Racine Area Retired Educators Association

10/14/2025

Long-time Starbuck Jr. HS/MS teacher and RAREA member NANCY HOLMLUND passed away peacefully on Saturday, 10/11/25. Please remember Nancy and her family members at this time.
Friday, October 17, 2025:
Visitation and viewing
from 4-7 pm
Time of sharing 6 pm
Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home
4600 County Line Road
Mount Pleasant, WI 53403

Saturday, October 18, 2025:
Celebration of Life followed by luncheon
11 am-2 pm
Christ Church United Methodist
5109 Washington Avenue
Racine, WI 53406

Rest in peace, Nancy.

08/22/2025

THANK YOU Jan Brunnelson for your years of dedication to the RAREA by serving as our Board secretary! Jan has decided to turn in her pen and steno pad effective now. Here's a warm welcome to BARB KELLEY who has accepted the call to take over the position of RAREA Board Secretary. She moves from the position of Member-at-Large😀.

08/22/2025

WELCOME! The Racine Area Retired Educators Association welcomes the 80 new educators who will be sharing their expertise and knowledge with RUSD students come the start of the 2025-2026 school year. You are a long way from even thinking about retirement, but those of us who have "paid our dues" and were once the "new kids on the block" just like you, will be rooting for you all the way. The RAREA is and organization made up of over 400 educational retirees - former teachers, administrators, educational assistants, specialists and support personnel - who still profess a vested interested in education and the Racine Unified School District. We extend to you our best wishes for a wonderful start to the new school year!

08/17/2025

REMINDER: Reservations and payment for our WELCOME BACK BRUNCH on September 11th are due on/before September 6th!

07/31/2025

Please remember the families of the following RAREA members who have recently passed away. This information published here will also be included in the November/December 2025 edition of the Enunciator for those members not on Facebook.

SANDY DEWALT - February 13, 2025
Sandy began her career in education as a special education teacher. After receiving her Masters Degree,
she became a counselor at McKinley Middle School. She worked for 37 years with Racine Unified School
District.

ANNE SWANSON - March 23, 2025
Anne was employed by Racine Unified for 50 years. She served in numerous roles as both a teacher and
as an administrator. She retired in 2011 but then continued subbing for principals until 2022. Over the
years, she spent some time at the majority of the schools in Racine Unified.

PHIL DOBBS - May 11, 2025
Phil started his teaching and coaching career in South Dakota. In 1968 they moved to Iowa where he
taught English and coached as an assistant in football and track & field. The family moved to Racine in
1971 and he accepted a teaching and assistant coaching position at Washington Park High School.
From 1979 - 1995 Park Football had a great success with six conference championships and in 1988 - Division I State of Wisconsin Football Championship.

SHIRLEY MEYER - May 18, 1925
Shirley began her teaching career for a short time in a country school in rural Reedsburg, WI. She then
moved to Racine and worked her whole career for Racine Unified at North park Elementary School.

IRENE GORDON - February 9, 2025
Irene taught English and Sociology at J.I.Case High School for 32 years and retired in 2000.

07/31/2025

JOIN RAREA! Newly retired? Retired years ago? Join us! Dues are FREE your first year and only $10/year after that! We are a growing association (not a union) of over 400 retired teachers, para-professionals, specialists, educational assistants, secretaries, and administrators in the Racine area. We meet 6 times a year for meals and programs. Our WELCOME BACK BRUNCH to kick off the 2025-2026 year will take place on September 11th at Infusino's Banquet Hall. Former, current, and new members are welcome. For membership information, contact CHET MELCHER @ (262) 939-1253 today! We are an affiliate of the WREA, Wisconsin Retired Educators Association.

07/30/2025

Here are the RAREA Scholarship recipients for 2024-2025. They were recognized at our annual Scholarship Luncheon held at Infusino's Banquet Hall on June 4th. In all, $18,000.00 was awarded to seven students: 3 from Wm. Horlick HS and 4 from UW-Parkside. Chris Jamieson, committee chair, is also in the photo (back row, far right). Other committee members are Mike Kania, Sandra Fugate from the RAREA and Nicole Meier from UW-Parkside. Our Scholarships are all supported solely from member donations. :)

07/23/2025

The August/September 2025 edition of THE ENUNCIATOR, our association's newsletter, will hit your USPS mailbox or your e-mail in August. Be watching for it and keep up with current RAREA news and upcoming event as we embark on a new RAREA year, 2025-2026! - Jeff Rasmussen., newsletter editor

07/22/2025

For the second time, Debbie Lehrer is our 2025 RAREA Volunteer of the Year award recipient, clocking in over 1550 hours.The bulk of Debbie's volunteer work includes, but is not limited to, Calvary Memorial Church, Big Sisters of Greater Racine, and Roosevelt Elementary School, where she was a kindergarten teacher for over 38 years. Congratulations on behalf of the membership of the RAREA!

CONGRATULATIONS to member DEBBIE LEHRER, recipient of our 2025 Volunteer Award that will be awarded to her at an upcoming RAREA luncheon. After a stellar 35+ year RUSD career, most of which was spent in a kindergarten classroom at Roosevelt Elementary School, Deb has continued to volunteer in Roosevelt classrooms as well as in various capacities for their PTA. In addition, Debbie has volunteered for 40 years with Big Sisters of Greater Racine and in educational capacities at her church, Calvary Memorial. She logged in overf 1550 hours during the past year, 927 of which were in various educational capacities. Debbie, who retired from RUSD in 2014, exemplifies the adage "if you want something done, ask a busy person!" Congratulations!