Barbara Gertrude Lafferty

Barbara G. Lafferty (Duschene), 80, of Madison, Wisconsin, formerly of Burbank and Chicago, Illinois, died on May 21, 2012 at Oak Park Place in Madison, Wisconsin, after a long struggle with Alzheimer's disease. She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Gerald Lee Lafferty, and their 13 children and their families. Barbara was the 2nd youngest of 9 children. She is predeceased by Lucille Smith, Frances Enk, Florence Duschene, Joseph Duschene, George Duschene, Rosemary LaPorta and Virginia Dorner. Joan Brunker of Kenosha, Wisconsin is her only surviving sibling.

Barbara was born on February 3, 1932 in Chicago, Illinois to Joseph F. Duschene and Barbara G. Lieser. After graduating from Harper High School, she attended Wilson Junior College, which is where she met her future husband. They married on April 30, 1955 and had their first daughter, Barbara, in Riverside, California just after Gerald (Jerry's) service with the Air Force ended. They drove back to Illinois with their infant daughter and settled in Chicago, near their families.

Barbara and Jerry had 12 more children and lived in Burbank, Illinois until 2005, when they moved to Madison, Wisconsin. Barbara was a talented artist and had many wonderful gifts, but her proudest accomplishment was her children and their families.
She was the incredibly loving mother of Barbara Lafferty of Madison, Wisconsin, Ann Grieco of Rockport, Massachusetts, Jana Sikora of Orland Park, Illinois, Gerald, Jr. of Rochester, Illinois, Donna Lafferty of Bloomington, Indiana, Ellen Parker of San Diego, California, Glen Lafferty of Ardmore, Pennsylvania, Matthew Lafferty of Valparaiso, Indiana, Joan Western of Dwight, Illinois, Maria Hurst of Madison, Wisconsin, Susan Lafferty of Urbana, Illinois, Julie Poley of Andover, Massachusetts, and Kelly Lafferty of Orland Park, Illinois. She had 21 grandchildren who will miss her terribly.

A memorial service will be held at Oak Park Place on June 16, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. Donations in her memory may be made to Agrace HospiceCare (http://www.agracehospicecare.org) or the Alzheimer's and Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin (http://www.alzwisc.org).