Obituary for Lois Arlene McLaren (Schwandt)
Lois A. McLaren, 87, of Kenosha, formerly of Waukegan, passed away on Friday, February 14, 2020, at The Manor of Kenosha.
Born in Beaver Dam, on June 8, 1932, she was the daughter of the late William and Elenora (Huebner) Schwandt.
On July 11, 1951, she married James McLaren, after meeting him in Colorado. It was love at first sight and they married 11 days later. They were together for 45 years before he lost his battle with cancer. Together, they raised five children, including a set of twins.
Being a twin herself, Lois started the Mothers of Twins Club in Waukegan. She was an active bowler with the ladies league at Sunset Bowl. Lois was also active in her faith as a member at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, teaching Sunday school, volunteering with vacation bible school, and participating in Wednesday morning ladies bible study.
She had a passion for fashion and worked in ladies clothing stores, mostly for the discount and would spend most of her check on clothes for her and her family. She was also a Vivian Woodard Cosmetics consultant. Lois would like to be remembered as a “happy-go-lucky person” who enjoyed kidding around with family and friends.
She will be lovingly missed by her four children, Ron (Wendy) McLaren of Yorkville, Laura Koechel of Madison, WI, Karen Ford of Waukegan, and Jenny (Francis) Puntney of Burlington, WI; grandchildren, Michele McLaren, Myra Michels, Andrew and Ryan Koechel, Marina and Matthew Martinez, Natalie Villarreal, and Joshua and Jason Neukom; great-grandchildren, Kaar, Jackson, Nathan, Maxim, Bailey, Cailin, Corey, and a little girl on the way. She is further survived by two sisters, Lorraine Reinhard and Lou Ann Sekel.
Lois was preceded in death by a son, Jeffrey McLaren; three brothers, LeRoy, Lyle, and LaVerne Schwandt; and her twin sister, Lila Johnson.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, February 19th, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 824 N Lewis Avenue, Waukegan, IL 60085; from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service at 11:30 a.m. Interment will follow at Wood National Cemetery, 5000 W National Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53295, at 2:00 p.m.
Proko Funeral Home & Crematory
5111-60th Street
Kenosha, WI 53144
Phone: (262) 654-3533
Visit & Sign Lois’ Online Memorial Book at:
www.prokofuneralhome.com
Born in Beaver Dam, on June 8, 1932, she was the daughter of the late William and Elenora (Huebner) Schwandt.
On July 11, 1951, she married James McLaren, after meeting him in Colorado. It was love at first sight and they married 11 days later. They were together for 45 years before he lost his battle with cancer. Together, they raised five children, including a set of twins.
Being a twin herself, Lois started the Mothers of Twins Club in Waukegan. She was an active bowler with the ladies league at Sunset Bowl. Lois was also active in her faith as a member at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, teaching Sunday school, volunteering with vacation bible school, and participating in Wednesday morning ladies bible study.
She had a passion for fashion and worked in ladies clothing stores, mostly for the discount and would spend most of her check on clothes for her and her family. She was also a Vivian Woodard Cosmetics consultant. Lois would like to be remembered as a “happy-go-lucky person” who enjoyed kidding around with family and friends.
She will be lovingly missed by her four children, Ron (Wendy) McLaren of Yorkville, Laura Koechel of Madison, WI, Karen Ford of Waukegan, and Jenny (Francis) Puntney of Burlington, WI; grandchildren, Michele McLaren, Myra Michels, Andrew and Ryan Koechel, Marina and Matthew Martinez, Natalie Villarreal, and Joshua and Jason Neukom; great-grandchildren, Kaar, Jackson, Nathan, Maxim, Bailey, Cailin, Corey, and a little girl on the way. She is further survived by two sisters, Lorraine Reinhard and Lou Ann Sekel.
Lois was preceded in death by a son, Jeffrey McLaren; three brothers, LeRoy, Lyle, and LaVerne Schwandt; and her twin sister, Lila Johnson.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, February 19th, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 824 N Lewis Avenue, Waukegan, IL 60085; from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service at 11:30 a.m. Interment will follow at Wood National Cemetery, 5000 W National Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53295, at 2:00 p.m.
Proko Funeral Home & Crematory
5111-60th Street
Kenosha, WI 53144
Phone: (262) 654-3533
Visit & Sign Lois’ Online Memorial Book at:
www.prokofuneralhome.com