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Rebecca “Becky” Bartels

Nov 23, 1953 - Jan 05, 2022

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Rebecca “Becky” Bartels, 68, of Sheboygan, passed away on Wednesday, January 5, 2022, at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee following a courageous battle with Sezary Syndrome, a rare form of Cutaneous Lymphoma.
Becky was born on November 23, 1953, in Billings, MT to the late Robert and Dorothy (Otness) Bartels. At age 2 the family moved to Bloomington, MN where she grew up attending local schools, and graduated from Jefferson High School in 1971. She went on to earn a degree in special education with emphasis in visual impairment, and a minor in German, from Northern Illinois University in 1975. She taught visually impaired students in the Green Bay Public Schools for 3 years before earning a Masters degree in early childhood education from the University of Washington. She was united in marriage to Jon Weeden from 1978 to 1993. After moving to Sheboygan in 1979, she worked in the Birth to 3 Early Intervention program at Rehabilitation Center of Sheboygan. Following some time off to have and begin raising children, which Becky described as one of her greatest accomplishments, she returned to teaching visually impaired students at Lightfoot School in Sheboygan Falls and for Cooperative Educational Service Agency #7. She finished her career by teaching introductory German and early American history at Sheboygan Falls Middle School. She was a life-long learner, especially enjoying foreign languages. In addition to being fluent in German, she studied Norwegian, Spanish and Portuguese.
On June 30, 2006, following a 13 year romance, Becky married her soul mate and the love of her life, Glenn Zeinemann. They shared a strong passion for music. Becky loved playing the violin, and for 40 years she performed as a member of the Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra, something she and Glenn did together for 29 of those years. She was a member of First United Lutheran Church where she served on several committees, played violin for services, and was a member of the bell choir. Becky was a world traveler, and in addition to visiting many places throughout the United States, including a number of national parks, she made trips to Norway and Portugal. As a couple, she and Glenn also visited many places in the U.S., including Alaska, and made trips abroad to Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Holland, Italy, Iceland, and Peru. Becky enjoyed gardening and was also an avid reader, actively participating in lively discussions with her “Book Buzzies” book club. She also looked forward to the annual September weekend in Door County with the camping gang. But most of all she cherished the time spent with her family and all of her many wonderful friends. Her greatest pleasure and one of her main pastimes during retirement was the time she spent taking care of her grandsons, whom she adored. They were her joy and what kept her going throughout the last few years. She was kind, interested in others, a good conversationalist, and was great at delivering a joke. She was dearly loved and will be missed by many.
Becky is survived by her husband, Glenn; two sons, Gregory (Stephanie) Weeden, and Christopher (Meghann) Weeden; three grandsons, Dexter, Connor, and Jacob Weeden, all of Sheboygan; a sister, Deborah (Tim Bremicker) Bartels of St. Paul, MN; and a brother, Jeffrey (Cristiana Catarino) Bartels of Palatine, IL. She is further survived by nieces and nephews, Ben Bremicker, Kari Hillesheim, Sara and Andre Bartels, Diego and MariJose Nunez; and the father of her children, Jon Weeden. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a childhood brother, Gregory Bartels.

Due to recent COVID concerns, a private funeral service for Becky will be held on Saturday, January 29, at 3:00 p.m. The service will be live streamed via YouTube channel: First United Lutheran Church – Sheboygan WI, and also via Facebook page: First United Lutheran Church – ELCA. An outdoor, in-person Celebration of Life will be planned for extended family and friends later this year when we can all more safely gather. Please continue to follow Becky’s site on Caring Bridge for updates. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Becky’s name can be made to the Cutaneous Lymphoma Foundation, Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra, the music program at First United Lutheran Church, and Bookworm Gardens.

Becky’s family would like to express their sincere thanks to Dr. Choi and the team at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, and to Dr. Fenske and the Grace Cancer Clinic team, the staff at the Center for Advanced Care, and the staff of Horizon Hospice at Froedtert Hospital, for the excellent care and compassion provided to her.

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Guestbook Entries SIGN GUESTBOOK

Barb Riedberger

I’m so sorry to hear about Becky passing across the veil. We were good friends & classmates at University of Washington. We loved our times with Becky & Jon along with Friday’s meeting in the U-district for tea and pastries with Seda after classes. She moved into the apartment next to us when our son Cory was born in 1979 & she was his first babysitter. I miss you Becky 💗Sympathies to your sweet family.

Randy Meyer

I had the good fortune of crossing paths with Becky as a teacher twice. At Chapel Elementary School in Green Bay, I was a young student, who happened to be blind. Becky made learning fun and allowed me to jump ahead in subjects I excelled at, such as math. I can still remember her reading us Mrs. Piggle Wiggle stories and A Wrinkle in time, with added character voices. I was a nine year old from Sheboygan Falls, who had to stay with a family in Green Bay during the week to attend school. I always missed my family during the week, but Becky always provided a great fun learning environment I could count on. When I came back to Sheboygan Falls High School, there was Becky. It was like she was waiting to further help me during my high school years. She was my resource teacher, making sure I got my books on tape or in Braille in time for the school year. She had a great knack of giving the right amount of help, without smothering me and cramping my all-important developing teenage style. As I got ready to go off to college, she challenged my white cane mobility skills. I hated using a white cane in high school, so I didn’t really use my cane during those teen years. I still remember walking around Sheboygan with Becky and a mobility teacher in tow. As I was navigating passed a grocery store parking lot, she even wanted to step in to help me, but the mobility teacher wouldn’t let her. My white cane skills were deemed to be good enough. Today I use a guide dog, as I still don’t like using a white cane. When I became an adult, the teacher student relationship shifted to a friendship. I always enjoyed running into Becky at various events and sharing an occasional phone call. Her style of teaching is one of the reasons I am successful today. I am confident she is now teaching in heaven with that same style I enjoyed and thrived under. Mayor Randy Meyer

Heidi Kuhles

I know Becky from my AFS-year in 1970/71 when her famiily hosted a girl from France. We kept in touch since. Last time we met was in 2012 when Glenn and Becky visited my husband and me in Erlangen/Bavaria. Both had been wonderful hosts the year before when I visited the two in their home in Sheboygan and not only joined Becky in one of the German classes she taught but also heard her play in a concert. We enjoyed long walks and spent hours talking. Becky stayed a friend, even though we lived so many miles apart. Sometimes it took a year before we caught up with latest news - switching from German to English and back. Even after she fell so terribly ill, she invited me to visit and called to support me when I needed it. My deepest sympathy to Glenn and all her family.

Bernie McKichan

Becky and I had great conversations about German language and grammar and I treasure the times that she accompanied me as co-chaperone on the student-exchange program trips to Germany. In 2007 she stepped up to actually lead the group when a medical issue prevented me from making the trip two weeks before departure. I truly appreciate the speech that she made on my behalf upon retirement in 2011 and treasure the copy of it that she gave me. Becky was a valuable partner, both in the classroom and on the GAPP exchanges. She became very close friends with my German school partners, Udo and Beate, along with her husband Markus. She will be missed by all who have had the pleasure of her friendship. Ruhe in Frieden!

William and Judith Block

Becky was always such a friendly person as well as being very perceptive ! It was a pleasure to play with her in the Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra and in a few quartets. Our deepest sympathy goes out to her family. She will be missed. What a great loss. Prayers to all for God's comforting help.

Tom Paulson

Glenn, I am so sorry to hear this news. Thinking of you.

Tom and Deb Morrelle

Our deepest sympathies to your family! We both knew Becky from Lightfoot School. She was an outstanding and caring person.

Catherine G. LeMay-Brown

Thank you, dear Becky, for making our world a better place, and for being a woman of so much love and warmth and compassion and laughter. The world is now poorer, without you. With my love, I am "Katja".