pastor Andrews; Eastcastle RNs: Ade and Lina Eidenberger; CNAs: Evon, Nicole, and Megan; Activity Coordinators: Kim Garcia and Aaron; Case Manager: Nicole Claas; The Key CNA: Cindy; Horizon: Hospice RN Rebekah Beaudry; Music Therapist: Kate Craney-Welch, and others for their hard work, dedication, and compassion.
Visitation will take place from 10:30am-11:00am and the Memorial Service from 11:00am-12:00pm at Heritage Funeral Home (1901 N Farwell Av) on Tuesday, August 26, 2025. There will be a 1:00pm Interment at Pinelawn Memorial Park (10700 W Capitol Dr).
"A Mother's Love"
By Patra Athans
A mother's love
Is strong
And tender,
Warm
And giving,
True and kind.
It is
Unconditional
And forgiving.
It lives on
In each of us,
And therefore
Never dies.
It just
Passes on
To others,
Along life's
Beaten path,
In spite of
Hardships
Or life's trials
And tribulations.
It somehow
Re-emerges,
Here and there
Now and then,
In some such
Shape or form.
It is
Always there,
With us
Holding on,
Until
The very end. ©