Obituaries

Mary Jane Pflederer

Photo of Mary Jane Pflederer
Mary Jane Pflederer, 87, passed away peacefully on July 27, 2014, after failing to recover from a recent accident. She was born in Milwaukee to the late Ambrose and Erna (nee Fritsche) Bauernfeind, and grew up spending happy summers at their cottage on North Lake with her many relatives. Mary Jane received a B.A. in economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Phi Beta Kappa, and worked as an unemployment compensation analyst and adjudicator for the state of Wisconsin until marrying the love of her life, Fred Pflederer, and becoming a consummate housewife during their 61-year marriage. She considered her major lifetime achievement to be raising three children of excellent character and abilities, with the wonderful help of their father. Mary Jane enjoyed camping vacations when their children were young, and later camping and hunting with her husband. Upon Fred's retirement in 1992, they moved to Bella Vista, Ark., where they continued to enjoy the outdoors and enriching friendships. Mary Jane gained great satisfaction from contributing to many church and social activities, such as teaching Sunday school and vacation Bible school classes, acting as Girl Scout leader, treasurer of Presbyterian Women, and the Martha Garvin Circle Shoebox and Sweater coordinator for the Presbyterian Church of Bella Vista. In recent years, Mary Jane delighted in frequent trips to Wisconsin to be with her grandchildren. In addition to her husband, Mary Jane is survived by her loving sister, Nancy (Jim) Francis; her daughters, Janet Pflederer and Gail (Alan) McNichols; and son, Ray Pflederer; and her grandchildren, Jakob and Ethan Pflederer, and Jessie, Andrew and Samantha McNichols. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. at the Presbyterian Church of Bella Vista on Saturday, Aug. 2, and internment will be at Wisconsin Memorial Park in Brookfield, Wis., at a later date. Memorials may be made to the Vera Lloyd Presbyterian Home, 1501 N. University, Suite 345, Little Rock, AR 72207; or The Ridges Sanctuary, P.O. Box 152, Baileys Harbor, WI 54202. Online condolences may be made at www.funeralmation.com.

Published August 1, 2014

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