Obituary for Jacqulene Ann Aschbacher Jacqulene Ann Aschbacher, formerly of Fargo, died peacefully in her home on June 28, 2018 in Eden Prairie, MN at the age of 88. Jacqulene Thompson was born on March 22, 1930 in Madison, Wisconsin. After graduating from East High School in Madison, she was employed by the University of Wisconsin Dairy Science Department where she met Peter Aschbacher.
They married in January 1955 and moved to Fargo, North Dakota where they raised three daughters. Jackie eventually returned to secretarial work holding a variety of positions including at NDSU and UND School of Medicine in Fargo, retiring in 1990. Jackie was a devoted mother to her daughters Ann, Jean, and Carol, always wanting the best for them.
As a homemaker, she was dedicated. She sewed clothes for her children, knitted sweaters and mittens, and mastered embroidery and crochet. Cooking for her family was a responsibility she took very seriously and did with much success.
Holiday meals and layered birthday cakes were created from scratch and always something to look forward to. Jackie liked to have fun and was known for her sense of humor. She enjoyed many diverse activities such as bridge, bike riding, and ceramics.
Jackie was an avid reader, making regular trips to the libraries in all the cities in which she lived. She was shocked to learn the late book fee at the Eden Prairie Library was thirty cents per day! Jackie loved to travel.
She was the navigator on numerous road trips with Peter, going all over the US and Canada. In June 1995 they began a five week trek to Alaska, logging 6987 miles. Jackie created an itinerary, subsequently adding detailed travel notes which included comments about a broken windshield on the Alaskan Highway and that “we saw NOT ONE PTARMIGAN, Alaska state bird”.
Later that same year she was still game to drive to Nova Scotia to see the fall colors. Jackie was a true snowbird and savored spending the winter months with Peter in their townhome in Green Valley, Arizona. She adored basking in the desert sun.
Many hours were spent exploring and birding throughout southern Arizona. Visitors to Green Valley were guaranteed a trip to Madera Canyon and to Wisdoms for margaritas. Jackie timed her return to Minnesota to avoid seeing ice on the lake or snow on the ground.
During the summer months, Jackie relished living in their log home on Island Lake, sunning on the deck, boating, reading, and watching TV til the wee hours. Thursday night burgers with Peter and their lake friends at The Hideaway Resort were a happy tradition. Her happiest times were spent with family.
Despite miles of separation after her daughters were grown, family gatherings were a regular occurence. Since moving to Eden Prairie, she cherished living closer to her family. The arrival of two great granddaughters provided her great joy.
Jackie was a strong presence in her family’s lives, and will be greatly missed by friends, her three daughters, and her husband of 63 years. Jacqulene is survived by her husband Peter, daughters Ann Aschbacher, Madison, WI; Jean (Tim) Yerhot, Chaska, MN; Carol (Mike Thompson) Aschbacher, Minneapolis, MN; grandsons Anthony (Amber) Yerhot, Bloomington, MN and Paul Yerhot, Rochester, MN, great granddaughters Avery and Amelia Yerhot; niece Kathy (Bernie Levine) Thompson, Tucson, AZ. She is preceded in death by her parents; brother and sister-in-law Jerome and Lucille Thompson; siblings-in-law Francis (Bub) and Helen Aschbacher, Helen and Joseph Szokoli, Jean and Ed Bartheld, James and Patricia Aschbacher, Thomas Aschbacher; cousins Genevieve (Bud) Jewett and Wilbur Jensen; nephew Phillip Aschbacher.
A mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11AM on Friday, July 6, 2018 at St. Hubert’s Catholic Church, 8201 Main St., Chanhassen, MN. Visitation will be held from 10 – 11 am at the church. Internment will be at Roselawn Memorial Park, Madison,WI.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to My Smile Train or Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge.
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