MCFARLAND - Rachel Harriet Aaroen, (formerly Julson), age 89, of McFarland, passed away on Monday, Oct. 26, 2020, at Skaalen Magnolia Gardens in Stoughton, Wis. She was born on Nov. 29, 1930, on a farm in Waunakee, Wis. She was the daughter of Wayne and Anna (Adler) Bacon and had six brothers and sisters.
Rachel was an independent, intelligent, and resilient woman, and these traits served her well throughout various aspects of her life including her education, her career journey, her travel adventures, and her family relationships.
Rachel graduated valedictorian from Waunakee High School in 1949 and attended UW-Madison. She was a legal secretary for Stern and Associates for many years and proudly claimed that she "ran the office." The group also handled claims work for a number of insurance companies and she eventually became a claims adjuster for the firm. Subsequent to that, she worked as a travel agent for Van's Gateway Travel with her sister, Nancy and brother-in-law, Ray.
Rachel was heavily involved in bowling throughout her life and was well known in the Madison area as a premier bowler, rolling a career high series of 669. She served as executive director of the Wisconsin Women's Bowling Association (WWBA) for many years, where she ran the annual state women's bowling tournament in various cities around Wisconsin. She also served on the board of directors for the Madison Women's Bowling Association and the WWBA. As a result of her bowling skills and service, Rachel was inducted into the Wisconsin State US Bowling Congress Hall of Fame in 1999 (https://www.wibowl.com/hall-of-fame/), which was a highlight of her life.
She was also a successful regional sales manager for House of Lloyd (a national home party Christmas and home décor vendor) for about 10 years. She consistently hit high sales targets and was awarded all-inclusive trips to England, Spain, Brazil, Hawaii, and Alaska, where she had incredible adventures with some dear friends and family. She reminisced about these trips and the fun she had until the end of her life. Pictures of the trips show her laughing and dining with friends, whitewater rafting, dancing, riding donkeys, and generally getting into mischief.
In the latter part of her life, Rachel worked as a waitress at the Green Lantern in McFarland, Wis., until she was almost 80. She had the pleasure of working there with her three granddaughters and developed close relationships with many loyal patrons and other staff.
In more recent years, Rachel was a successful small business owner and formed her own LLC - Designs by Rae - a crafting and sales entity. As a skilled seamstress, she made beautiful custom ladies' sweatshirts, cardigans, and home/holiday decorations. She was widely known for her quality merchandise, which she sold at numerous craft shows in the area, through a shop in Door County, and even in her online store! She ran the business and was still sewing until the age of 87. She and her sister, Nancy crafted and sold at craft sales together, a time in her life she cherished.
She loved casino gambling particularly blackjack, slots, keno, and bingo and made numerous trips to Las Vegas with family and friends over the course of her life. Many a shrimp cocktail was enjoyed at Westward Ho and other Vegas hot spots. When casinos came to Wisconsin, she became a casino bus trip guide and chaperoned many happy patrons to fun destinations in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Michigan.
Rachel took up golf as an adult and played frequently, participating in many Madison and state-level tournaments. She, along with her first husband, Chuck (Charles Lloyd Julson), instilled a love of the game and some decent playing skills in their two daughters.
She enjoyed spending time with her four sisters with whom she was very close. She also enjoyed holiday baking with family, making German pfeffernuts and peanut brittle with her sister, Nancy, and going out to lunch with her daughters. Rachel's favorite birthday treat was angel food cake - maybe because her mother made and sold many cakes during the Depression to help support the family of seven children. The leftover yolks were perpetually being repurposed into yellow cakes for Rachel and her siblings, instilling in her a lifelong dislike for yellow cake.
Rachel has one great-grandchild - Elena - who she absolutely adored. Sadly, she will never meet (at least in this life) her great-grandson, due in January. Rachel loved her family and ensured that each grandchild would have lifelong love and happiness by personally approving (and sometimes choosing) each of their spouses. Her family continues to feel her mischievous and humorous presence as they find cash (probably for gambling trips) hidden in random objects from her home.
In 1986, Rachel married her soulmate, Barkley Aaroen, in McFarland, Wis. She was previously married to Charles Julson of Mount Horeb, Wis. Rachel and Barkley went on many great adventures together, including driving their 5th wheel to Florida to spend the winter months (and frequenting the dog tracks) and camping with family and friends on the Mississippi River at Ferryville in the summer. Rachel was involved in so many activities at once that Barkley used to say in a teasing way "there she goes again- always spinning her wheels."
She was a member of the McFarland Lioness Club and frequented the Monona Senior Center to do crafting and play cards. She was a long-time member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Madison, serving as a volunteer with Bethel Estate Sales where she had a lot of fun and made many good friends.
Rachel is survived by her two daughters, Deborah (Wes) Waite of McFarland, Wis. and Karen (Dave) Pilliod of Gainesville, Ga.; four grandchildren, Mindy (Joseph Munski) Waite, Stacey (Eric) Sykes, Kristin (Chad) Paulson, and Thomas (Cate) Pilliod; her great-granddaughter, Elena Sykes; and her great-grandson due in January. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Barkley; two brothers, Vernon (LaValle) Bacon and John M. Bacon; and four sisters and their spouses, Lois (Carlton) Wilke, Joan (Glenn) Heyn, Doris (Marvin) Krinke and Nancy (Ray) Vanderploeg.
The family would like to thank the staff and residents of Heritage Assisted Living in Monona, Home Instead senior services, Skaalen Magnolia Gardens, and Agrace Hospice Care, all of whom assisted her to the end of her earthly journey. But she could not have done it without the support and love of her oldest granddaughter, Mindy, who was her rock until the end.
A memorial event to celebrate Rachel's life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent in Rachel's name to Bethel Lutheran Media Ministry, 312 W. Wisconsin Ave., Madison, WI 53703 (https://www.bethel-madison.org/give) or to the Monona Senior Center, 1011 Nichols Rd., Monona, WI 53716 (https://www.mymonona.com/251/Senior-Center).
Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care
Rachel was an independent, intelligent, and resilient woman, and these traits served her well throughout various aspects of her life including her education, her career journey, her travel adventures, and her family relationships.
Rachel graduated valedictorian from Waunakee High School in 1949 and attended UW-Madison. She was a legal secretary for Stern and Associates for many years and proudly claimed that she "ran the office." The group also handled claims work for a number of insurance companies and she eventually became a claims adjuster for the firm. Subsequent to that, she worked as a travel agent for Van's Gateway Travel with her sister, Nancy and brother-in-law, Ray.
Rachel was heavily involved in bowling throughout her life and was well known in the Madison area as a premier bowler, rolling a career high series of 669. She served as executive director of the Wisconsin Women's Bowling Association (WWBA) for many years, where she ran the annual state women's bowling tournament in various cities around Wisconsin. She also served on the board of directors for the Madison Women's Bowling Association and the WWBA. As a result of her bowling skills and service, Rachel was inducted into the Wisconsin State US Bowling Congress Hall of Fame in 1999 (https://www.wibowl.com/hall-of-fame/), which was a highlight of her life.
She was also a successful regional sales manager for House of Lloyd (a national home party Christmas and home décor vendor) for about 10 years. She consistently hit high sales targets and was awarded all-inclusive trips to England, Spain, Brazil, Hawaii, and Alaska, where she had incredible adventures with some dear friends and family. She reminisced about these trips and the fun she had until the end of her life. Pictures of the trips show her laughing and dining with friends, whitewater rafting, dancing, riding donkeys, and generally getting into mischief.
In the latter part of her life, Rachel worked as a waitress at the Green Lantern in McFarland, Wis., until she was almost 80. She had the pleasure of working there with her three granddaughters and developed close relationships with many loyal patrons and other staff.
In more recent years, Rachel was a successful small business owner and formed her own LLC - Designs by Rae - a crafting and sales entity. As a skilled seamstress, she made beautiful custom ladies' sweatshirts, cardigans, and home/holiday decorations. She was widely known for her quality merchandise, which she sold at numerous craft shows in the area, through a shop in Door County, and even in her online store! She ran the business and was still sewing until the age of 87. She and her sister, Nancy crafted and sold at craft sales together, a time in her life she cherished.
She loved casino gambling particularly blackjack, slots, keno, and bingo and made numerous trips to Las Vegas with family and friends over the course of her life. Many a shrimp cocktail was enjoyed at Westward Ho and other Vegas hot spots. When casinos came to Wisconsin, she became a casino bus trip guide and chaperoned many happy patrons to fun destinations in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Michigan.
Rachel took up golf as an adult and played frequently, participating in many Madison and state-level tournaments. She, along with her first husband, Chuck (Charles Lloyd Julson), instilled a love of the game and some decent playing skills in their two daughters.
She enjoyed spending time with her four sisters with whom she was very close. She also enjoyed holiday baking with family, making German pfeffernuts and peanut brittle with her sister, Nancy, and going out to lunch with her daughters. Rachel's favorite birthday treat was angel food cake - maybe because her mother made and sold many cakes during the Depression to help support the family of seven children. The leftover yolks were perpetually being repurposed into yellow cakes for Rachel and her siblings, instilling in her a lifelong dislike for yellow cake.
Rachel has one great-grandchild - Elena - who she absolutely adored. Sadly, she will never meet (at least in this life) her great-grandson, due in January. Rachel loved her family and ensured that each grandchild would have lifelong love and happiness by personally approving (and sometimes choosing) each of their spouses. Her family continues to feel her mischievous and humorous presence as they find cash (probably for gambling trips) hidden in random objects from her home.
In 1986, Rachel married her soulmate, Barkley Aaroen, in McFarland, Wis. She was previously married to Charles Julson of Mount Horeb, Wis. Rachel and Barkley went on many great adventures together, including driving their 5th wheel to Florida to spend the winter months (and frequenting the dog tracks) and camping with family and friends on the Mississippi River at Ferryville in the summer. Rachel was involved in so many activities at once that Barkley used to say in a teasing way "there she goes again- always spinning her wheels."
She was a member of the McFarland Lioness Club and frequented the Monona Senior Center to do crafting and play cards. She was a long-time member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Madison, serving as a volunteer with Bethel Estate Sales where she had a lot of fun and made many good friends.
Rachel is survived by her two daughters, Deborah (Wes) Waite of McFarland, Wis. and Karen (Dave) Pilliod of Gainesville, Ga.; four grandchildren, Mindy (Joseph Munski) Waite, Stacey (Eric) Sykes, Kristin (Chad) Paulson, and Thomas (Cate) Pilliod; her great-granddaughter, Elena Sykes; and her great-grandson due in January. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Barkley; two brothers, Vernon (LaValle) Bacon and John M. Bacon; and four sisters and their spouses, Lois (Carlton) Wilke, Joan (Glenn) Heyn, Doris (Marvin) Krinke and Nancy (Ray) Vanderploeg.
The family would like to thank the staff and residents of Heritage Assisted Living in Monona, Home Instead senior services, Skaalen Magnolia Gardens, and Agrace Hospice Care, all of whom assisted her to the end of her earthly journey. But she could not have done it without the support and love of her oldest granddaughter, Mindy, who was her rock until the end.
A memorial event to celebrate Rachel's life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent in Rachel's name to Bethel Lutheran Media Ministry, 312 W. Wisconsin Ave., Madison, WI 53703 (https://www.bethel-madison.org/give) or to the Monona Senior Center, 1011 Nichols Rd., Monona, WI 53716 (https://www.mymonona.com/251/Senior-Center).
Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care
MCFARLAND - Rachel Harriet Aaroen, (formerly Julson), age 89, of McFarland, passed away on Monday, Oct. 26, 2020, at Skaalen Magnolia Gardens in Stoughton, Wis. She was born on Nov. 29, 1930, on a farm in Waunakee, Wis. She was the daughter of Wayne and Anna (Adler) Bacon and had six brothers and sisters.
Rachel was an independent, intelligent, and resilient woman, and these traits served her well throughout various aspects of her life including her education, her career journey, her travel adventures, and her family relationships.
Rachel graduated valedictorian from Waunakee High School in 1949 and attended UW-Madison. She was a legal secretary for Stern and Associates for many years and proudly claimed that she "ran the office." The group also handled claims work for a number of insurance companies and she eventually became a claims adjuster for the firm. Subsequent to that, she worked as a travel agent for Van's Gateway Travel with her sister, Nancy and brother-in-law, Ray.
Rachel was heavily involved in bowling throughout her life and was well known in the Madison area as a premier bowler, rolling a career high series of 669. She served as executive director of the Wisconsin Women's Bowling Association (WWBA) for many years, where she ran the annual state women's bowling tournament in various cities around Wisconsin. She also served on the board of directors for the Madison Women's Bowling Association and the WWBA. As a result of her bowling skills and service, Rachel was inducted into the Wisconsin State US Bowling Congress Hall of Fame in 1999 (https://www.wibowl.com/hall-of-fame/), which was a highlight of her life.
She was also a successful regional sales manager for House of Lloyd (a national home party Christmas and home décor vendor) for about 10 years. She consistently hit high sales targets and was awarded all-inclusive trips to England, Spain, Brazil, Hawaii, and Alaska, where she had incredible adventures with some dear friends and family. She reminisced about these trips and the fun she had until the end of her life. Pictures of the trips show her laughing and dining with friends, whitewater rafting, dancing, riding donkeys, and generally getting into mischief.
In the latter part of her life, Rachel worked as a waitress at the Green Lantern in McFarland, Wis., until she was almost 80. She had the pleasure of working there with her three granddaughters and developed close relationships with many loyal patrons and other staff.
In more recent years, Rachel was a successful small business owner and formed her own LLC - Designs by Rae - a crafting and sales entity. As a skilled seamstress, she made beautiful custom ladies' sweatshirts, cardigans, and home/holiday decorations. She was widely known for her quality merchandise, which she sold at numerous craft shows in the area, through a shop in Door County, and even in her online store! She ran the business and was still sewing until the age of 87. She and her sister, Nancy crafted and sold at craft sales together, a time in her life she cherished.
She loved casino gambling particularly blackjack, slots, keno, and bingo and made numerous trips to Las Vegas with family and friends over the course of her life. Many a shrimp cocktail was enjoyed at Westward Ho and other Vegas hot spots. When casinos came to Wisconsin, she became a casino bus trip guide and chaperoned many happy patrons to fun destinations in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Michigan.
Rachel took up golf as an adult and played frequently, participating in many Madison and state-level tournaments. She, along with her first husband, Chuck (Charles Lloyd Julson), instilled a love of the game and some decent playing skills in their two daughters.
She enjoyed spending time with her four sisters with whom she was very close. She also enjoyed holiday baking with family, making German pfeffernuts and peanut brittle with her sister, Nancy, and going out to lunch with her daughters. Rachel's favorite birthday treat was angel food cake - maybe because her mother made and sold many cakes during the Depression to help support the family of seven children. The leftover yolks were perpetually being repurposed into yellow cakes for Rachel and her siblings, instilling in her a lifelong dislike for yellow cake.
Rachel has one great-grandchild - Elena - who she absolutely adored. Sadly, she will never meet (at least in this life) her great-grandson, due in January. Rachel loved her family and ensured that each grandchild would have lifelong love and happiness by personally approving (and sometimes choosing) each of their spouses. Her family continues to feel her mischievous and humorous presence as they find cash (probably for gambling trips) hidden in random objects from her home.
In 1986, Rachel married her soulmate, Barkley Aaroen, in McFarland, Wis. She was previously married to Charles Julson of Mount Horeb, Wis. Rachel and Barkley went on many great adventures together, including driving their 5th wheel to Florida to spend the winter months (and frequenting the dog tracks) and camping with family and friends on the Mississippi River at Ferryville in the summer. Rachel was involved in so many activities at once that Barkley used to say in a teasing way "there she goes again- always spinning her wheels."
She was a member of the McFarland Lioness Club and frequented the Monona Senior Center to do crafting and play cards. She was a long-time member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Madison, serving as a volunteer with Bethel Estate Sales where she had a lot of fun and made many good friends.
Rachel is survived by her two daughters, Deborah (Wes) Waite of McFarland, Wis. and Karen (Dave) Pilliod of Gainesville, Ga.; four grandchildren, Mindy (Joseph Munski) Waite, Stacey (Eric) Sykes, Kristin (Chad) Paulson, and Thomas (Cate) Pilliod; her great-granddaughter, Elena Sykes; and her great-grandson due in January. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Barkley; two brothers, Vernon (LaValle) Bacon and John M. Bacon; and four sisters and their spouses, Lois (Carlton) Wilke, Joan (Glenn) Heyn, Doris (Marvin) Krinke and Nancy (Ray) Vanderploeg.
The family would like to thank the staff and residents of Heritage Assisted Living in Monona, Home Instead senior services, Skaalen Magnolia Gardens, and Agrace Hospice Care, all of whom assisted her to the end of her earthly journey. But she could not have done it without the support and love of her oldest granddaughter, Mindy, who was her rock until the end.
A memorial event to celebrate Rachel's life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent in Rachel's name to Bethel Lutheran Media Ministry, 312 W. Wisconsin Ave., Madison, WI 53703 (https://www.bethel-madison.org/give) or to the Monona Senior Center, 1011 Nichols Rd., Monona, WI 53716 (https://www.mymonona.com/251/Senior-Center).
Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care
Rachel was an independent, intelligent, and resilient woman, and these traits served her well throughout various aspects of her life including her education, her career journey, her travel adventures, and her family relationships.
Rachel graduated valedictorian from Waunakee High School in 1949 and attended UW-Madison. She was a legal secretary for Stern and Associates for many years and proudly claimed that she "ran the office." The group also handled claims work for a number of insurance companies and she eventually became a claims adjuster for the firm. Subsequent to that, she worked as a travel agent for Van's Gateway Travel with her sister, Nancy and brother-in-law, Ray.
Rachel was heavily involved in bowling throughout her life and was well known in the Madison area as a premier bowler, rolling a career high series of 669. She served as executive director of the Wisconsin Women's Bowling Association (WWBA) for many years, where she ran the annual state women's bowling tournament in various cities around Wisconsin. She also served on the board of directors for the Madison Women's Bowling Association and the WWBA. As a result of her bowling skills and service, Rachel was inducted into the Wisconsin State US Bowling Congress Hall of Fame in 1999 (https://www.wibowl.com/hall-of-fame/), which was a highlight of her life.
She was also a successful regional sales manager for House of Lloyd (a national home party Christmas and home décor vendor) for about 10 years. She consistently hit high sales targets and was awarded all-inclusive trips to England, Spain, Brazil, Hawaii, and Alaska, where she had incredible adventures with some dear friends and family. She reminisced about these trips and the fun she had until the end of her life. Pictures of the trips show her laughing and dining with friends, whitewater rafting, dancing, riding donkeys, and generally getting into mischief.
In the latter part of her life, Rachel worked as a waitress at the Green Lantern in McFarland, Wis., until she was almost 80. She had the pleasure of working there with her three granddaughters and developed close relationships with many loyal patrons and other staff.
In more recent years, Rachel was a successful small business owner and formed her own LLC - Designs by Rae - a crafting and sales entity. As a skilled seamstress, she made beautiful custom ladies' sweatshirts, cardigans, and home/holiday decorations. She was widely known for her quality merchandise, which she sold at numerous craft shows in the area, through a shop in Door County, and even in her online store! She ran the business and was still sewing until the age of 87. She and her sister, Nancy crafted and sold at craft sales together, a time in her life she cherished.
She loved casino gambling particularly blackjack, slots, keno, and bingo and made numerous trips to Las Vegas with family and friends over the course of her life. Many a shrimp cocktail was enjoyed at Westward Ho and other Vegas hot spots. When casinos came to Wisconsin, she became a casino bus trip guide and chaperoned many happy patrons to fun destinations in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Michigan.
Rachel took up golf as an adult and played frequently, participating in many Madison and state-level tournaments. She, along with her first husband, Chuck (Charles Lloyd Julson), instilled a love of the game and some decent playing skills in their two daughters.
She enjoyed spending time with her four sisters with whom she was very close. She also enjoyed holiday baking with family, making German pfeffernuts and peanut brittle with her sister, Nancy, and going out to lunch with her daughters. Rachel's favorite birthday treat was angel food cake - maybe because her mother made and sold many cakes during the Depression to help support the family of seven children. The leftover yolks were perpetually being repurposed into yellow cakes for Rachel and her siblings, instilling in her a lifelong dislike for yellow cake.
Rachel has one great-grandchild - Elena - who she absolutely adored. Sadly, she will never meet (at least in this life) her great-grandson, due in January. Rachel loved her family and ensured that each grandchild would have lifelong love and happiness by personally approving (and sometimes choosing) each of their spouses. Her family continues to feel her mischievous and humorous presence as they find cash (probably for gambling trips) hidden in random objects from her home.
In 1986, Rachel married her soulmate, Barkley Aaroen, in McFarland, Wis. She was previously married to Charles Julson of Mount Horeb, Wis. Rachel and Barkley went on many great adventures together, including driving their 5th wheel to Florida to spend the winter months (and frequenting the dog tracks) and camping with family and friends on the Mississippi River at Ferryville in the summer. Rachel was involved in so many activities at once that Barkley used to say in a teasing way "there she goes again- always spinning her wheels."
She was a member of the McFarland Lioness Club and frequented the Monona Senior Center to do crafting and play cards. She was a long-time member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Madison, serving as a volunteer with Bethel Estate Sales where she had a lot of fun and made many good friends.
Rachel is survived by her two daughters, Deborah (Wes) Waite of McFarland, Wis. and Karen (Dave) Pilliod of Gainesville, Ga.; four grandchildren, Mindy (Joseph Munski) Waite, Stacey (Eric) Sykes, Kristin (Chad) Paulson, and Thomas (Cate) Pilliod; her great-granddaughter, Elena Sykes; and her great-grandson due in January. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Barkley; two brothers, Vernon (LaValle) Bacon and John M. Bacon; and four sisters and their spouses, Lois (Carlton) Wilke, Joan (Glenn) Heyn, Doris (Marvin) Krinke and Nancy (Ray) Vanderploeg.
The family would like to thank the staff and residents of Heritage Assisted Living in Monona, Home Instead senior services, Skaalen Magnolia Gardens, and Agrace Hospice Care, all of whom assisted her to the end of her earthly journey. But she could not have done it without the support and love of her oldest granddaughter, Mindy, who was her rock until the end.
A memorial event to celebrate Rachel's life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent in Rachel's name to Bethel Lutheran Media Ministry, 312 W. Wisconsin Ave., Madison, WI 53703 (https://www.bethel-madison.org/give) or to the Monona Senior Center, 1011 Nichols Rd., Monona, WI 53716 (https://www.mymonona.com/251/Senior-Center).
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