Gayle J. Duchrow

Gayle Jean Duchrow of rural Antigo left to be forever with her beloved Savior Jesus on June 1, 2009 at the age of 67 in the care of her family.She was born at Grace Memorial Hospital in Detroit, MI on June 26, 1941 to Ralph and Iona Rose Mullins.As a small child she lived in Crandon, WI moving to Olympia, WA when she was nine years old. She then moved back to Argonne, WI, attending area schools and graduating from Crandon High School in 1959.The love of children and teaching as a small child, encouraged her to enroll in Langlade County Teachers College, graduating in 1961. While attending Langlade County Teachers College, she met and married Ronald Duchrow of Antigo, on April 8, 1961, at Peace Lutheran Church in Antigo.After raising their daughters to school age, Gayle began her teaching career at Peace Lutheran School as a teacher's aide. She was loved and respected by a great number of students and teachers while working at all of the Antigo area elementary and parochial schools.While teaching at All Saints Catholic School, she randomly met Sister Stella Tibanihira of Fort Portal, Uganda. Sister Stella considered Gayle her mother figure. Gayle became instrumental in helping her students at All Saints raise funds and goods for Bethlehem Orphanage, at Hoima, Uganda. The children also raised enough money to build a simple home for a disadvantaged family of seven near Fort Portal, Uganda. In 2004, she realized her dream to travel to Uganda to visit and take goods to that orphanage.Gayle and her husband Ron were members of Peace Lutheran Church, where she taught Sunday School for many years.Gayle loved spending time with her grandchildren, wildlife and birds, wildlife art, and going to Country Castings to paint ceramics. She also loved going up to Pine Lake where she grew up. Gayle also enjoyed traveling throughout the US and abroad with her husband. She enjoyed keeping her secret drawer filled with treasures for her grandchildren, even continuing the surprises for them into their adulthood.Survivors include her husband, Ron; 2 daughters, Tammi (Joseph) Colianni of Minnestrista, MN, and Ronda (Darrell) McDougal of Antigo; 14 grandchildren, Benjamin and Jordan Colianni of Wayzetta, MN, Rebekah (Paul) DeLuca of Wauwatosa, Matthew, Elizabeth, Sarah, Anna and Joseph Colianni of Minnetrista, MN, Joseph McDougal of Deerbrook, Bradley McDougal of Mequon, Darron, Clairissa, Marcus and Laura McDougal of Antigo; mother Iona Rose Marshall of White Bear Lake, MN; 3 brothers, Kent Mullins of Lebanon, TN, Jerry (Donna) Mullins of Taylor, MI, and Carl (Chris) Marshall of Bristol, IN; 4 sisters, Charlene (William) Kalata of Argonne, Lynne (Dan) Eldred of Taylor, MI, Tara Marshall of St. Paul, MN, and Erin Marshall of White Bear Lake, MN; 2 aunts, Mildred Harris of Crandon and Mary Ann Harris of Olympia, WA; also surviving are many cousins, nieces, nephews, and six godchildren, and a great many dear, close friends.Gayle was preceded in death by her infant son Joseph Leo; father, Ralph Mullins; step-mother Evelyn Mullins; step-father Charles J. Marshall; grandparents George Lee and Pearl Mullins, Elmer and Blanche Harris, and Charles H. and Essie Marshall; and a sister-in-law Barbara Mullins.