Obituaries are a service of Brainard Funeral Home & Cremation Center, with locations in Wausau and Weston.
Rita Bauer
Rita Bauer, 57, died suddenly Wednesday, June 24, 2020, of a diabetic coma at Methodist Hospital a few blocks from where she lived in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.
Rita was born May 18, 1963, in Wausau, Wisconsin, the daughter of the late Edwin J. and Josephine C. (nee Grendzinski) Bauer. Raised in Wausau, she attended St. Mathew’s Catholic Primary School and graduated in 1981 from Newman Catholic High School. She attended the University of Wisconsin Marathon County Extension and graduated with a BA in psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1987. She also was licensed as a pharmacy technician.
Moving to Minnesota, Rita worked at Custom-RX Compounding Pharmacy, Park Nicollet Health Services and the Minneapolis VA Health Care System.
Expressing a lifelong interest in music, she served for a time as the choir director at Mary Margaret Church in Golden Valley, Minnesota. Pet cats Jazzmyn and Jennifer gave way to bunnies DeeDee, Perry and Mickey. She was interested in pet rescue, first with cats, then rabbits. She and bunnies went to Hoppy Sunday events. She was a knitter, did other needle arts, and looked forward to quasi vacation long weekend seminars to learn more techniques. Also loved traveling to stay at a bed and breakfast and explore the area’s shops and restaurants. Rita especially liked the North Shore of Lake Superior. She followed the football fortunes of her alma mater Wisconsin Badgers and the Minnesota Vikings. Rita enjoyed Renaissance Festivals, Victorian teas, antiquing, puzzles, movies and books, being an avid reader.
Rita was a wonderful friend, missed by special friend Ed Frisch, Godfather Thomas (Kathie) Grendzinski, Goddaughter Ashley Szczech, sister-in-law Karen (Richard) Bauer, numerous friends, and other Grendzinski and Bauer aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by brothers Ronald and Richard.
The funeral mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 8, 2020, at St. Matthews Catholic Church, 229 South 28th Ave., Wausau, WI 54401. The Rev. Robert Thorn will preside. Burial will be in the Restlawn Memorial Park, Wausau. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 10 a.m. until the time of service in the church. Social distancing practices will be in place for the visitation and funeral. In lieu of flowers, donations to any animal rescue organization are appreciated.
Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, Wausau, is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com.
Franklin Meyer
Franklin John Meyer, (Aug. 9, 1934- June 29, 2020), 85, passed away at his home of 46 years in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.
Graveside services with military honors will be held Friday, July 10, 2020, at 11 a.m. at Restlawn Cemetery, Wisconsin Rapids.
Franklin was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Elfredia Meyer (Buntrock) and Frank Meyer on Aug. 9, 1934. He married the love of his life Patricia E.A. Meyer (Barrington) on Nov. 5, 1966. He was a member of the United States Army, where he was stationed in Germany as a dispatcher/supply clerk. He received the National Defense Service Medal. He spent many years as the manager at Woolco Department store in the women’s department, until becoming a supervisor at Ore-Ida Foods in Plover, Wisconsin. After retiring from Ore-Ida he was able to work at places that fulfilled his passions. He loved to read, so he became the manager at Book World in Stevens Point. He began driving buses for Lamer’s Bus Line in Wisconsin Rapids. There he was able to transport athletes to their events. He found great joy in watching sports, especially the Assumption softball team. To satisfy his love for trains, he began working for CN Railroad transporting conductors between jobs, which he did up until the last year of his life.
Franklin is survived by his beloved wife, Patricia Meyer; his son Troy Meyer of Junction City; his loving daughters Christa Panzer (Steven) of Rudolph, Marti Olivarez (Gilbert) of Arpin and Cathy Kappus (Jeff) of Eau Clare; and his brother George Meyer (Florida). He was blessed with many grandchildren: Eric Panzer of Rudolph, Craig Panzer (Tracy) of Wisconsin Rapids, Rachel Kosier of Texas, Danelle Waupoose (Ryan) of Wisconsin Rapids, Jeffery Mueller of North Carolina, Alex Kosier of Eau Claire and Andrew Olivarez of Arpin, who thought the world of him and his silly sense of humor. His real joy was seeing his great-grandchildren coming over to visit: Aubrey Panzer, Hailey Panzer, Sophia Olivarez, Vincent Waupoose, Lucy Waupoose, and Charlotte Waupoose. (He finally got his Charile). They will miss their Pookie greatly.
He was preceded in death by his parents (Elfredia and Frank Meyer), his sister Dorothy Nova (Stan) of Milwaukee, his brothers John Meyer of Florida, Arnold Meyer of Milwaukee, Charlie Meyer(Carol) of Racine, his son Jeffery Mueller and his great-grandson Jacob Ryan Waupoose.
John 16:22 “Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.
Charles Robinson
Charles Edward Robinson, 90, of Wausau passed away on June 29, 2020, at Aspirus Wausau Hospital. He was born May 17, 1930, (Mother- Mrs. Loraine Robinson, Father – Mr. Edward Ross, both from Green Bay, Wisconsin).
He is survived by two daughters, Joel Mary Robinson Lambe and Meg Ann Robinson DVM, BS, great granddaughter Charlie Ann McCarville Robinson, daughters-in-law Roxanne Robinson and Molly McCarville, son in law John Lambe.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Ellen Maureen Robinson (Mo), son Dirk Charles Robinson and grandson William Carl Robinson. Charles was a self-made man. His mother Loraine was adopted as an orphan off of the orphan trains that crossed the United States in the early 1900s to a family in Green Bay. She was a single mother of no means. Yet he became self-sufficient the day he graduated high school, moving out and living at the YMCA with just a small suit case. He put himself through college and earned a Bachelor of Science degree that led him to work for the United Air Craft Corp. in Connecticut as his first job out of college. He worked in developing the first computers and jet engines there.
He married Mo in his senior year (fifth year) of college and both moved to Connecticut together. Dirk was born five years ahead of the identical twins Joel and Meg. He left the Air Craft Corp. to purchase a business that built drum sanders. This company, the Will Krumbach Corp., was renamed the Burlington Sanders and went on to evolve into a belt sander business. This business grew and was successful.
Later he became a land developer and built the Falcon Ridge Subdivision in Burlington, Wisconsin. After retiring, he moved north from Burlington to his boyhood home, Wausau. He reconnected with his first love and high school sweet heart, Vivian Krieg. They traveled and had many adventures together. His hobbies included taking Mo fishing to Canada, falconry, and, of course, bridge. He especially loved falconry and hunted with and flew hawks with names such as Ventus, Peri, 2K, under dogs named Merri Merri and Mosie.
“Chuck” believed that his kids should have a higher education and put both of his daughters through college. Joel graduated with a double BS degree and Meg graduated with both BS and DVM degrees. His son “Dirk” became a master electrician. Dirk was an amazing electrician. He was able to de-bug some blue prints left by the IBM electrical expert over a lunch hour when Dad took the IBM man out to a restaurant. Dad got back and found out that the newly automated belt-sander was now working. Chuck or Charles also believed in community service. He served on the School Board in Burlington for many years. Recently he has been working very hard to develop the firehouse for seniors – Senior Center in Wausau. This project is now being pushed forward by both his daughter Meg, Fred Schroeder, and other community members. Please honor his hard work and service to the community by making this a success.
Services are being held at the John J. Buettgen Funeral Home in Schofield, Wisconsin, on July 14. Visitation is between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. A light luncheon will be provided with no formal sit down. A short service will begin at 1 p.m., to be followed with a private family burial.
John J. Buettgen Funeral Home is assisting family at this time. Online condolenses may be expressed at www.HonorOne.com.
