Obituary: Audrey (Anderson) Eastman

Audrey (Anderson) Eastman passed away on August 28, 2021 at Casa de Oakes in Reedsburg, Wisconsin at the age of 93. She was born December 8, 1927 in the family farm house in Harrisburg, Town of Troy, Sauk County to the late John W. and Evangeline “Van” (Clavadatscher) Anderson. She grew up in the tight-knit farming community of Troy, attending the one-room Harrisburg School and gathering with friends and family at Witwen Park. She graduated as salutatorian of the Prairie du Sac High School Class of 1947, a distinction she was quick to dismiss, wryly noting the small size of her graduating class as only a thinking person could. As a shy young woman, she fell for Robert “Bob” Eastman, the hired hand on her family’s farm, and began bringing her younger, more talkative sister Dorothy along on their dates. They were married on Aug. 21, 1947 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. Together, they raised three children and tended a marriage that lasted until Bob’s death in 2003. She was a kind, warm, and gentle mother and a loving and watchful grandmother. Neat in appearance, she ate balanced meals, went for daily walks, and worked as a bookkeeper, balancing her ledgers in tiny, perfect script. She was also a lifelong reader and learner, a non-judgmental thinker who followed the news with empathy and a critical eye. She loved birds, wildflowers, and staying up late with a cat in her lap. She leaves behind her a legacy of love and dignity, compassion and thought, and a family that understands all too well how lucky they’ve been. She is survived by a son, Glen (Suzanne) Eastman of Reedsburg; two daughters, Sue (Bob) Listol of Oregon, Wis., and Jean (Kurt) Johansen of Reedsburg; six grandchildren, Jamie (Kathy) Ennis of Appleton, Joshua (Yvonne) Ennis of Plover, Nicole Eastman Allen of Minneapolis, Jess (Laurie) Eastman of Reedsburg, Shea (Kendra) Eastman of Reedsburg, and Krista (Leith Nye) Eastman of Madison; ten great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren; a sister, Lorene (Arlan) Ketelboeter; a sister-in-law Carol Anderson; a sister and brother-in-law, Polly and Merlin Meyer; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Eastman; her parents, John W. and Evangeline Anderson; a sister, Dorothy Gasner; a brother, John A. Anderson; and a brother-in-law, Allan Gasner. The family is grateful to the staff at Casa de Oakes and Agrace for their care of Audrey in the last stage of her life. A celebration of life is planned for Saturday, September 18, from 2-5 PM at the large pavilion in Webb Park in Reedsburg, Wisconsin. Memorial donations may be made to Agrace.