Anne Arnesen

Anne Marie Schmitz Arnesen was born on May 21, 1932, in Allegan, Michigan. She lived an incredible 93 years and passed away peacefully on January 14, 2026, surrounded by so many of the people who loved her. Anne was an advocate, feminist, and life-long political activist.

She had an idyllic small-town childhood in Allegan and then attended the University of Michigan, graduating in 1954. While there she met Richard (Dick) Arnesen. They married in 1957 and moved to Cleveland, where he attended medical school at Case Western Reserve. Anne taught 1st grade, until the school discovered she was pregnant and forced her to stop working, because at the time it was thought to be obscene to expose small children to a pregnant person.

She gave birth to her daughter Katherine (KT) in 1964. They soon moved to Madison, so Dick could complete his residency. Their son Richard was born in 1965. For several years, all four Arnesens squeezed into a tiny cottage on Lake Waubesa in McFarland. But in 1971, they were able to buy their dream house – built in 1941 by William T. Evjue – on Lake Mendota. 

Anne joined the League of Women Voters shortly after arriving in Madison and thus began her interest in the women’s liberation movement and a lifetime of advocacy on behalf of the women and children of Wisconsin. For more than 20 years, she was the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Council on Children & Families (now called Kids Forward). She oversaw the publication of Kids Count, the first database to track the well-being of children’s health in Wisconsin and fought tirelessly for policies to improve the lives of marginalized families.

Anne was deeply committed to strengthening the Madison community. She served on the Madison school board from 1980 to 1989. She was a longtime board member of the Kids Forward Foundation, the Madison Children’s Museum, the Foundation for Madison Public Schools, and Solace Friends. She was active in GRUMPS (Grandparents United for Madison Public Schools) right up until the end. A powerful figure in local politics, Anne championed progressive candidates and happily hosted fundraisers into her 90s. She was a loud and proud supporter of abortion rights, Planned Parenthood, and Electing Women Wisconsin.

Anne’s greatest talent was collecting friends wherever she went. Growing up we made a game of guessing the number of people she would know when we went out. There was no place in Madison – or even Mexico – where we could go that she wouldn’t run into at least one person who was on a board or at a conference with her. We attribute her longevity to attending her morning “exercise group,” where she formed lifelong friendships and probably also did some calisthenics. She was in at least two book clubs, a knitting club, and was a treasured member of many groups of friends from every part of her life. 

There was a reason everyone wanted to be her friend. She was, especially for a woman of her generation, outspoken and fun and fiercely independent, but she was also open-minded and curious and compassionate. She saw the best in people and anyone was always welcome in her home. Anne and Dick hosted legendary parties, often involving elaborate songs and skits, and there was no better place to spend a summer evening than sitting on their deck watching the sun set over Lake Mendota. 

Anne was always up for an adventure. She delighted especially in the yearly trips she took with all her kids and grandkids. We made it to London, Paris, Berlin, Scotland, and Quebec. Her final trip was closer to home, a return to Camp Michigania, where our family spent summers together in the mid-2000s. At 93, she was the oldest camper there, but she was thrilled to introduce the newest family members to camp.

Anne was unflappable and approached life with a laissez-faire attitude, believing that most things would work themselves out in the end. And in the end, they did. She had a long and wonderfully full life, even getting to meet her first great-grandchild, who was born just three days before Anne died. 

She wasn’t perfect – she was a completely tone-deaf singer, she was terrible at remembering people’s names, and she had a dangerous and deeply held belief that all food was perfectly fine to eat even years after it had expired – but she was the best matriarch we could have asked for. We will miss her so much, but we will carry her with us as we march forward in the streets and in our lives

Anne was preceded in death by her parents, Dorothy and William Schmitz; her husband, Dick, in 2002; and her brother, William Schmitz, in 2023. She is survived by her children, Katherine Arnesen and Richard (Bree Schenkel) Arnesen; grandchildren Ellie (Rainer) Grimm, Sophie (Sean Summerbell) Ploch, Kellen Rice, Avery (Jesse Kahn) Rice-Arnesen; great-granddaughter Dorothy; her favorite dog Molly; and an extended family of nieces and nephews, neighbors, and friends.

In remembrance of Anne’s life, the family asks that any charitable donations be made to Kids Forward (https://kidsforward.org/donate-4/). Or the Madison Children's Museum (https://madisonchildrensmuseum.org/support/individual-giving).

Plans for a memorial service will be announced at a later date.