Audrey Lindley

Audrey Mae Lindley, 82, of Fitchburg, WI., beloved wife of Ralph (Bill) William Lindley for 63 years, passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 14th, 2017, surrounded by loved ones.

Audrey was born in Chicago, IL on July 25, 1935 to Walter and Mae (Schmidt) Schmidt. She first lived in Alsip IL where her parents had a gas service station and café at 127th and Cicero avenue. Later they moved to Midlothian, IL where her parents established a propane gas distribution facility. Audrey graduated from Thornton Township High School in Harvey, IL, in 1952. She attended St. Olaf College, Northfield MN for one year, then transferred to University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL after her parents had moved to Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

She met her future husband Bill in high school, where he first proposed to Audrey at the tender age of 13. They were engaged and married in 1954 when Bill was on active duty in the Navy. She graduated from Valparaiso University with a B.A. in History. Later she studied at the University of Illinois, Chicago Circle. She taught at Lutheran Schools while her children were growing up. The couple started a civil engineering business "Lindley and Sons, Inc." in Hinsdale, IL. Audrey ran the family business until they sold the business and "retired".

Audrey and Bill were parents of five children. Their first child, David Paul, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis and they relocated to Florida to ease his suffering. She went on to have two more children, Tim and Tom, and later Bill and Audrey adopted two daughters, Janelle and Jeanne. When David passed in 1961, the relocated back to the Chicago area and lived with Bill's parents in Matteson, IL, before moving to Hinsdale, IL and later to Willow Brook, IL, eventually retiring to Fitchburg, WI.

Audrey was a lover of classical music and numerous family and friends fondly remember good times attending the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Audrey and Bill. She enjoyed traveling and went to Europe several times with Bill, her mother and sister Barbara and her husband Lowell Johnson.

She loved animals, specifically dogs, and had numerous dogs throughout the years. She was also a rabid supporter of any cause relating to animals and generous with donations. On her 50th wedding anniversary she was delighted to host a reptile demonstration and got to hold "Lucky" a 5-foot alligator that was rescued from a sewer system, hence his name. She was known for her kind and generous nature and a desire to improve the world.

Audrey is survived by her sisters Barbara (Lowell) Johnson and Gail (Richard) Snyder, her two sons, Timothy (Anna) Lindley of Greenville, IL and Thomas (Karen) Lindley of Fitchburg, WI and two daughters Janelle (Mitch) Doughty of Lincoln, NE and Jeanne Lindley of Sturgeon, MO. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Christopher, Elizabeth, William, Caleb, Sarah and Brandon. She also has 5 great-grandchildren, Colton, Josiah, Rhys, Willow and Jeremiah.

She was preceded in death by her dearly loved son, David Paul, her parents, Walter and Mae Schmidt, and her husband, Bill.

The family would like to thank all the members of the local medical community and the wonderful staff at the Waterford in Fitchburg and Agrace Hospice for their loving care of Audrey in her final days. We thank God for the gift of her life and the blessing of the time we were able to spend with her.

Services honoring Audrey will be held on Friday October 20th, at 10:00am at Cress Funeral Home 3610 Speedway Rd, Madison, WI 53705. Visitation at 10:00am, funeral service at 11:00am. Burial will be at Resurrection Cemetery following a luncheon at the funeral home. The Cress Funeral Home is caring for the arrangements. In lieu of flowers the family would recommend donations to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation https://www.cff.org/.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road, Madison
608-238-3434