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After a 4 week long fight for her life, Audrey Grace Waltke passed away peacefully on the morning of January 31st, 2025. Audrey was like the sun: quiet but brilliantly bright, exuding warmth and joy to everyone touched by her light. She was a huge child at heart, with the sweetest, most empathetic soul. She found comfort in her massive collection of Squishmallows and stuffed animals, eventually leading to her employment at Build A Bear. She was a bibliophile who read all different genres of books, and she loved to play Dungeons and Dragons with all her friends from around the world. Audrey was also a full time student at Indiana University South Bend, where she majored in Elementary Education and minored in Creative Writing.
Audrey was preceded in death by her big sister, Madison Waltke. She is survived by her parents Bret Waltke of Coldwater, MI, and Jennifer Weiderman Waltke (John Kudelka) of Mishawaka, IN, grandparents Robert and Gwen Kryder of Colon, MI, Danny Waltke of Canton, MI, and Diane Nagy of Corpus Christi, TX, along with several aunts and uncles, and many cousins.
Cremation has taken place, and a celebration of life will be planned for a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family is accepting donations to help cover costs. There is a Gofundme set up, or donations can be made directly to the funeral home.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Audrey G. Waltke, please visit our floral store.