Earl H. Wondrash
Earl Wondrash, 83, of Wausau, entered into eternal life on April 5, 2021, at Aspirus Wausau Hospital, surrounded by loving family.
Earl was born on September 27, 1937, to the late James and Erna (Mundt) Wondrash in Manitowoc, WI. He graduated from Lincoln High School in Manitowoc in 1956. He married Judith Lutze on November 3, 1956, in Valders, WI. She preceded him in death on April 6, 1991. He married Carol Luedtke in 1992 in Wausau. She survives.
Earl retired from Wisconsin Public Service after many years serving as an electrician/lineman. He was an avid musician who spent many weekends singing and playing in various polka bands on his clarinet and alto and tenor saxophone. Earl was best known for singing “The Laughing Polka.” Earl was never at a loss for words or a good joke. He was an avid fisherman and hunter, loved to travel, and enjoyed playing golf, cooking, and grilling. He was very proud of his children and his grandchildren.
He is survived by his children, Vicki (Nathan) Eberhardt, of Kronenwetter, Susan (Daniel) Krueger, of Wausau, Tim Wondrash, of Brooklyn, Kay (John) Greve, of Appleton, Jodi (Shane) Strohl, Omaha, NE. He is further survived by 16 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; two step-sons, Kip and Kurt (Julie) Luedtke; and two step-grandsons.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Judith; and infant sister, Verna.
Funeral service will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 9, 2021, at St. Peter Ev. Lutheran Church – Wausau Campus, 2822 N. 6th St, Wausau, WI, 54403 (the former Salem Ev. Lutheran Church.) Pastor Kevin Schnake will officiate. Visitation will be held from 3:00 – 5:30 p.m. on Friday at the church. Earl’s service will be live-streamed and made available for future viewing on his obituary page at www.brainardfuneral.com.
Family and friends are invited to a committal service held at 12:00 noon on Monday, April 12, 2021 at Knollwood Memorial Park, 1500 State Highway 310, Manitowoc, WI, 54220.
The family wishes to thank Heather at The Garden Apartments and the Palliative Care Unit nursing staff of Aspirus Wausau Hospital for their kind, compassionate care.
Brainard Funeral Home – Wausau Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be shared at www.brainardfuneral.com.
Elaine R. Holtz
Elaine Ruth Holtz, 88, joined her Lord in the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Elaine was born on March 9, 1933, to the late Walter and Ella (Tasche) Erdman. On August 18, 1962, she married Gerhardt Holtz at Trinity Church, Wausau. He preceded her in death on November 8, 2018.
Elaine and Gerhardt farmed most of their life together. Elaine also worked as a cook for Schmidt’s Ballroom and did in-home daycare. She also enjoyed gardening, flowers, loved to take care of animals and children, and loved her family very much.
She is survived by her daughter Ruth and her grandchildren, Evan and Chloe Holtz.
Elaine was preceded in death by her husband Gerhardt; son, Paul; as well as her brothers, Ralph, and Lawrence.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday, April 12, 2021, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 501 Stewart Ave, Wausau. Pastor Zach Holdorf and Pastor Timothy Smith will officiate. Visitation will take place from 9:00 AM until the time of the services at the church. Burial will take place at Rib View Cemetery.
Family and friends may go to www.helke.com to leave words of remembrance and online condolences.
Charlotte C. Hagenbucher
Charlotte Carol (nee Campbell) Hagenbucher, age 78, of Wausau died Monday April 5, 2021, under the care of Aspirus Hospice at Colonial Manor Health Center, Wausau, after suffering a stroke.
She was born January 16, 1943 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin daughter of the late Kenneth L. and Virginia C. (nee Puckett) Campbell. Charlotte lived a great deal of her life on Kickbusch Street with her four siblings and was the second oldest. She attended Longefellow Grade School, Horace Mann Middle School and graduated from Wausau Senior High School class of 1962.
On October 10, 1964 she married Thomas Hagenbucher in Wausau. They later divorced but remained close until his death on August 16, 2017. Charlotte worked for many years at Prange Way in Wausau up to its closing and then worked at T.J. Max for many years. She enjoyed her time being employed and made many friends through the years and kept in touch with them in retirement.
Charlotte enjoyed her home on LeMessurier Street (she didn’t wander far from Kickbusch) where she lived for many years up until her death. Her yard and water fountain were of special pride to her and she, along with two of her brothers, spent countless hours fine tuning it. Concerts on the Square at the 400 Block of Third street was where you could find her on Wednesday nights in the summertime. She would pick up her friends and go there and if you asked where they were sitting it would be just outside Three Sisters (You must be from Wausau if…). Charlotte loved golfing and although never becoming an avid golfer she held a love for the sport. With her brother, Scott Campbell heavily involved in the Wausau Curling Club she too became an amateur curler along with her other brother Richard. Later in life Char was fortunate enough to take three “trips of a lifetime” to Europe. One was with her brother Richard and two with Rich, Scott and her beloved sister-in-law Kelly Campbell. As a child she enjoyed camping up-north at Crystal Lake and when mom and dad lived at Indian Shores in Woodruff she would visit them often to enjoy Lake Tomahawk and a camp fire. With a love for travel and being close with her parents she visited them at their winter home in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.
Survivors include her son Kurt (Lisa) Hagenbucher of Jacksonville, Florida; grandchildren, Victor, Nicholas, Nathan, Amanda, Heather, Harley Hagenbucher, Samantha (Joshua) Coleman; great grandchildren, Jude, Kayleigh, Kaden, Coltan, Adrianne, Jonathan, Hailey and Rowan; three brothers, Richard Campbell, Scott (Kelly) Campbell all of Wausau and Bruce Campbell, New Port Richey, Florida; one brother-in-law, Darryl Erickson, Muscatine, Iowa; a loving niece, Teresa (Tom) Randleman, of Muscatine, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her son, Kevin Hagenbucher who passed away unexpectedly October 13, 2020, her former husband Tom, parents, one sister Karen Erickson, her sister-in-law Laurie Campbell, and one infant sister Mary Virginia Campbell. Charlotte is further survived by her fur companion, Trip, who gave her loving companionship for many years as only a dog can do.
Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, April 10, 2021 at Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, 1302 Sixth Street Wausau. Rev. Daryl Erickson, Charlotte’s brother-in-law, will officiate. She will be laid to rest next to her parents and infant sister at Restlawn Memorial Park, Wausau. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until time of services at the Sixth Street funeral home.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be directed to the Marathon County Humane Society 7001 Packer Drive Wausau, WI 54401 in memory of Charlotte Campbell Hagenbucher.
Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, Wausau is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com
Joseph R. Albright
Joseph R. “Joe” Albright, 60, Athens passed away Monday, April 5, 2021 at his home.
He was born January 17, 1961 in Joliet, Illinois, son of the late Joseph and Dorothy (McCullough) Albright. On June 29, 1996 he married Alisia Elsmo in Rib Mountain. She survives.
For over 25 years Joe worked in the maintenance department at the Weston Power Plant. Some of his favorite pastimes included riding motorcycles and tinkering with car parts. Joe lived on a hobby farm and was proud to have started a vineyard, planted many apple trees in his orchards and various trees around the property. He also had a true love for animals.
Joe proudly served his country in the United States Navy.
Survivors include his wife, Alisia Albright, Athens, his daughter, Amber (Ryan) Carlson, Hartford, his granddaughter, Natalia Carlson, his siblings, Linda (Ed) Turk, Wausau, Terri (Carol) Albright, St. Charles, IL and David (Chris) Albright, Wilmington and many nieces and nephews.
At Joe’s request no formal funeral services will be held. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, Athens is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com
Mary M. Schultz
Mary Mae Schultz, 87, Wausau, entered into eternal life Wednesday, March 24, 2021. She now abides in the presence of her Lord and Savior.
Mary was born May 1, 1933, to Barney and Rose (Kardack) Olbrantz in Wausau. She married the love of her life, Don Schultz on August 22, 1951, at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Wausau. They enjoyed 68 wonderful years of marriage together prior to his passing in 2019. Mary held dear to her heart, her husband, children, daughter-in law, grandchildren, and great-grandsons. She always treasured time spent with them. Mary was a wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother. Mary was a woman who loved the Lord and attended mass regularly. She always adored the Blessed Virgin Mary and would find comfort in praying to her often.
Mary found greatest joy in being a home-maker for her family. Throughout her life she was also employed at Montgomery Ward, Arlans Department Store, and was a visiting caregiver for the elderly. In their retirement years Mary and her husband worked for SAMS club, she truly loved being a “sample lady.”
Mary enjoyed life to it’s fullest. She had a beautiful personality and was a joy to be around. Her enthusiasm for life was contagious, she always knew how to put a smile on anyone’s face and brighten one’s day. She had a wonderful ability to make everyone around her feel so loved and special. We are all better people because of her presence in our lives.
Throughout her life Mary enjoyed spending time outside in the summer; you could often find her gardening or swinging on her porch swing. She and her husband had a passion for camping and travel throughout their married life. For entertainment she enjoyed playing countless games of cards with relatives and trying her luck at the casino.
Mary will be greatly missed and always deeply loved by all those who held her affectionately in their hearts. She was a friend to many and always offered a kind word and a listening ear.
She is preceded in death by her husband (Don), parents, six brothers and one sister, and two infant daughters (Ann Marie and Rosemary Schultz).
She is survived by two sons, Donald Jr., Kenny (Gwen) Schultz, both of Wausau; two grandchildren, Lindsey (Josh) Jensen and John Carl Schultz; Siblings, Sister Mary Eunice and Alan Olbrantz; and two great-grandchildren, Jackson and Jevrett Jensen.
Due to COVID-19 precautions, please respect the family’s wishes to have a private service to be held at a later date at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church, Wausau, with the Reverend Robert C. Thorn officiating.
We are extending love and blessings to all who knew and loved our precious Mary.
Edwin ‘Duke’ Karschney
Edwin ‘Duke’ Karschney, 82 of Tigerton, died on Sunday, April 4, 2021 at his home under the care of his family.
Duke was born on July 22, 1938 in Galloway and was the son of Edwin W. and Ardale (Viertel) Karschney.
Duke was a US Air Force Veteran and proudly served from 1957 to 1961. On October 27, 1962, Duke was united in marriage to Donna Hegewald at St. Philomena Catholic Church, Birnamwood.
Duke worked at the Tigerton Lumber Company, Torberg Lumber Company and retired from the Village of Tigerton after working there for 21 years.
Duke loved to fish and hunt and always had a story to tell.
Duke is survived by his wife, Donna Karschney; son, Andrew (fiancé Ann Faehling) Karschney; grandchildren, Nikki (Matthew) Dedolph and Kassidi Karschney; great grandchildren, Kiani Mae and Skyler; sisters, Karen Carlson, Sandy Vollmer and Marlene ‘Miki’ (Floyd) Matteson; brother, Bill (Kay) Karschney; special family, Chip, Roni, Dustin and Hannah Buntrock along with Duke’s shadow, Ryan (Heather) Buntrock and their children, Laken & Rinny; Dawn Hegewald; sister-in-law, Betty (Jack) Suwyn and brother-in-law, Roger (Judy) Hegewald and many other relatives and friends.
Duke was preceded in death by his parents; father and mother-in-law; Alfred & Eleanor Hegewald; daughter-in-law, Leilani Karschney; brothers-in-law, Don Carlson and Jim Vollmer; and a sister-in-law, Janet Breitrick.
A private family Mass of Christian Burial will take place at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, Tigerton.
Burial will be in Evergreen Rest Cemetery, Elderon. Military rites will be conducted by the Elderon Memorial Post #8068 VFW.
Schmidt & Schulta Funeral Home of Wittenberg/Birnamwood is assisting the family.
Memories and messages of support may be shared at schmidtschulta.com.
