Madelynn A. Melby

Madelynn Ashbaucher Melby, 95, of La Crosse passed away at her home on March 17, 2018.

She was born Madelynn Louisa on November 3, 1922 in Chicago to Herman Godfrey and Mary Lou (Brown) Ashbaucher, both formerly of Bluffton, Indiana.

She graduated from North Park Academy, Chicago in 1940, and from Northwestern University (NU) in 1944, with a Bachelor of Music Education degree.

Madelynn married Marvin D. Melby (1918-1999), of Bloomingdale, Wisconsin, a recent WWII veteran, on June 14, 1947.  Together with friends and family they later celebrated 51 years of loving marriage.

Madelynn loved teaching music and working with elementary school children. She first taught in Sandwich, Illinois, where she met Marvin.  After the family moved  to La Crosse in 1955,  she taught music at The Campus School (UW-La Crosse), La Crescent Elementary School, and then with  the Onalaska School District.

Her last 22 years of teaching were at Pertzsch Elementary School.   While at Pertzsch, she helped develop an innovative teaching program that brought together Music, Art, and Physical Education (MAPE), which was recognized in a video documentary produced by the University of Wisconsin.  Madelynn also wrote the lyrics to the Irving Pertzsch School Song.

She was on the first Board of Directors of the La Crosse Boychoir.   Madelynn brought her NU-trained voice to many weddings, church services, and community choirs over the years.   She was an avid reader, Bridge and Scrabble player.  She liked to cook, bake traditional family  Christmas cookies, knit and do needlepoint, and, most of all,  being with her family.

She is survived by her two sons, William F. Melby and James M. Melby (Claudia), grandson Nathan Melby (Adriane) and great granddaughter Adeline Madelynn Melby, all of La Crosse.

Madelynn was a lifelong student of Christian Science.  She loved her church, lived her religion and was kind to all. Per her request, there will be no memorial service.

Memorials may be given to:  Onalaska Education Foundation, (for:  Madelynn Melby Memorial Fund),   237 2^nd Ave, Onalaska, Wisconsin 54650      www.onalaskafoundation.org  .   Or to:  La Crosse Public Education Foundation (for:   Madelynn Melby Memorial Fund), P.O. Box 1811, La Crosse, Wisconsin 54602-1811   www.lacrosseeducationfoundation.org