Dec. 27, 2018 – Ashley Marie (Smith) Wondra, 35, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday December 23, 2018. She was born on April 18, 1983 in Oshkosh the daughter of Terry Smith and Linda Jones.
Ashley will always be remembered for her selfless acts of kindness and her love of children especially those with special needs. After graduating Oshkosh West High School in 2001 she began her path in helping children. She gained her degree in 2008 from UW-Oshkosh in elementary and special education. She continued to go on to earn her Masters degree in 2012 from Marian University. While attending college she worked at a daycare as her love for children was like no other. All of the children loved her.
After graduation she received a position at Threshold in West Bend, WI where she worked in the birth to 3 Program in Washington County. There she touched the lives of many families of children with special needs. One family sent a letter stating until their son met Ashley he would not speak but Ashley was able to build a connection with their son and he began speaking. This was one example of the many lives she touched.
Ashley met the love of her life Ron Wondra after meeting online on May 25, 2007, they were engaged on July 4, 2013, and they were married on October 30, 2015.
Ashley enjoyed the simple things. She loved decorating her home and coming up with house projects. Many of them she did on her own but always had a list of things for Ron and her dad whom she would call and say “I have an idea to do” and enjoyed sending her mom pictures of the finished project. She had a real knack of organizing. She would spend hours organizing and making sure everything was labeled and in it’s place. Ashley and Ron were in the process of adding to their family by adopting a child.
Ashley is survived by her husband Ron, mother Linda (Mike) Blau, father Terry (Jill) Smith. mother in-law and father in-law Nancy and Steve Wondra, grandmother Ann Smith. Sister-in-law Tanya(Bobby) Zook, brother-in-law Tim Wondra(special friend Sara), her special aunt Ruth (Jerry Tritt) other aunts and uncles Suzanne (John) Jones, Bob & Judy Jones, Peter & Lisa Smith, Jim & Brenda Smith, Rex Smith. All of her cherished cousins Jacob Hamilton, Jared Hamilton, Jamie Smith, Josh Smith, Caitlyn Smith, Carley Smith, Michael Smith, Kelsie Smith, Hudson Smith, Rob Jones, Jennifer Jones, Karen Behring, Phil Jones, Jessica Martin, Ben Pelky & Rachel Pelky, grandmothers-in-law Alice Wondra and Harriet Schultz and special friends Randi Leigh, and Austin Wellhoefer.
She was preceded in death by her grandfather Dean Smith, grandparents Loren & Rosemarie Jones, uncle Jay Hamilton and cousin Luke Smith.
A memorial service for Ashley will be held on Sunday December 30, 2018 at 4 p.m at Konrad-Behlman Funeral Homes-Westside. Visitation will be held on Sunday at the funeral home from noon until the time of the service.
In the days and months to come we will wonder how we will go on without our Ashley. We will fight the same way Ashley has done all her life with grace and dignity and our lives are so much better having known her for too short of time.
In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to one of her favorite charities St Jude’s Children’s Hospital