Connie Goodreau

Connie (Clements) Goodreau, age 71, entered the arms of God on Friday, October 8, 2021, surrounded by her loving family, after a heroic battle with cancer. She was born on June 23, 1950, in La Crosse, to Clarence and Verna Clements. She graduated from Aquinas High School, and shortly thereafter began a long career with The Trane Company, until her retirement in 2005.

Connie was an incredibly loving and devoted wife to Bob Goodreau, a dedicated and selfless mother to Ahren (Larissa) Niedfeldt, Becky (Ian) Hannah, Tammy (Donnel) Nunes, Ken (Zoe) Goodreau, a proud and doting grandmother to Torin and Griffin Hannah and Kaedon Nunes, and cherished sister to Ann (Stan) Hundt, Tom (Carolyn) Clements, Mike (Ann Marie) Clements, Pete (Susan) Clements, Peggy (Bill) Arentz, Patty (Mark) Mlsna, and Joe (Barb) Clements. She was a caring aunt to many special nieces and nephews and was equally loved by Bob's family in Milwaukee and Virginia. She was preceded in death by her parents, and a nephew, Steven Hundt.

Connie made her mark at The Trane Company, where she built a 35-year career, starting as a Secretary, then Executive Assistant, and finally a Financial Analyst. Her work ethic and sound judgment earned the respect and affection of her colleagues, even though she wouldn’t take guff from any of them! In fact, it was her staunch unwillingness to share an engineering product code with a certain Field Sales Executive (Bob) that led to her meeting the love of her life. The Engineering Group lovingly referred to this transformation as the “New Connie,” while the Sales Group cheered Bob's transformation because of Connie's loving influence. Connie and Bob were proud to have been inseparable ever since.

Connie was passionate about food and cooking and her talents in the kitchen were without compare. She loved creating delicious meals for her family and always kept them well-fed. She shared her baked goods wherever she went. Together, Connie and Bob loved to entertain, hosting elaborate family gatherings with an abundance of food, drink, games, and friendship.

Deeply religious, Connie was a woman of action and not just words, although she was good with those too. She lived a life of service to others, especially those less fortunate. She believed in the goodness of supporting others and was always the first to offer a helping hand, a warm smile, or a carrot muffin. She was proud of her volunteer work at the St. Clare Health Mission, the Salvation Army, the La Crosse Warming Center, and at Holy Trinity and Mary Mother of the Church Parishes. Connie radiated love and was never judgmental. She looked for the best in people and always found it. She lived her life fully, with a positive, can-do attitude, especially throughout her cancer journey. She will be remembered for her laugh, her smile, and her kindness. We will miss her deeply but know that her spirit will live on in the hearts of all who knew her.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, October 16, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Mary Mother of the Church Parish (2006 Weston Avenue, La Crosse, WI), followed by a funeral mass at 10:30 a.m. Our family would like to thank Drs. Oettel and Conway and the exceptional staff of the Gundersen Health System. Memorials can be made to St. Clare Health Mission, the Salvation Army, the La Crosse Warming Center or Mary Mother of the Church Parish. The Schumacher-kish Funeral & Cremation Services of La Crosse are in charge of arrangements. Online guestbook is available at www.schumacher-kish.com .