Wendy Jean Schmudlach

Madison, WI—Wendy Jean Schmudlach, age 64—beloved wife, mother, sister, niece, and aunt— passed on peacefully at home to the life eternal on April 25, 2024 after a brief but valiant fight against colon cancer. Wendy was the third of six children born to Gilbert and Alice (Huber) Knuteson at Divine Savior Hospital in Portage, WI on April 28, 1959. Wendy grew up near Lake Wisconsin in rural Poynette. She graduated in 1977 at Poynette High School with honors and went on to complete a degree in accounting at Madison Area Technical College (now known as Madison College) in 1979. While working on her degree in Madison, she met Kevin Schmudlach; they were married on June 13, 1981 at Dekorra Lutheran Church in rural Poynette. She and Kevin were blessed with the arrival of their daughter Katlin Q on December 1, 1989.

Wendy was a full-time working mom in the financial services industry. For a time, Wendy and Kevin lived and worked in Freeport, IL and Iron Mountain, MI. In Madison, Wendy worked for companies such as A- Z Rentals, M&I Bank, BMO Harris Bank, and most recently as a financial analyst at Genpact. Her greatest joy however was being Katie’s mom! She attended every K-5 soccer game and every middle school through college band concert of Katie’s. She found the time to be present despite working full time.

Wendy loved sports of all kinds; her favorite teams included: UW Badger football, hockey and basketball, Green Bay Packer football, Milwaukee Bucks basketball, and Milwaukee Brewers baseball. She had an extensive sports-themed wardrobe which she proudly wore on game days to support her favorite teams. Wendy will also always be remembered for her wonderful humor, warm smile, and thoughtfulness. She never forgot to send a card or call when it was your birthday or other special event in the lives of her many family and friends. When shopping for a birthday card, she would say that if it made her laugh out loud, that was a good card to send.

Wendy is survived by her daughter Katlin (Katie), of Madison; siblings Amy (Dr. Craig) Lorimer, of Madison; Ron Knuteson, of Poynette; Ellen (Mike) Keller of Okee/Lake Wisconsin; Karl Knuteson, of Poynette; Darryl (Sherri Lynn) Knuteson, of Poynette; brother-in-law Keith (Cindy) Schmudlach of Madison and sister-in-law Linda Schmudlach of Brooklyn, WI. Wendy will also be greatly missed by her many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and co-workers.

Wendy was pre-deceased by her parents Alice in 2005 and Gil in 2009; husband Kevin in 2011; in- laws Mickie in 2012 and Maynard (Tony) Schmudlach in 2019; sister-in-law Coleen Schmudlach in 1994 and brother-in-law Andy Schmudlach in 2021. After Wendy’s passing, her brother-in-law Michael Schmudlach passed away on August 8, 2024.

Private cremation services were held at The Cress Funeral Center on April 28, 2024 on what would have been Wendy’s 65th birthday in Madison. A gathering to celebrate Wendy’s life will be held at The Great Dane at Hilldale in Madison, WI on Sunday, April 27, 2025, from 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. in the Pool Hall. Please feel free to come to share your memories of her, wear your favorite apparel of the Green Bay Packers, Wisconsin Badgers, Milwaukee Brewers, or Bucks, and enjoy light snacks and refreshments.

To those of you who knew Wendy and have already sent your heartfelt messages to Katie and our family- thank you! If you would like to honor Wendy’s life, please consider coming to her Life Celebration on 4/27/25 or by sending a donation in her memory to the PBS Foundation (www.pbs.org) or the American Cancer Society (www.donate.cancer.org). Each of these causes were important to Wendy and all of us who loved her. Alternatively, you may send a donation to the family directly via Wendy’s daughter Katie Schmudlach at 4218 Windflower Way, Madison, WI 53711.

If you have any memories or photos you would like to share of Wendy privately, please send an email to Katie via wendyschmudlach@gmail.com.

Forever blessed be our memory of Wendy! Until we meet again in the promised eternal life! In the meantime, we are comforted in knowing that she and Kevin are reunited again.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service

3610 Speedway Road, Madison

(608) 238-3434