George E. Wielock, 90, of Marathon, passed away on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, at Acorn Hill Senior Living Community, Mosinee. He was born on February 20, 1933, in Athens to the late Edward and Regina (Stencil) Wielock. George married Phyllis Lepak at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, town of Cassel, in 1954. Farming was his passion, and he also enjoyed fishing with his son and sons-in-law, and playing Sheepshead with family. George loved growing potatoes and berries. He served in the U.S. Army from 1954-1956 in Germany. Survivors include his five children: Shirley (David) Grant, Lac du Flambeau, Laurie (Gene) Tieman, Edgar, Lynn (Anthony) Oechsner, Lomira, Greg (Sandy) Wielock, Wausau and Karen (Wayne) Rajek, Wausau; 17 grandchildren, and 22 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Phyllis; parents, Edward and Regina Wielock; daughter, Bonny; son-in-law, Gene, and sisters: Bernice (Orville) Lang and Delores (Donald) Knorr. The funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, town of Cassel, with Rev. Joseph Nakwah presiding. Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. until the time of service at the church. Burial will follow in the parish cemetery with military honors accorded by the American Legion Alois Dreikosen Post #469 of Marathon. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com. The family would like to extend their thanks to the staff and friends at Acorn Hill for the exceptional care and support given to George during his stay. Paid obituary 143146

Dewey (Duane) Kirsch, 70, of Stevens Point, took flight on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, after complications from his infected, mechanical mitral valve. He was a proud Local 388 Journeyman electrician, completing his four-year program in 1992. Prior to retirement, he was fascinated by the different job sites he was able to be a part of, which included EPIC in Verona, Marinette Marina, and the Oshkosh Correctional Institution. Being out in the woods, enjoying nature, brought him a great deal of peacefulness. He got a “rush” from cutting down trees on his land. Making firewood was his idea of fun. He enjoyed putting puzzles together, sometimes on a daily basis. He loved kayaking, camping (especially in MI), deer hunting, gardening, gladiolus, taking the dogs to the dog park daily, and finding deals at the grocery stores. He also enjoyed attending high school sports, especially wrestling, hockey and football, retaining the stats for years to come. He was a wonderful dad to his children, many times the only parent entertaining not only his own children, but neighbor children by playing ball, etc. He just wanted to be present with his children and grandchildren. Humble, intelligent, kind, honest, thoughtful, hardworking, witty and clever are just a few adjectives to describe Dewey. He would surprise his wife with flowers for no reason, hand strangers’ cash in the grocery stores if they looked down on their luck, and put a surprise under people’s pillow to find at night. Always a joker. Survivors include his wife, Renee; his son and daughter-in-law, Jeremy and Megan Kirsch; their two children, Louie and Amelia, and his daughter, Nicole Kirsch; three sisters: Diane (Matt) Krcma, Renee (John) Manders and Mary (Pattie) Kirsch; his two brothers, Larry (Carol) Kirsch and Troy (Jody) Kirsch, and two brother-in-laws: Keith (Roxanne) Spindler and Troy (Pam) Spindler. Duane was preceded in death by his parents, Roland and Rita Kirsch; his sister, Annette; one brother, Tom; his maternal and fraternal grandparents; his father and mother-in-law, Richard and Barbara (Bangart) Spindler; brother-in-laws: Dean, Scott and Todd Spindler; sister-in-law, Mary Beth Spindler; two nephews: Graham Spindler and Adam (Willcome) Spindler and a niece, Emily Manders. A funeral service was held at 12 noon on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, at the Pisarski Funeral Home, 703 Second St., Stevens Point. Family and friends called from 9 a.m. Friday morning at the funeral home until the time for service. The Pisarski Funeral Home is honored to be serving the family. Online condolences may be sent by visiting www.pisarskifuneralhome.com. The family would like to see people honor Duane by going on a self-guided tour of the Farm Campus at Epic in Verona. It is well worth your time; you won’t be disappointed! Paid obituary 142673

Joan E. Speers, age 84, passed away suddenly on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023. Born in Ashland on December 8, 1938, Joan spent her early childhood in Park Falls, until her family relocated to Athens in 1946. Joan married Gilbert Speers on April 27,1963. They lived in the Minneapolis area and settled in Robbinsdale, Minn., where Joan remained until her passing. Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Isabelle and Ernest Sollberger, and her loving husband, Gilbert Speers. Joan is survived by her son, Brian Guessford (wife, Janet) from New Jersey. It was Joan’s greatest joy to reconnect with her son. She is also survived by her nieces, nephews, extended family, friends and her caregiver, Jacques Block. Joan’s favorite pastime was to travel. Joan and Gilbert traveled to all 50 states and overseas many times. Joan also had many adventures with her bus tour friends. She enjoyed connecting with friends and family while she travelled. Joan was into genealogy and spent many hours documenting her family genealogy. She loved music and antiquing, she was an avid antiques collector with a passion for anything related to Norman Rockwell. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. - 12 noon, followed by a funeral service held at the Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home in Athens on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. Rev. Joseph Bathke will preside. The committal will be at Calvary Cemetery in Athens for both Joan and Gilbert Speers directly after the service, with military honors for Gilbert conducted by the Athens Area Veterans. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com. Paid obituary 142372

Roman Raymond Reuter, age 82, of Edgar, passed away on September 12, 2023. He was born to the late Raymond and Anna (Vogl) on August 2, 1941. He is survived by his two brothers: Kenneth Reuter, Marvin (Nancy) Reuter; sister, Doris (Vincent) Folz, nephews: Kevin (Amenia) Folz, Todd Folz, Brian Folz, Paul (Tanya) Reuter and his niece, Amy Jacob. He was preceded in death by his parents and niece, Lisa Gunger. Roman was an outdoorsman and loved working with his hands. He spent many years at the Edgar Sawmill, then drove milk truck before returning to the family farm and was a dairy farmer for 30 plus years. A service will be held at Holy Family Catholic Church, 125074 Co. Rd U, Edgar on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, with visitation from 10 a.m. until the time of Mass at 11 a.m. with burial to follow in the church cemetery. John J. Buettgen Funeral Home is assisting the family at this time. Online condolences may be expressed at HonorOne.com. Paid obituary 142377

John M. Bartelt, age 94, of Marion, passed away on Monday, Sept. 4, 2023, at his home surrounded by his loving family. To sum up a person’s life story in a couple paragraphs is a daunting task; to tell of the legacy left by John Bartelt is near impossible. “Coach” John Bartelt was called up to the major leagues on Monday, Sept. 4. John Milton Bartelt was born and raised in Marathon. He graduated from Marathon High School and attended UW-Stevens Point where he earned his bachelor’s degree. He went on to earn his masters in mathematics from UW-Madison. After serving in the U.S. Army Professional Support Division, he returned to Marion in 1953. He spent his time teaching math at the local high school and coaching basketball, football, and baseball. Soon after beginning his teaching career, he met the love of his life, Patricia Klopstein, on a school bus. They were married July 21, 1956. Together they raised and loved five children. During the 70 years of calling Marion his home, John was very involved in his community. He held numerous leadership roles in the Lions Club, Legion, Legion Baseball, Little League and church council. John inspired generations of students and athletes who were lucky enough to have him as a part of their journey. Many of those same individuals became lifelong friends. After teaching, his days were filled with baseball bus trips and other special trips with wife, Pat. He also loved golf and bowling leagues, cards with the guys, and cheering on all the Wisconsin sport teams. Of all the teams and players John coached over the years, his favorite team was his family. He enjoyed camping and road trips with his children in the growing up years. Those trips evolved into the annual week at the lake, where his entire extended family spent time together boating, playing cards, and enjoying late afternoon happy hours. Holidays were joyful events where he shared story after story and had a joke for every situation. The daily cribbage game with his bride kept his competitive streak strong and phone calls, emails, and visits from his family were highlights in his days. He often reminded whoever he was with that they were his favorite. Truth be told, he was ours too. John Bartelt will be ever missed by many. He was an inspiration to those in his circle and often shared life lessons on and off the field. He valued community and relationships and genuinely invested in both. The way he told the good ol’ groaners with a sparkle in his eye will be a memory kept close. John lived a life of no regrets. He loved hard, lived a life of integrity, and cherished time with those he loved. As per John’s wishes he was surrounded by family in his last days under the care of hospice. The family would like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Dan Kraeger and ProMedica Hospice as well as Cornerstone Care for loving and caring for John. He is survived by his “favorites”: his wife of 67 years, Patricia; son: Tom (Sandy) Bartelt, Mt. Horeb; daughters: Beth (Dan) Kraeger, Custer, Karen (Chris) Hanley, Grafton, Mary Bartelt, Fond du Lac & Diane (Dennis) Federwitz, Clintonville; grandchildren: Hannah (fiance, Nathan Duplayee) Bartelt, Katie (Eric) MacKay, Kinden (Isaac) Vazquez, Tyler (Callie) Kraeger, Sean (April) Hanley, Ben (Gus Hirschbock) Hanley, Callan Hanley, Nathan Federwitz & Morgan Federwitz; and great-grandchildren: Ellie, Evan, Asher & Owen MacKay and Bo & Kai Vazquez. John was preceded in death by his parents, Gottlieb F. & Ruth M. (Weber) Bartelt; sisters: Joyce Rosso & Mary Butler, and brothers: Jim & George Bartelt. A memorial service was held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023, at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Marion, with the Rev. Karen Reimer presiding. Military honors was conducted following the service at the church by members of the American Legion William Bertram Post #198 of Marion. As per the family’s wishes, no formal visitation was held prior to the service. Friends gathered at the church just prior to the memorial service on Friday. A private family interment took place at Greenleaf Cemetery, Marion, prior to the memorial service. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Bartelt Memorial fund, which will be used to invest in the community of Marion. The Eberhardt-Stevenson Funeral Home & Crematory, Marion, is assisting the Bartelt family with arrangements. An online guestbook is available at eberhardtstevenson.com. Paid obituary 141938

Hayden Patrick Casper passed peacefully in the arms of his parents on September 3, 2023. He was born on May 17, 2023, in Rockford, Ill. Hayden was a strong little fighter during his 110 days of life as he faced many difficult medical challenges. He was surrounded by the love of his parents, Sven and Brittany (Spindler) Casper, and his proud older brother, Hunter, every step of his journey. Hayden is survived by his maternal grandparents, Jeff and Gloria (Kloos) Spindler of Stratford and paternal grandparents, Steve and Cindy (Berggren) Casper of Rockford, Ill. He was exceptionally loved by his grandparents who spent many hours with his parents at his bedside. Hayden’s extended maternal family includes Great-Grandparents, Bob and Deloris Spindler, Uncle Lee and Aunt Stacey (Werner) and cousins Riley, Reese and Reid Spindler; Uncle Ken and Aunt Michelle (Bingham) and cousins Morgan and Mason Spindler; Uncle Brent and Aunt Amanda (Koerner) and cousins Jackson, Jevin and Jordy Spindler; Uncle Perry; Uncle Derek, and Aunt Stephanie. His extended paternal family includes Great-Grandparents Steve and Liz Casper and Edna Berggren; Uncle David and Aunt Gwen (Casper) and cousin Maiya Feldhaus. Hayden was predeceased by paternal grandfather, Sven Berggren and greatgrandparents, John and Marie Kloos. Special thank you to all the doctors, nurses and medical staff at Javon Bea Hospital in Rockford, Ill., and American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison who cared for Hayden, especially Sue Didier, Tracy Grisanzio and Leigha Sander. Thank you to all of our family and friends at the Lyran Club, Rockford Ravens Rugby Club and fundraising donors for their generous support of our family. Thankfully, Hayden is one of God’s children as he was both baptized and confirmed by Father Aaron Downing. May he rest in peace and love in the arms of Our Father. A funeral Mass was held at St. Bridget Catholic Church, 600 Clifford Ave., Loves Park, Ill., on Monday, Sept. 11, at 10 a.m. with luncheon following at Lyran Society, 1115 4th Ave. Rockford, Ill. In lieu of flowers, we would be honored to have you support The Ronald McDonald House of Madison as they were an incredible support to our family during these past few months. There will be a fundraiser for the family held on Saturday, Sept. 16, at Bauman Nursery & Landscape, 221584 Fairfield Dr., Edgar, starting at 9 a.m. Paid obituary 142112

Edna Jane Schreier was born August 30, 1953, to the late George & Edna (Rajek) Schreier. She passed away on September 5, 2023. Edna Jane babysat for numerous families in the Marathon area for many years, which she enjoyed. She then started to work at George’s Market for many years until the store closed. Later in life, she got her driver’s license with the help of her brother Richard, and she was off. Edna then started to work for Jan at Kamenick’s Farm and Catering. She worked whenever she could. She was always very helpful and liked by many people. When she wasn’t working, she enjoyed playing cards at her sister Ruthie’s house with brothers Richard, Joe and Bob, along with her sister Dar and some other friends that came by. She liked camping with Jan and her family as well as other friends. She enjoyed an ice-cold Sun Drop, watching wrestling, going to eat breakfast at the Village Inn and once in a while at the Scoop. Edna Jane is survived by sisters: Mary Ellen Volm, Brokaw, Darlene (Ken) Nowitzke, Marathon and Ruth (Ken) Wendt, Mosinee; brothers: Richard, Mosinee; Joseph (Maureen) of Rib Mountain; Robert (Lisa Giese), Marathon; David, Mosinee: and many nieces and nephews, and great-nieces and nephews. Also survived by sisters-in-law Jenny Schreier of Wausau and Linda Schreier of Weston. Edna was preceded in death by parents, George and Edna Schreier, brothers: Gerald, Gary, Jim, Ken, Clifford and John; sisters: Elizabeth and Joanie; brother-in-law, Richard Volm, and sister-in-law, Alvina Schreier. The family would like to extend a sincere thank you to Aspirus Wausau Hospital Cardiac I.C.U. and the hospice unit for the care and devotion shown to Edna while being a patient there. Thank you to all! A memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, at the Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, Marathon. The Rev. Msgr. Joseph Diermeier will preside. Burial will be at a later date at St. Mary Catholic Cemetery, Marathon. Visitation will be held from 3 p.m. until the time of service, all at the Marathon funeral home. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com. Paid obituary 142045