Audrey Welinski

Audrey Mary (Schommer) Welinski, 84-year-old resident of Sobieski passed away March 3, 2021 at home surrounded by her loving family. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Monday, March 8, 2021, at the St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Sobieski, MN at 11:00 AM. Visitation will take place on Sunday, March 7, 2021 at the Emblom Brenny Funeral Chapel in Little Falls from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM and will continue the day of mass at the funeral home from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Burial will take place at the church cemetery immediately after mass.

Audrey was born on May 30, 1936 to Albert and Veronica (Frey) Schommer in Wayzata, MN. She graduated in 1954 from Wayzata High School. Audrey married James Welinski on June 18, 1955 at the Holy Name Catholic Church in Medina. When Audrey was three years old her family survived the tornado of 1939. Ironically, the tornado was on June 18th, in kidding, little did Audrey and Jim know how busy their future would be. Her first job was as a secretary for Lincoln National Life. After the birth of their first child, Audrey stayed home and committed her time and talents to their family of eleven children. Jim and Audrey purchased their own farm in 1965 where Audrey resided until the time of her death. In 1973 she went to work at St. Otto's Care Center as a nursing assistant caring for her community, after 28 years Audrey retired in 2001. During those years she also owned Elmdale Liquors with her husband Jim. Audrey and Jim loved spending time with friends from the card and birthday club. Most of her spare time was spent gardening, canning, sewing, knitting, watching birds and spending quality time with her kids and grandkids. Audrey was a 4H member as a youth and Adult Leader. She was a member of St. Ann's Mission Group and the Christian Mothers.

When Audrey reflected on the life that her and Jim lived, she said, "We didn't have much, but we have a lot of love now." This is a perfect summation of the loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend Audrey was.

Audrey is survived by her children, Cathy (Robert) Posch of St. Joseph, James Jr. Welinski of Holdingford, Diane (Kenny) Warzecha of Royalton, Elaine (Robert) Lampert of Holdingford, Gregory Welinski of Sobieski, Karen (Wayne) Booth of Elk River, Mary (Dean) Olson of Otsego, Michelle (Roger) Schneider of Little Falls, Brian (Sherry) Welinski of Swanville, Danelle (Tim) Zapzalka of Little Falls, Denise (Shawn) Vogl of Little Falls; 26 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; siblings, Michael (Jeanette) Schommer of Brooklyn Park, Kenneth (Lynn) Schommer of Champlin, Margaret Dehn of St. Michael, Mary (Raymond) Dehn of Andover and sister-in-law, Dolores Schommer of Wayzata.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim in 2006; parents, Albert (1992) and Veronica (1976); brother, Clarence Schommer (2017); sister, Joan Deering (2020); nephew, Wayne Dehn (2017) and stepmother Lillian (2014).

Funeral arrangements are with Emblom Brenny Funeral Service of Little Falls.