Craig Howard Willkom

1961-2022

Craig Howard Willkom, 61 of Sheldon, passed away Friday, Aug. 26, 2022. A Memorial Mass will take place at noon, on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Boyd with Father William Felix and Deacon Ned Willkom co-officiating. Inurnment will follow in St Joseph’s Catholic Church Cemetery - Boyd. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until time of departure to the church at the Plombon Funeral Home in Stanley.

He was born on March 13, 1961 to the late Howard and Dolores (Caswell) Willkom. Craig grew up in Boyd and graduated from Stanley-Boyd High School in 1979. He graduated from UW-Eau Claire in 1983. Three days after graduating from college, he left for the Cayman Islands to start his career in the ice cream business. On Sept. 23rd, 1995, he married Bonnie Gillot in Grand Cayman. They were married for 18 years, and had two children, Haley and Hunter. He worked there for 30 years and established his business, Island Opportunities Ltd.

Craig retired in 2013 and returned to the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Craig was an avid outdoorsman, who enjoyed hunting and fishing. Great memories were created on his hunting trips to Alaska, Wyoming, Colorado and New Zealand. Craig cherished his annual fishing trips to Fireside, and hunting camp over Thanksgiving week. He also was able to travel to many places around the world.

He is survived by his children, Haley and Hunter Willkom; his former spouse, Bonnie Willkom; his siblings, Diane (Dan) Reppert of Madison, Dwayne (Julie) Reppert of Shelton, Wash., Cindy (Brian) Wozniak of Stanley, Christine (Mary) Willkom of La Crosse and Carlene (Tim) Hochhalter of Manhattan, Ill.; many nieces and nephews; and the wealth of friends he developed along the way.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Howard and Dolores (Caswell) Willkom; paternal grandparents, Peter and Emma (Schmidt) Willkom; and his maternal grandparents, Zeno and Lillian (Brandsness) Caswell.

Paid Obituary 125655