Sarah Ann Hardacre, 64, of Racine – Obituary

Posted by The News Pulse October 27, 2025 Post a Comment

Memorial and Service Details

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at 11:00 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church located at 2065 Geneva Street in Racine. Pastor David Gehne will officiate the service. A visitation will take place from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Friday, November 21, 2025, at Maresh-Meredith and Acklam Funeral Home, situated at 803 Main Street in Racine. Additional visitation hours will be available from 10:00 AM until the service begins at the church on Saturday.

Early Life

Sarah Ann Hardacre, born April 30, 1961, was the only child of Ronald R. and Cydelle A. (nee: Stecker) Schalow, who were residents of Marshfield, Wisconsin. She spent her entire childhood there. Sarah often accompanied her father to his baseball, softball, and bowling leagues, which instilled in her a competitive spirit that remained throughout her life.

In her early teens, she took up tennis, a sport that became a major part of her life. She was a three-year varsity letter winner at Marshfield Senior High School, winning multiple Wisconsin Valley Conference Championships as an individual and team, and qualifying for the WIAA State Individual and Team Championship competition. Her success continued into the summer tennis tournament circuit in Central Wisconsin.

She pursued tennis at the collegiate level, starting as the #1 singles player on the men’s team at UW-Marshfield/Wood County. Later, she transferred to UW-Stevens Point, where she earned first team All-Conference in 1981, second team in 1982, and was named team MVP all three years. She graduated cum laude with a degree in elementary education in December 1983.

Involvement in Music and Performing Arts

Beyond her athletic achievements, Sarah was involved in music. She sang competitively with her high school chorus and was a three-year participant with the Marshfield Senior High Madrigal Singers. She played violin with her high school orchestra and during the summers at the local theater group. In the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, she was active with Sweet Adelines International, participating in both the Indianapolis and Racine chapters.

Family Life

It was through tennis that Sarah met her future husband, Jerry Hardacre, during their sophomore year in high school. They shared a love for tennis that spanned high school, college, and adulthood. They married on July 2, 1983, in Marshfield, Wisconsin. After Jerry completed medical school in 1985, they moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, while he did his general surgery residency. Sarah supported the family by teaching 4th grade during this time.

They had three children: Jenna in 1985, Jerry III (Jay) in 1987, and Jesse in 1990 when they relocated to Racine. Jerry joined the Kurten Medical Group in the General Surgery Department.

Life in Racine

After moving to Racine in 1990, Sarah resumed her competitive tennis career, playing on multiple USTA State League teams in Racine and Milwaukee. She won the Racine On The Lake Women’s Singles Championship for six consecutive years starting in 1992. She also won multiple local city Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles Championships over a 15-year period.

In the late 1990s, she became a USPTA certified teaching professional and began teaching tennis at The Racine Indoor Tennis Club and later at LifeSport Racine. Around 2007, she started coaching high school girls’ tennis, initially as a JV coach with Sylvia Krause at Horlick High School, and then as the varsity girls coach at St. Catherine’s High School in 2008. Many of her players achieved success locally and at the WIAA State Level, with some going on to have successful collegiate careers. She returned to Horlick High School as varsity coach, retiring from coaching in 2018.

Community Involvement

Jerry and Sarah embraced Racine as their new home and became actively involved in the community. In the early 1990s, building on her experience advocating for daughter Jenna with a cognitive disability, Sarah became involved with the ARC of Racine. She served on the Board of Directors and later transitioned to a paid employee as a Parent Advocate. She continued to serve the Racine adult disabled community, being named to the Board of Careers Industries, now known as VARC, serving a three-year term in the early 2000s.

Faith and Fun

A lifelong member of the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church, Sarah's faith was evident in all aspects of her life. The family has been active members of Trinity Lutheran Church, and Sarah served in the Altar Guild for the past 15 years.

Besides her faith, family, and tennis, she enjoyed reading, especially fiction and romance novels, and was an active member of the Trinity book club. She took pleasure in walking her dogs and watching sports, especially her beloved Green Bay Packers. Before his passing, after each game, she and her father would discuss the outcome, often being described as the consummate Monday morning quarterback.

Survived by Family and Friends

Sarah is survived by her husband, Jerry, daughter Jenna, son Jerry (Jay) III (Rosalva), and son Jesse, as well as many siblings-in-law, nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her mother, Cydelle, in April 2005, and her father, Ronald, in June 2025.

Thanks and Memorials

The family would like to thank Dr. Kaoutar Tlemcani and the dedicated staff of Ascension All Saints Cancer Center for their compassionate, empathetic, and professional care. They also wish to thank Dr. Mandana Kamgar and her Faith Clinic team at the Wauwatosa Froedtert Cancer Center for assisting with potential advanced treatment options for her pancreatic cancer. Finally, they recognize the wonderful and caring team at Ascension All Saints Hospital, from the emergency care center to the med/surg units of CVI 2 and 5, as well as the many hospitalists and medical specialists who participated in her inpatient care in the last two months of her life.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Ascension All-Saints Hope Fund of the Ascension Wisconsin Foundation, or to Trinity Lutheran Church, or to a charity of your choice.

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