1933-2022 Helen M. (Rezutek) Osimitz, age 89, passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022, while residing at Country Terrace in Tomahawk, and while under the care of Aspirus Comfort Care & Hospice Services. A Celebration of Life for Helen was held on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022, at 12:30 p.m. at Waid Funeral Home in Merrill. Father Louis Maram Reddy officiated. She was born on June 28, 1933, to the late Peter P. and Mary M. (Labanz) Rezutek in Rib Lake. She was the second youngest of 11 children. Helen attended Mud Lake & Fawn Valley grade schools and graduated from Rib Lake High School in 1950. She met Donald L. Osimitz, and the two were married on Mar. 13, 1954, in Crown Point, Ind. Sadly, he passed away in 1981. She worked in Milwaukee at Perfox. Helen and her husband then moved to Chicago and were blessed with five children. Later, they moved to Wausau. Helen greatly enjoyed growing her own vegetables, canning those vegetables, and tending to her beautiful flower gardens. Camping and fishing at Broken Bow Campground in Lac Du Flambeau were a few of her favorite hobbies that she looked forward to every year. Helen was a fantastic cook and baker! At Christmastime, she enjoyed baking her family’s favorite cookies and her holiday specialty was her famous Pierogi! At Easter, her special dish to prepare was borscht ~ a breakfast delight. Helen was a previous member of the “Woman of the Moose” in Wausau. She was a wonderful homemaker and mom, and she will never be forgotten. Helen is survived by her loving and devoted children, Joseph (Cathy) Osimitz of Marathon, Debra (Richard) Sillars of Bozeman, Mont., Don (Zoa) Osimitz of Citra, Fla., Robert (Laurie) Osimitz of Lake Tomahawk, and Greg (Linda) Osimitz of Merrill; 17 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; two special nieces, Jean Gerstberger and Peggy Katzfey; along with many other nieces and nephews. She will also be sadly missed by her fur-babies: “Boo”, “Lizzy”, and “Shawnee”. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Donald L. Osimitz; one great-grandson; and 10 brothers and sisters, as well as their spouses. The family is very grateful for the caregivers at Country Terrace and their love and attention shown to them and Helen during her stay there. In lieu of flowers, please direct donations to RAD (Rescue, Adopt and Donate) at 134523 Skye Falls Drive, Marathon, WI, 54448 or the New Life Pet Adoption Center at 125 Cattail Ave, Marathon City, WI 54448. Pets were always very near and dear to Helen’s heart. Waid Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Merrill is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences are encouraged and may be made at www.waidfuneral.com. Paid Obituary 129749

1932-2022 Halver (better known as “Sonny”) Miller Becken, age 90, parted this life on Dec. 4, 2022. A Celebration of his Life will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022 at the Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home in Abbotsford. A Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. at the funeral home. Interment to follow at the St. Mary Catholic Cemetery in Colby with Military Honors provided by the Colby VFW Post #2227. Born in Green Grove, on Oct. 12, 1932 to Halver and Meta (Miller) Becken of Colby. He acquired nickname, Sonny, as a young boy from his six sisters. He attended Green Grove Elementary School, Colby High School and following graduation enlisted in the U. S. Navy to serve during the Korean War. Following an honorable discharge, he wed Sandra Steinwand on July 13, 1957. They relocated to Milwaukee for employment where he worked as a Mechanical Engineer for Allis Chalmers, American Motors and finally the City of Milwaukee Fire Department, where he retired. An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping and riding his ATVs and tractors. Halver “Sonny” is survived by his wife of 65 years, Sandra; two daughters, Terri (Roy) Back of Egg Harbor and Deanne (Dennis) VanDaalwyk of Brookfield; two sons, Keith (Lynn) Becken of Reeseville and Todd (Kim) Becken of Custer. He is also survived by five natural grandchildren, Kristen (Lahr), Jacob Becken, Joshua Becken, Kyle VanDaalwyk and Ryan VanDaalwyk; four blended family grandchildren, Robin Slamka, Lynn Ewig, Christopher Liske, Chad Liske and 14 great-grandchildren. Halver “Sonny” is also survived by three sisters, Sandy Fredrickson, Darlene Schjoneman and June Decker. He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Percy and three sisters, Gloria Bedrosian, LaMyra Weinfurtner and Joyce Kaufman. His sense of humor brightened our lives. He always took time for child’s play and adult laughter. He enjoyed being behind funny pranks. We will carry those memories of him in our hearts. Family and friends may express condolences online at www.maurinaschilling.com Paid Obituary 129802

1961-2022 It is with a very heavy heart that Kreg White and the Kennedy Family announces the passing of Kathleen Ann Kennedy (sister #2) on Dec. 4, 2022 at her home. Kathleen’s life story can best be shared with laughter, passion and rohkeutta (Finnish for BOLDNESS). Kathleen was a member of the First Lutheran Church in Ogema. Visitation will be on Monday, Dec. 12 from 4-7 p.m. at the First Lutheran Church in Ogema. Visitation will again be held on Tuesday, Dec. 13 from 10-11 a.m. with Service beginning at 11 a.m. followed by her burial at Leavitt Creek Cemetery in the Town of Hill and a meal at the Church. On July 9, 1961, Kathleen’s older sister Tammy got knocked out of first place (only in dad’s eyes) when Kathleen was born to the late Wallace and Audrey Kennedy, followed by Bryan, Mike, Mary, Patty and Billy. As a child, Kathleen had a few learning obstacles and needed extra help (in reality, it was a performance of a lifetime). Ma sought assistance from Elva Niemi, a grade-school teacher in Westboro. It was also at Rib Lake School where teachers Babe Stellick and Carol Kobielush reinforced that seed. Babe accompanied Kathleen (and Barb Niemi) to compete in the internationally televised High Quiz Bowl. While they didn’t win, it was on that trip that Kathleen (and Barb Niemi) decided to become a teacher because Babe Stellick was cool (she tolerated their shenanigans!) Kathleen graduated from Rib Lake High School in 1979 and in 1984, Kathleen earned her Bachelors Degree in Education with a minor in bull****. Kathleen proudly started her teaching career at Suring, where she taught for a few years. She moved on to a little bigger district when she began teaching in Necedah from 1989-1999. At this time, she finally moved back to where she belonged and began teaching at her Alma Mater, Rib Lake High School. Her favorite teaching gig was teaching the “hoodlums” that needed extra help in the summer/after school. Many a student were able to graduate from high school due to her ability to make learning fun and to make students learn and to feel supported in a non-teachy kind of way. She retired from teaching in 2021. Kathleen was all about the theatrics of life. She was a deep thinker and had insights people sought out. Even if you didn’t ask, she would tell you her opinion anyway. She was a great storyteller…(like her dad!) often stretching the truth for the theatrics of it. She passed that gift on to hundreds of students over the 25+ years she was the Forensics Coach in Necedah and Rib Lake. Her ability to connect with students made them want to excel, usually earning perfect 25 scores for the whole Forensics Team. Kathleen was a fiercely independent woman, not marrying until she met and married her better half, Kreg White on New Years Eve, 2011. She loved going boating with Kreg and playing outside with that damn brown dog. She also loved mowing lawn. Just kidding—she hated those things. What she did love was going for rides with Kreg, road-tripping with her family, bloody mary’s and snuggling with Bernice. Kathleen hated going in the barn, picking rocks, milking cows…and would lie through her teeth to get out of work. She wasn’t good at barn work anyway. Here is what she was good at and loved: • Being the “Crazy Auntie” to all of her nieces and nephews. You could always count on her for a crazy story, Don King hair, or crazy ideas to get into trouble. • Cleaning ma and dad’s house when she came home from college. • Putting Christmas lights everywhere. Yearround. • Shopping on QVC-she always said she dressed for her “kids” (students). • Her “kids.” She loved helping students feel better about themselves. • Putting extensions in her hair. Sara will need 10 clients to make up for Kathleen’s loss. • Reading endless magazines and books and inspiring others to do the same. • Teaching her family about history on road trips. What she didn’t know, she made up. • Calling her nieces and nephews to “come take a sleepover”. • The only person who could chug a pounder at Oxbow Saloon. Kathleen is survived by the love of her life, Kreg White; siblings, Tammy (Charles) Johnson, Bryan (Pam Kennedy), Mike (Jolene) Kennedy, Mary (Brian) Quante, Patty (Nick Lampone) Noland, and Billy (Rebecca) Kennedy. Pallbearers are Kathleen’s nieces and nephews, Mike Dunlop, Matt Dunlop, Tim Dunlop, Mitch Delasky and Harley Delasky, Emily, Eliina and Hannah Quante, Katey Fowle, Elizabeth Noland and Jacob Noland and Kyla, Kaden and Kara Kennedy. Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents, Wallace and Audrey Kennedy; her grandparents, Arvid and Elsie Arkola; and her brother-in-law, Tom Noland. Kreg, Kathleen’s brothers, sisters and her outlaws- in-law, nephews, nieces, neighbors, family and friends loved and will deeply miss her. Please remember the funny, bright, generous, over-confident, boisterous woman who is about to shake-up heaven forever far away from home. Your pain is gone, go rest in peace with grandpa, grandma, mom, dad and Tom and tell them hello from all of us. Hemer-Pickerign Funeral & Cremation Services of Medford and Rib Lake is serving the family. Online condolences can be left at www.hemerfuneralservice. com. For those of you interested, a scholarship in Kathleen’s name will be established at a later date. Paid Obituary 129881

1939-2022 Frederick C. Heier, 83, Marshfield, passed away on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, at Mayo Clinic Health System, Eau Claire. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10, at Christ Lutheran Church in Marshfield. The family will receive relatives and friends from 10 a.m. until service time. Rev. Andrew Belt will officiate. Following the service, there will be light lunch and military rites will be conducted by the American Legion Post 54. Interment will be in Hillside Cemetery at a later date. Frederick Charles Heier was born on Feb. 28, 1939, in Medford, to Anton and Theresa (Mraz) Heier and was a 1958 graduate of Medford High School. He attended Barber training in Chicago. He was a veteran of the United States Army 32nd Infantry Division during the Berlin Crisis and then served in the Army National Guard. He married Patsy J. Richwalski on July 6, 1960, in Virginia. The two moved to Marshfield where he began work as a barber. Fred co-owned and operated Fred and Don’s Barber Shop on Central Ave in Marshfield with his partner Don Anderson. He and Don together bought and fixed several properties in Marshfield for rentals and resale. Fred enjoyed being a part of the local community. He was an avid volunteer, and participated in local bowling, softball and curling leagues. Fred also liked traveling. He and his wife Pat traveled the United States and the World visiting 16 different countries. Fred loved collecting and fixing old clocks. Fred is survived by his wife of 61 years, Patsy; and their children Katherine Schultheiss (Joel) of Hudson, Sharon Heier (Kip Starks) of Grapevine, Texas and Samuel Heier (Jill Giese) of Marshfield; eight grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. He is further survived by siblings, Dorothy Frey (Marvin) of Stevens Point, Martin Heier (Diane) of Medford, Charlene Zenner (Dave) of Cadott, Karen Albrecht (Dave) of Wausau, and Joanne Schneveis (Rick) of Medford. He was preceded in death by his parents, and siblings Audrey Jentzsch, Thomas Heier, Phyllis Dassow, Jane Maynard, Robert Heier and Sherry Ross. Memorials will be designated to a charity at a later date. Condolences may be sent online to www.rembsh. com. Paid Obituary 129779

1940-2022 Audrey Mae Kautzer, 82, of Medford, died Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022 at Aspirus Hospital in Medford. A memorial service was held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 7 at Hemer-Pickerign Funeral Home in Medford, the Rev. Richard Russow of Zion Lutheran Church, Stetsonville, officiated. Burial followed at Evergreen Cemetery II, Medford. Visitation was held from 9 a.m. until the time of service at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 7 at the funeral home. Audrey was born May 24, 1940 in Athens to John and Minnie Maier. She was raised in Athens and graduated from Athens High School. On Aug. 17, 1963 she married Dennis Kautzer. They resided in Medford where Audrey was a homemaker. She was a faithful member of Zion Lutheran Church in Stetsonville. She enjoyed fishing, crocheting and cheering on the Brewers and Packers. She was a pistol shooting scorer for her husband, and had a love for cats and dogs. Audrey is survived by her husband of 59 years, Dennis of Medford; a sister, Jean Kawaleski; sisters- in-law, Jeanette Roesler, Helen Kautzer, Sherry (Lanny) Peissig; brother-in-law, Dean Kautzer; and special niece and caregiver, Brenda (Timothy) Sperl of Medford. She was preceded in death by her parents; her father and mother-in-law, Louis and Irene Kautzer; siblings, Dorothy Cornwell, Delores Bradow, Shirley Lepak, Carol Hart, Lawrence Maier, Merlin Maier; and brother-in-law, Wayne (June) Kautzer. Hemer-Pickerign Funeral & Cremation Services of Medford and Rib Lake is serving the family. Online condolences can be left at www.hemerfuneralservice. com. Paid Obituary 129750

1943-2022 Victor Wayne Mohr, 79, passed away Oct. 30, 2022 in Round Rock, Texas. Although he was suddenly ill, most of his family spent the day by his bedside or spoke to him on the phone. He will be sorely missed. Born in Taylor County in the Northwoods of Wisconsin on May 6, 1943, Victor was the third son to Elizabeth (Liz) and Fred (Fritz) Mohr. His brother Sonny, brother Herbie, sister Judy and Victor were later joined by Harvey and Karen, and they had two brothers who died early in life. Their days consisted of milking cows before breakfast, eating a dozen eggs, peeling the bark off logs for ten cents each, hunting and fishing to fill the freezer, and walking to school uphill in the snow, six miles each way. At 18, he enlisted in the Army and was stationed at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He was a Special Forces Green Beret Paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division. One day he met Joan Roberts at a Daisy King, when a carload of soldiers pulled up beside a carload of pretty Carolina girls. The two fell in love, married and were blessed with a son then two daughters. They briefly lived in Chicago, Ill., then moved back to North Carolina, where Victor earned a bachelors degree in business management from Pembroke State University while repairing appliances for Sears & Roebuck and raising his little family. He soon joined Abbott Labs as a Maintenance Supervisor, which moved the family to Texas. He enjoyed the work and the people there for many years, until his retirement in 2003. Around 2008 he and Joan bought a vacation home in Heber Springs, Arkansas, and enjoyed spending as many days there as possible fishing for rainbow trout and brown trout in the Little Red River, burning brush, and hosting friends and family. He enjoyed traveling the country, visiting wonders like Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons and the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and visiting friends and family in many states. When he wasn’t traveling, working or fishing, he could be found either at a NASCAR race in person or watching it on tv, wearing a cheesehead hat and jersey while watching the Green Bay Packers, or grilling multiple kinds of meat. He is survived by his loving wife, Joan of Georgetown, Texas; a son, Ted of Georgetown, Texas; and daughters, Paula of Georgetown, Texas, and Dawn York (Greg) of Blanco, Texas; seven grandchildren, Nich Mohr (Sabrina) of Austin, Texas, Samantha Domingue (Harrison) of Birmingham, Ala., Rachel Batey (Braden) of Blanco, Texas, TJ Rackley (Megan) of Georgetown, Texas, Brooke York, Lexi York and Braileigh York, all of Blanco, Texas; and eight great-grandchildren. He is also survived by two sisters, Judy Nicholson of Wood Dale, Ill. and Karen Lageman (Steve) of Whittlesey, brother and sister-inlaw, Don & Sharron Roberts of Bryan, Texas; sistersin- law, Christine Roberts of Laurinburg, N.C., Donna Mohr of Medford, and Teri Mohr of Rib Lake; along with numerous nieces and nephews and other relatives across the country. Victor was preceded in death by his parents, Fritz and Liz; all of his brothers; his mother and father-inlaw, and numerous other relatives. Victor received excellent care at St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center. The doctors and nurses worked tirelessly to save him, then made him as comfortable as possible. Paid Obituary 129781

1927-2022 Katherine Piwoni, age 95 years, passed away peacefully in her sleep on November 29, 2022 at Orchard Hills Assisted Living Center in Eau Claire. A funeral service was held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3, at Holy Assumption Orthodox Church-Lublin with Father John Schroedel officiating. Burial followed in the Church Cemetery. Visitation was from 4 until 7 p.m. on Friday at the Gilman Funeral Home and one hour prior to services Saturday at the church in Lublin. She was born Feb. 12, 1927 in Lublin, to Ambrose and Julia Peleschak; the youngest of 12 children. Katherine graduated from Withee High School in 1945. On July 3, 1941 she met Marvin Piwoni, the love of her life. They dated for 5 years and were married on June 9, 1946; a marriage that lasted nearly 71 years. In the Spring of 1952 Marvin and Katherine purchased a farm near Gilman, where they raised registered Holstein dairy cattle and five children. The farm was sold in 1976 and they began driving school busses for the School District of Gilman. For many years Katherine drove the “short bus” shuttle for athletes, disabled students and co-op classes at Gilman, Cornell, and Holcombe. Summer evenings were spent in her large gardens raising vegetables and an amazing array of beautiful flowers. The garden bounty was shared with friends and neighbors or later preserved for delicious meals during the off season. Katherine had a beautiful soprano voice and sang in her church choir, and the Gilman Community Choir. Neighbors would compliment her on the sweet sounds emanating from the fields as she happily sang while cutting or raking hay. She was an accomplished seamstress making clothes for herself and her daughters, celebration dresses for folks in the area and dressing dolls for local competitions. With Marvin, she loved attending auctions and collecting antiques. Though she never mastered preparing venison, we will all miss her cheese pie, holiday turkey stuffing, canned dill pickles, and those incredibly tasty pierogies. For over 60 years Marvin and Katherine made many new friends while attending and dancing to Old Time music at many Polka Fests and dances throughout Wisconsin. We will always remember Mom for her undying love for Dad, her profound love for her family, her great sense of humor (she always had a joke to tell), her generosity, kindness, and her deep faith in God. She lived her life to the fullest— may we all live our lives in her example. Katherine is survived by one sister, Ella, of Elgin, Ill.; five children, Marvin (Kelly) Piwoni of Champaign, Ill.; James (Kathy Olson) Piwoni of Whitefish Bay; Richard Piwoni of Antigo; Marilyn (Tom) Day of Eau Claire; and Karilyn (Brian) Lippa of Webster, N.Y.; nine grandchildren, Michael (Kari) Piwoni, James (Abby) Day, Richard (Megan) Day, Brian Day (best friend, Danielle), Betsy (Tyson) Ester, Sarah (Samir Lakhani) Piwoni, Alexandra, Seraphina, and Maribella Lippa; 11 great-grandchildren, Keason, Will, Brady, Ellie, Arya, Evelyn, Thomas, Juliet, Austen, Elena, and Ainsley; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by husband, Marvin; brothers, Matt, Nick, Mike; sisters, Helen, Ann, Irene, Mary; and three siblings that died at childbirth. Paid Obituary 129732