MONROE - Audrey Hein might be an example of the artist inside each of us. Creating has changed the way she views things and the people around her. After years of community involvement, she now finds peace in her drawings and other projects and is able to lose herself for a while in a world she creates, while otherwise enjoying life to the fullest.
Hein was born in a small town in Minnesota at home, where she was delivered by a small-town doctor. Her father worked in the mines and there was a community of families in a similar situation, who all attended the consolidated school. Because the mines were on the school's property, expenses were paid, and Hein said it was a grand experience.
She recalls finding fun by playing games with her three siblings and neighbors, with a strong sense of freedom where she could wander around the woods and lakes - spending summers swimming and winters ice skating. She even recalls sharing the warm shack used for the steam train water as a welcome warming house.
"We had no worries, but lots of care," she said.
At Greenway High School Hein was an involved student, taking part in musicals, singing in the chorus and playing French horn in band. After graduation in 1950, she took a summer job in Grand Rapids working as a nurse's aide before attending St. Mary's School for nursing on a scholarship from the Red Cross. It was a program in place during World War II when nurses were needed and came with a monthly $15 stipend for spending as well.
"There weren't a lot of choices then," Hein said. "It was between teaching and nursing - nursing was the one I picked."
Hein met her husband, Bill, at St. Mary's where he was interning to become a doctor before she graduated in 1953. After working in Itasca County for a year, a required part of the scholarship, the couple moved closer to Madison where Bill attended medical school.
Nursing seemed like a good fit for Hein. She loved the contact with people and being able to help them.
The couple married after Bill graduated around 1955 and soon moved to Monroe, where he would do his residency. Hein hadn't heard of the small town, but her mother-in-law found the busy young couple an apartment. She started working at the hospital in Monroe in the recovery room for three months before they started a family.
The growing family called Brodhead home for years, where Bill worked family practice at the clinic there.
"It was such a friendly, small town," Hein said. "I got to know people quickly."
After several years in Brodhead, the family would move around a handful of times for Bill's career. They lived in Green Bay for a time, and she recalls her children being thrilled to be close to Lambeau Field. The busy time was happy, she said, and she was often toting children to and from activities.
Around 1979 the Hein family returned to Monroe. Her youngest child had turned 5, and Hein said in 1980 she had an inkling to open a yarn shop on the southwest corner of the Square called The Elegant Needle. Later, the store moved to a house on the corner of 20th Avenue and 10th Street.
Knitting was something Hein enjoyed since high school, when the female principal had the class knit squares that were eventually sewn together to make afghans for the Red Cross.
"I think it's the ability to create something, and add color," Hein said of why she loves the pastime. "All-in-all it's just an all-around good thing."
The transition to owning her own business was fairly smooth. Hein belonged to professional organizations and attended several workshops. She served on the American Professional Needlework Association and was an officer for several years. She expanded to not only yarn, but did needlework, crochet, cross stitch and a variety of needle point. She also was active in the National Needlework Association and became the director of its education program.
She found a deeply creative part of herself when people would ask her for patterns and she was able to write them. It was a time when there weren't many available, and she enjoyed the task. She took home awards for some and even won a prize at a national competition on a sweater she designed and made. One of her most intricate pieces, she recalls, was a shawl she created for the Monroe Arts Center silent auction with a stained glass window on the back done entirely from scratch.
Despite loving her store and customers, Hein was ready to close her doors after 14 years and is proud of her time there. She was part of several charitable organizations that donated to things like Caps for Kids and other national programs that served needy people.
Although today's knitting world has changed, Hein still enjoys the sense of relaxation and accomplishment special projects bring.
About 10 years ago, Hein found an urge to get creative again. She took a few classes on colored pencil drawing, primarily for her own enjoyment, and it's become one of her favorite pastimes.
"It's meditative," she said. "I can lose myself in the process and it's rewarding to have an end product you feel is done well."
Although she had never drawn before, she said she was lured in by the creative aspect. She had drawn a little while making patterns for store customers, and this seemed to fulfill that. She often recreates things in nature or from photographs. She makes some of her drawings into greeting cards, and they can be found at the MAC for sale.
Through the years, Hein has found many ways to stay active in the community. In past years, she has served as a Jaycette, active in the Green County Historical Society, the National Historic Cheesemaking Center, president of the Literacy Council, president of the Hospital Volunteers, president of Questers, Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Green County Leaders Board of Directors, MAC Board of Directors and Monroe Theatre Guild, taking part in some performances. She's still a member of the Kiwanis and helps with its monthly newsletter.
Hein's days are quieter now without the bustle of five children, but she said she still finds enjoyment in creating. She informally gathers with friends at Perk's Cafe to socialize and knit weekly. The group is relaxed, but a handful of years ago they knitted more than 600 dish cloths for charitable Christmas stockings.
Now retired, Hein enjoys spending time with family. She has seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild, and another on the way; she's knitting for her.
She also enjoys travel, and before Bill's death, the couple took several trips overseas including England, Scotland, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland. The couple also enjoyed several tours in Germany and Greece, often with friends.
"I've always kept my community of friends in Monroe," Hein said. "My friends have become my family."
Hein was once a master gardener as well and still enjoys being outside in her flowerbeds and yard when she can. She works to stay social and loves to lunch with friends and attend local shows in Monroe. She said she sees the importance of having friends, being a friend and conversing regularly with those important to you.
She said she lives by the words of the Serenity Prayer, because it depicts how she feels people should live and behave.
"Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference."
Hein was born in a small town in Minnesota at home, where she was delivered by a small-town doctor. Her father worked in the mines and there was a community of families in a similar situation, who all attended the consolidated school. Because the mines were on the school's property, expenses were paid, and Hein said it was a grand experience.
She recalls finding fun by playing games with her three siblings and neighbors, with a strong sense of freedom where she could wander around the woods and lakes - spending summers swimming and winters ice skating. She even recalls sharing the warm shack used for the steam train water as a welcome warming house.
"We had no worries, but lots of care," she said.
At Greenway High School Hein was an involved student, taking part in musicals, singing in the chorus and playing French horn in band. After graduation in 1950, she took a summer job in Grand Rapids working as a nurse's aide before attending St. Mary's School for nursing on a scholarship from the Red Cross. It was a program in place during World War II when nurses were needed and came with a monthly $15 stipend for spending as well.
"There weren't a lot of choices then," Hein said. "It was between teaching and nursing - nursing was the one I picked."
Hein met her husband, Bill, at St. Mary's where he was interning to become a doctor before she graduated in 1953. After working in Itasca County for a year, a required part of the scholarship, the couple moved closer to Madison where Bill attended medical school.
Nursing seemed like a good fit for Hein. She loved the contact with people and being able to help them.
The couple married after Bill graduated around 1955 and soon moved to Monroe, where he would do his residency. Hein hadn't heard of the small town, but her mother-in-law found the busy young couple an apartment. She started working at the hospital in Monroe in the recovery room for three months before they started a family.
The growing family called Brodhead home for years, where Bill worked family practice at the clinic there.
"It was such a friendly, small town," Hein said. "I got to know people quickly."
After several years in Brodhead, the family would move around a handful of times for Bill's career. They lived in Green Bay for a time, and she recalls her children being thrilled to be close to Lambeau Field. The busy time was happy, she said, and she was often toting children to and from activities.
Around 1979 the Hein family returned to Monroe. Her youngest child had turned 5, and Hein said in 1980 she had an inkling to open a yarn shop on the southwest corner of the Square called The Elegant Needle. Later, the store moved to a house on the corner of 20th Avenue and 10th Street.
Knitting was something Hein enjoyed since high school, when the female principal had the class knit squares that were eventually sewn together to make afghans for the Red Cross.
"I think it's the ability to create something, and add color," Hein said of why she loves the pastime. "All-in-all it's just an all-around good thing."
The transition to owning her own business was fairly smooth. Hein belonged to professional organizations and attended several workshops. She served on the American Professional Needlework Association and was an officer for several years. She expanded to not only yarn, but did needlework, crochet, cross stitch and a variety of needle point. She also was active in the National Needlework Association and became the director of its education program.
She found a deeply creative part of herself when people would ask her for patterns and she was able to write them. It was a time when there weren't many available, and she enjoyed the task. She took home awards for some and even won a prize at a national competition on a sweater she designed and made. One of her most intricate pieces, she recalls, was a shawl she created for the Monroe Arts Center silent auction with a stained glass window on the back done entirely from scratch.
Despite loving her store and customers, Hein was ready to close her doors after 14 years and is proud of her time there. She was part of several charitable organizations that donated to things like Caps for Kids and other national programs that served needy people.
Although today's knitting world has changed, Hein still enjoys the sense of relaxation and accomplishment special projects bring.
About 10 years ago, Hein found an urge to get creative again. She took a few classes on colored pencil drawing, primarily for her own enjoyment, and it's become one of her favorite pastimes.
"It's meditative," she said. "I can lose myself in the process and it's rewarding to have an end product you feel is done well."
Although she had never drawn before, she said she was lured in by the creative aspect. She had drawn a little while making patterns for store customers, and this seemed to fulfill that. She often recreates things in nature or from photographs. She makes some of her drawings into greeting cards, and they can be found at the MAC for sale.
Through the years, Hein has found many ways to stay active in the community. In past years, she has served as a Jaycette, active in the Green County Historical Society, the National Historic Cheesemaking Center, president of the Literacy Council, president of the Hospital Volunteers, president of Questers, Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Green County Leaders Board of Directors, MAC Board of Directors and Monroe Theatre Guild, taking part in some performances. She's still a member of the Kiwanis and helps with its monthly newsletter.
Hein's days are quieter now without the bustle of five children, but she said she still finds enjoyment in creating. She informally gathers with friends at Perk's Cafe to socialize and knit weekly. The group is relaxed, but a handful of years ago they knitted more than 600 dish cloths for charitable Christmas stockings.
Now retired, Hein enjoys spending time with family. She has seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild, and another on the way; she's knitting for her.
She also enjoys travel, and before Bill's death, the couple took several trips overseas including England, Scotland, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland. The couple also enjoyed several tours in Germany and Greece, often with friends.
"I've always kept my community of friends in Monroe," Hein said. "My friends have become my family."
Hein was once a master gardener as well and still enjoys being outside in her flowerbeds and yard when she can. She works to stay social and loves to lunch with friends and attend local shows in Monroe. She said she sees the importance of having friends, being a friend and conversing regularly with those important to you.
She said she lives by the words of the Serenity Prayer, because it depicts how she feels people should live and behave.
"Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference."