Appleton, WI - Our lives became emptier on February 15, 2021 when our mom, Audrey Marie (Gulig) Wirkes, age 82, left this world and embraced her family in her eternal home. We imagine her smiling warmly as she met Jesus face-to-face.

Audrey was born October 6, 1938 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. She was very proud of her upbringing on Hazelwood farm where she loved caring for all of the animals, tinkering with her dad in the shop, and pushing the boundaries of what a girl should and shouldn't do. She was still bitter that Future Farmers of America wouldn't let her join because she was a girl.

In 1959, she married William Wirkes and "joined" the Marine Corps through marriage. She was proud of her life in the Corps and still celebrated the Marine Corps birthday every year as if it were her own. She and William had four children and together the young family criss-crossed the nation and lived in Washington, California, North Carolina, Hawaii, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Utah.

Right out of high school, Audrey began working for AT&T as an operator. When she returned to the workforce in the mid-1970s, she chose to go back to AT&T. By the time she retired in 2009, she had served 40 years with the company in various roles: operator, teller, customer service representative, manager, and trainer.

No one can deny that she lived life fully and enjoyed many small pleasures like good German beer, Siamese cats, Appleton's farmer's market, Fox Valley Symphony events, Door County trips with her siblings, the perfect seats at the PAC for the Broadway series, spending time with her grandkids, visiting Cologne, Germany, and serving as a chief inspector for elections in Appleton.

Audrey showed her love by providing an overabundance of excellent food for any event, and she never skimped on quality or quantity. She kept the records of the family history and enjoyed educating the family about everything from raising Jersey cows to when the next meteor shower will appear. She was also known for her strong will which paid off when it came to battling stage IV cancer for more than 3 years. She fought bravely and stayed independent throughout the struggle.

Audrey was preceded in death by her parents John Gulig and June (Melcher) Gulig; daughter Diane Zenke; granddaughter Callie Rockman; brother Monsignor Robert Gulig; sister Mary Ann Gulig; sister-in-law Barbara Gulig; son-in-law Al Rockman; and many beloved Siamese cats. Those left to grieve include her children Mark Wirkes, David Wirkes, and Mary Rockman; grandchildren Aubrey Rockman, Jordan Rockman, Jace Rockman, and Ryan Zenke; great grandchildren Anneliese Zenke and Lauretta Zenke; brothers John (Linda) Gulig and Leonard (Teri) Gulig; and son-in-law Patrick Zenke; and numerous nieces and nephews.

We will celebrate her life at a mass on Friday, February 19 at 10:30 am at ST. JOSEPH PARISH (404 W. Lawrence St. Appleton).  The funeral mass will be officiated by Fr. Dennis Ryan. A visitation will precede the mass beginning at 9:00 am. In lieu of flowers, a gift to St. Jude Children's Hospital for cancer research is preferred.