The Flessner family is saddened to share that Yvonne Marie Flessner (née Huebschen) passed away on Sunday, October 25, 2026, after a brief illness. That illness, which took so much from her in those last few months, is not what we will remember Yvonne for, however.

Yvonne was born in Caledonia, WI, on June 9, 1952, to her beloved parents: mother, Bernadette (Bernie) and father, Gordon Huebschen. She was the older sister to her beloved brother, Steven (Steve). The two, being only 10 months apart, were close and at times mischievous growing up, never leaving a dull moment for their parents. Yvonne took up her mantle of big sister well. The closeness that came in childhood remained throughout their lives.

Yvonne attended St. Paul’s Catholic grade school and later graduated from Bay View High School in 1971, winning an award for perfect attendance—a bit to her chagrin. Her first job was with Gardetto’s bakery in Bay View. After high school graduation, Yvonne took a position with the Social Security Administration, where she worked for several years and met her eventual husband, David (Dave) Flessner.

Yvonne and Dave dated for several years and developed several friendships that would last to this day. Dave and Yvonne married on October 22, 1977, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, marking the beginning of 49 years together. The ceremony included a sermon by Dave’s father, Harold, a Methodist minister. This dual-denomination ceremony was novel at the time but spoke to the strength of the bond between not only the couple but their families as well.

The couple moved into their family home that same year. This home became the foundation of the family that followed over the next nearly 50 years. They welcomed their first child, Christopher (Chris), in May 1979. Three years later, they welcomed Kimberly (Kim), in March 1982. During the early years as parents, Yvonne stayed home with Chris and Kim, seeing them off to preschool and eventually to St. John the Evangelist School in Greenfield. Yvonne was involved in a number of the kids’ activities, ranging from den mother during Chris’s ill-fated four-month run with Cub Scouts to serving as a frequent chaperone (and dancer) at Kim’s grade school dances. Over the years, Yvonne and her family were fortunate to form close friendships with several families at St. John’s, many lasting decades.

Yvonne returned to work with one of her close friends from her Social Security Administration days at PERT Survey Research on the south side when Kim was in kindergarten. The office neighbored Martino’s, and the family would often visit Mom at work and play a round of mini golf or grab a bite to eat.

Over the years, Yvonne and her family enjoyed frequent trips to Door County, where they would spend time by the pool and wait for Yvonne to plug her daughter’s snorkel. Travel was a mainstay for the family, and bigger trips had them visiting Washington, D.C., Disney World, taking a nerve-wracking trip up Pikes Peak, and whitewater rafting down the Colorado River (we have pictures to prove it). Yvonne also loved to take couples’ trips to Las Vegas and Florida with friends, with Key West being a particular favorite.

As Chris and Kim matured (up for debate) into adults, Yvonne supported their respective college journeys (Chris eventually earning a PhD and Kim a five-year BA) and took on a new career of her own, working for CDI Radiology in Milwaukee.

Chris eventually went on to marry Amy (née Sato) in September 2008. The couple welcomed their first son, Landon, in 2011, followed by Ethan in 2013. Kim married Alex in August 2011 and welcomed their first child, daughter Charlotte (Charli), in October 2014. Jack, their youngest and the youngest grandchild, was born in 2017.

Yvonne retired from CDI as a manager in 2012, at the age of 60. Following retirement, Yvonne took on a series of volunteer commitments, with the most enduring being her work at Ronald McDonald House in Milwaukee. In true form, she developed close friendships during her time there and truly loved serving the families of the home. She and Dave continued to travel over the years and eventually became international travelers. A curio cabinet at home displays tokens of these trips, which continued up until recently.

No volunteer work (no matter how rewarding) or travel (no matter how exciting) could come close to the joy she found in her role as a grandmother. This is the legacy that Yvonne leaves the family. It is difficult to describe the intensity of pride, support, and sheer love she held for her grandchildren. No matter the distance between her and those grandkids, she found a way to be with them. She always found ways to show her love, whether they were across town or several states over. Any toughness simply melted away in the presence of those kids. Landon, Ethan, Charli, and Jack—your grandmother loved you with her entire heart.

To her friends—Linda, Colleen, Marsha, Sue, Mary Jo, Lynn, Jill, and so many others—we thank you for bringing joy to her days. She loved your time together.

The family is incredibly thankful for the time spent with her and wishes more years could have been shared together. Thank you, Yvonne, Mom, for being the wife, mother, sister, and friend we all needed. The family would not be what it is today without you. You are irreplaceable. We will miss and love you always.

Love, your family.

A celebration of life with family and friends will be scheduled for a future date. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Yvonne’s memory to one of the charities she supported during her life: St. Jude Children’s Hospital, the Red Cross, Hunger Task Force, or Ronald McDonald House.