Barbara Jo Gauthier

Barbara Jo Gauthier

Appleton - Barbara Jo Gauthier, Age 85, passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 14, 2018, at her residence at Brewster Village. She was born on June 17, 1932, in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, the daughter of Henry "Zeke" and Gladys (Butler) Zeleske. On February 14, 1952, Barbara was married to Donald Edward Gauthier.

At a young age, Barbara was employed by Kimberly-Clark Corporation where she met her husband and worked until she had children and became a full time stay at home mom. Barbara dedicated herself to raising her children and making memories. Later in life, Barbara rediscovered her love of writing and began focusing on recording her memories. Her first book, Tying Threads, was published in 2007 and opened up a whole new world for Barbara. She published seven more books over the next five years. Picture This (2009), Tying Threads Twice , Through a Telescope of Time and Do You Hear Me? (2009), I Can Only Tell You What I Know and Without Boundaries (2011), Out of the Darkness and into the Light (2012), and View of My all too Brief Forever Friendship (2012). She also published a CD titled, a look at life, where she can be heard telling some of the prolific stories she created. "These stories were snippets of experiences from each phase of her life along with exaggerations, embellishments, fact and fiction, and few outright lies."

She is survived by three daughters: Dodi Gauthier, Santa Barbara, California; Natalie Gauthier (Claude Meidl), Appleton; and LeeAnn Gauthier, Oshkosh; a son, Joel (Shelley) Gauthier, Muskego; three granddaughters, Emily,Oshkosh; Sydney and Samantha, Muskego; and her granddog, Lady Lou, Oshkosh. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; son, Guy; her brothers: Mark Zeleske and Thom Zeleske; and five brothers-in-law: James, Irvin, Robert, Francis Jr., and Bernard (Vic).

A celebration of life will be held at Kessler's Funeral Home in Neenah, Saturday, April 21, 2018. Friends and family may come between 9:30-11:00 a.m. and stay for the "Trip Down Memory Lane," where a few family members will share their memories of Barbara. Guests are welcome to participate. Barbara will be laid to rest next to her husband and her son in the Dale Union Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Thedacare Hospice or Brewster Village.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt appreciation to Thedacare Hospice, and Brewster Village caregivers for the kindness and care they provided for Barbara. There is no more difficult job then to care for the elderly and we have nothing but gratitude and appreciation for all of those we had contact with and those behind the scenes. Special thanks to Jennifer Hoelzel-Bouhram at Brewster Village for the extra care and love she always provided to Barbara.