Milda Marie Steinbrecher

Milda Marie Steinbrecher

July 20, 1929 - February 24, 2026

Milda M. Steinbrecher (née Mielke), 96 of Oshkosh, passed away at Elaine's Hope at The Lutheran Home of Wauwatosa on February 24, 2026. She was born in Shiocton, WI on July 20, 1929, to the late Rev. Louis E. and Milda M. (Schmidt) Mielke.

Milda was a loving mother, sister, aunt, and friend who would never turn down the opportunity to have some fun.Milda always believed the solution to a problem was more education, reading a book about the issue, or going to a lecture. Even as she dealt with the effects of dementia, she would ask if there was a book she should read about it.

After graduating Shiocton High School in 1947 and working for a year at the Shiocton grocery store, she attended Oshkosh State Teachers College for one year to gain the requirements for the next step, X-ray training at the UW Hospital in Madison. After she decided to move on to another field, she attended UW Milwaukee for a class here or there before committing to the University of Wisconsin to get her teaching degree. She followed that with a Masters in Theater from UW and continued her studies at the University of Minnesota, completing her coursework for a PhD in Theater/Set Design.

Her working life was scattered across the US from Richland, Washington (at Kadlec Regional Medical Center) to Milwaukee Hospital (servicing the Milwaukee Braves baseball team), on to Detroit Public Schools and finally, UW-Oshkosh. She finally set down roots in Oshkosh, marrying A. Frederick Steinbrecher in 1967 (div.) and giving birth to Milda Anne "Mimi" Steinbrecher in 1973.

After 30 years at UW-Oshkosh, Milda retired in 1996. She enrolled in art classes and started traveling. She saw Russia by river boat, Alaska by ocean liner, swam in the waters of Maui, sipped beer on the beach in the Bahamas, enjoyed opera in Santa Fe, rang in the New Year in London, and traveled all over the US going to art museums and concerts.

She was a bit of a flirt, a bit of a drama queen, had an artist's outlook, and always valued truth and honesty. She had a deep and abiding faith but did not often speak of it or outwardly display it. She had many acquaintances but a few close friends who brought her great joy and comfort.

When suffering through her dementia and listening to the details of her life, she would often ask, "Is there someone I should be helping?" When told she had helped thousands, both in hospitals and as a teacher, she asked if she was a good teacher. She was told this story: She and her colleagues in the Speech department decided to go out for a drink one Friday after work. As they were all sitting around a large table, a woman she knew came up and said, "Milda! I'm so excited, I signed up for your public speaking class in the fall. I asked everyone I knew and they said you were the best teacher in the department!" Milda was so embarrassed, surrounded by her colleagues who also taught that class. But it was a good story to sum up her teaching career.

She was an X-ray tech, a teacher, and an artist, but she really loved being called "Mimi's Mom."

Milda is survived by her daughter, Milda A; her brother, Louis I (June) Mielke; and her much loved nieces, nephews, and dear friends. In addition to her parents, Milda was preceded in death by her sister, Margaret (Marcus) Albrecht; and brothers, Paul (Alice) Mielke and John Mielke.

Funeral services will be held at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Shiocton, N5610 Broad St, at 11:00am, Saturday, March 14, 2026 with a brief visitation before. Following, a reception will be held at the Konrad-Behlman Funeral Home-Westside at 100 Lake Pointe Drive, Oshkosh from 1:45pm-3:30pm for food and fellowship. At the request of family, you are encouraged to forgo black and to wear your most colorful outfit!

If you wish to donate in Milda's memory, please contribute to your local Public TV or Radio stations.