Martin D. Sullivan
Martin “Marty” D. Sullivan, age 73, formerly of Wausau, passed away on Saturday, November 27, 2021, in Sheboygan Falls.
Marty was born on July 24, 1948, in Joliet, IL, son of the late Robert and Helen (Hayes) Sullivan. He proudly served his country in the US Navy during the Vietnam War, earning the rank of Lieutenant. He then attended Purdue University earning his bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering, followed by the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where he earned his MBA in finance.
On August 23, 1970, he married Jackie (Sailors) in West LaFayette, IN. After 40 years of marriage, she preceded him in death on October 2, 2010. He married Susan (Hundley) on December 19, 2015 in Wausau.
Marty was a member of the Elks Lodge 248, the VFW, and the American Legion. Marty enjoyed a long career working in sales and executive management, and retired as the Vice President and General Manager at Paladin Construction in 2008. He was a devout Catholic, and he enjoyed devoting time, treasure, and talent to various philanthropic organizations, particularly those associated with veterans’ causes.
Marty is survived by his wife, Susan (Hundley) Sullivan of Sheboygan; two children, Colin Sullivan (Kelly) of CO, and Cathleen Sullivan (John McPartland) of IA, his brother Ward Sullivan (Krista Muellner) of Hayward, three stepchildren Heather Ribich (Frank) of WI, Stephanie Tisdale (Zach) of WI, Ashley Winger (Jesse) of GA; grandchildren, Drew Sullivan, Ella Sullivan, Kieran Sullivan, Katie Baylett, Sean Baylett, Emily Tisdale, Nathan Tisdale, Frank Ribich, Sophia Winger, Olivia Winger, and William Winger, and a host of good friends.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, December 7, 2021, at St. Agnes Catholic Parish, 6101 Zinser St., Weston. Fr. Gregory Bohren will officiate. Burial will be in the parish cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. on Monday December 6th at Brainard Funeral Home – Everest Chapel, 5712 Memorial Ct. Weston, where an Elk’s Lodge of Sorrow service will be held at 5:00 P.M. Visitation will continue at the church from 10:00 A.M. until the time of Mass on Tuesday.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Wausau Elks 248 or to St. Agnes Catholic Parish.
Brainard Funeral Home – Everest Chapel, Weston is assisting the family with arrangements. You may leave messages and condolences for his family at brainardfuneral.com.
Ronald Dallman
The celebration of life funeral service for Ronald “Ron” Dallman will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 8, 2021, at Brainard Funeral Home’s Everest Chapel, 5712 Memorial Court, Weston, WI. A visitation will be held at the chapel on Tuesday, December 7 from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. and will continue at the chapel on Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service.
Ron Dallman, age 51, of Kronenwetter passed away on Friday November 26th at the Aspirus Wausau Hospital. Ron was born November 22, 1970, to Damon and Shirley Dallman. He was the youngest of 4 children. Growing up he loved to play with his matchbox cars (which his oldest sister would spoil him with), play ball with his little league team and his softball team when he was older and spent a lot of time in the pickle fields with his family. Ron attended NTC and received an associate’s degree in police science.
While attending school he worked for ShopKo as a loss prevention specialist and had many fond memories from all the shenanigans he participated in with his co-workers there. For almost 20 years Ron served several communities as a police officer. This was not only his passion but it was who he was. Throughout his career, he was recognized for his work and commitment which included a letter of praise from the FBI and a Life-Saving award from the Kronenwetter Police Department. For the last several years he worked for Kroger as an Asset Protection Specialist and loved digging in to investigate issues that would arise there.
Ron was united in marriage with Becky Peterson on July 20, 1996. They have two amazing sons Mason and Connor. The only thing in life that Ron was more proud of than being a police officer was his boys. Ron was a family man who loved and protected his family fiercely. He had a wonderful sarcastic wit and was always cracking jokes. He loved to collect swords and deer hunting season was his favorite time of year. Ron loved to relax and watch TV and his all-time favorite show was Super Natural. This show was often quoted by Ron in the Dallman household. Ron was also known as the king of catchphrases by his family, with phrases including “I’ll shut off the Wifi” and “I’m going to flip the breaker”. One family gem made by his boys was the list of top 10 phrases he used the most. He never failed to throw in dad jokes and catchphrases that brought happiness to the ones around him no matter the situation.
Ron’s memory will be forever held in the hearts of his wife Becky, son Mason (Rachel), son Connor, father Damon, sister Deb Kasten, and many nieces, great-nieces, and great-nephews. Preceded in death by his mother Shirley, brother Jeff, and sister Cindy Zoromski.
Donald J. Litzer
Donald John Litzer, 89, of the Town of Emmet, Marathon County, Wisconsin, died at his home early on Sunday, November 28, 2021 after a long illness under the care of family and Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Services.
Don was born on October 15, 1932, west of Kelly in the Town of Weston, Marathon County, on the family farm of his parents, Edward J. and Gertrude (Schneider) Litzer. His parents’ farm included the property on which Phillips Scout Camp is now located. Don was a member of the Weston 4-H Club and a 4-H alumnus.
Don attended local schools and graduated from Wausau Senior High School in 1950. In August 1949, Don moved with his parents to Glandon in the Town of Hewitt, Marathon County, where Ed and Gertrude had purchased a tavern, store and dance hall they named Litzer’s Store and Tavern. In 1949-50, Don commuted to school in Wausau with several other students, including Nancy Seymour, daughter of William E. and Elsie (Weden) Seymour, who became his sweetheart. Don and Nancy were engaged in December 1951 and were married at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Wausau on April 6, 1953.
A week after his 18th birthday, Don enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. From March 1952 to February 1953, Don served with George Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines on the U.N. Main Line of Resistance—the first line of defense against a possible Chinese and North Korean invasion. He went into Korea as a corporal and left as a sergeant, earning the Purple Heart for wounds in a raid on Chinese positions in January 1953. Don returned to the States in March 1953 and was honorably discharged in October 1953.
After Don & Nancy returned from the service, they farmed in several locations in the Town of Hewitt until March 1957, when they moved to the Kammenick farm in the Town of Emmet. Don dairy farmed for several years, then briefly raised veal calves until his brother-in-law George Lonsdorf’s barn burned in August 1966, at which time Don milked George’s Guernsey herd until they had a new home. Don then bought a herd of Jerseys and, with the addition of some Holsteins and one of George’s Guernseys, he dairy farmed until his son Carter took over in 1988.
In 1995, Don was reunited with Marine buddies he hadn’t seen since the mid-1960s, and he and Nancy subsequently attended several G-3-1 reunions around the U.S. Don was a G-3-1 Korea Association and Disabled American Veterans member, and was honored in 2013 to experience the Never Forgotten Honor Flight with his daughter Pam. Don’s service has been recognized at the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, and a chronicle of his service, compiled by his son Don, is online at https://www.genealogycenter.info/military/koreanwar/search_donaldlitzer.php
In Don’s retirement, he and Nancy built a home in the woods at the back of their property. They enjoyed travelling, seeing plenty of country on casino trips, and made two trips to Canada to visit Don’s cousins in western Quebec. Don loved working in his woods, logging and making firewood, and enjoying the wildlife that cohabited with Don & Nancy in their woodland retreat.
Don was a member of Farm Bureau from 1953 until his death, serving as a Marathon County Farm Bureau director and on several committees. Don was a longtime leader of the Cassel 4-H Club, and for years served as Assistant Superintendent of Open Class Grains, Grasses, Vegetables & Fruit at the Wisconsin Valley Fair. He enjoyed going to the World Dairy Expo, Farm Technology Days and the Edgar Steam Show.
Don was a faithful member of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Parish in the Town of Cassel, Marathon County for over 60 years. He was a member of Sacred Heart’s Holy Name Society and, in 1969, served as the treasurer for the building fund which culminated in the parish’s present church structure.
Don was preceded in death by his parents, daughter Paula Fry, brother Edward R. Litzer, sister Dolores Lonsdorf, brother-in-law George Lonsdorf and sons-in-law John Doyle and Gerald Wendlandt.
Don is survived by his beloved wife of 68 years, Nancy, daughter Julie Litzer-Doyle of Wausau, daughter Jannette Litzer-Wendlandt of Marathon, son Donald S. (Sarah) Litzer of Merrill, daughter Pamela (Ray) Welch of Wausau and son Carter (Rosalie) Litzer of the Town of Emmet. He is further survived by nine grandchildren, Jessica Fry (Jacob Strauss) of Sherburn, Massachusetts, Jared (Jennifer) Fry of Trophy Club, Texas, Danielle Fry of Irving, Texas, Brittany Doyle of Denver, Colorado, Patrick Doyle of Wausau, Rebecca (David) Alexander of Maine, William Litzer of the Town of Emmet, Amy Litzer of Wausau and Toni (Andrew) Grulkowski of Eau Claire, two great-grandchildren, Hudson Fry and Logan Alexander, two step-great-grandchildren, Gavin Alexander and Vanessa Alexander, sister-in-law Lorraine (Vercimak) Litzer of Weston, son-in-law Douglas Fry of Sierra Vista, Arizona, and 19 nieces and nephews.
A funeral Mass will be held for Don at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 11, 2021 at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in the Town of Cassel. The Rev. Joseph Nakawa will officiate. Burial of his cremains will follow in the parish cemetery. Full military honors will be conducted by the American Legion Post No. 469, Marathon. Visitation for family and friends will be at the church from 9:00 a.m. until the time of services. The family requests that those in attendance please wear a mask.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be directed, in Don’s name, to the Church Bell Restoration fund at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in the Town of Cassel. Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, 1302 Sixth Street, Wausau, is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com.
Thomas Southworth
Tommy was born April 7th 1936 in Mauston Wisconsin, the son of Harold and Catherine Southworth. At the outbreak of the World War II in 1941, Catherine moved her family to Marshfield Wisconsin to be closer to her family. Tommy attended the old Washington Elementary School on Central Avenue, Purdy Junior High School, and Marshfield Senior High School in 1954. While in high school Tommy earned 9 varsity letters, 3 in football, 3 in basketball and 3 in baseball. He was named to the 2nd team all-valley conference Wisconsin Basketball team as a sophomore and the 1st team all-valley conference basketball team in his junior year as well as 1st team in his senior year. Tommy was a class officer and voted the most popular boy in the senior class.
After high school he joined the U.S. Air Force where he spent 1 year at Brooks AFB, in San Antonio Texas, 2 years in St. Johns New Found land and 1 year at Kelly AFB, San Antonio, Texas; he did all of this in the USAF Security Service Command. Upon his honorable discharge in 1958 he attended the University of Wisconsin La Crosse, graduating in 1963 with a double major in Social Studies and Physical Education. While at La Crosse he was a member of Phi Epsilon Kappa an honorary fraternity for men in Physical Education. Upon graduation in 1963 he took a position in the Sun Prairie School district where he taught physical education for 2 years and then took a year off from teaching to attend University of Wisconsin Stout where he received a master’s degree in guidance and counseling. After graduating in 1967 he took a position at Wausau Senior High School as a school counselor where he spent the next 32 years retiring in 1998.
Over the years he has been involved in numerous organizations and activities from PTA President, football official, the 1913 Honor-Flight, to being selected to the first Hall of Fame class established in the Marshfield School District in 2006. However, the most important event that happened to Tommy was when he met the love of his life Shirley Wolf in 1958. It was during the summer and he had just gotten out of the service and both were working at “Sunnys” drive-in restaurant in Marshfield. She was a “car hop” and he was the inside man. It was love at first sight and in a huge wedding the reception being held at the Marshfield armory. They were married in June of 1960 and were blessed with three children, John, James and Jane. The best times of their life were raising and watching as they grew into adulthood.
Tommy is preceded in death by his parents Catherine and Donald, his brother Dick, son James, grandson Jared, mother and father in-law Marge and Arthur Wolf, sister in-law Darlene Barrocas.
Tommy is survived by his wife Shirley, son John, daughter Jane (William) Baker-Slabich, along with seven grandchildren and one great grandchild.
The funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 7, 2021 at the Church of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Wausau. Rev. Joseph Richards will preside. Visitation will be Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services all at the church.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to the James Southworth Scholarship Fund, Wausau East High School, 2607 N. 18th Street, Wausau, WI 54403.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com
Perry D. Barthels
Perry D. Barthels, 90, of Wausau passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 27, 2021.
He was born September 13, 1931, in Wausau, son of the late John and Ella (Hafeman) Barthels. He married Barbara, his wife of 56 years, on April 24, 1965 in a private ceremony at Zion Lutheran Church, Wausau.
After graduating from Wausau High in 1948, he continued his education at the UW Extension until enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps. He actively served from 1952-1954 during the Korean War. Upon returning from military service, he began his career with Brown and Williamson Tobacco Corporation as a sales representative where he remained until his retirement in 1990.
Perry especially enjoyed spending time at his cottage in Conover where he pursued his love of hunting and fishing. He was an avid gardener, bird watcher, and general lover of nature. He enjoyed spending time with family and friends and played an integral part in the upbringing of his five grandchildren. His grandchildren’s fondest memories include taking endless walks around the block, playing competitive wiffle ball games in the backyard, learning valuable life skills, and his unconditional love.
Perry and Barbara are blessed to have forged and maintained many lifelong friendships. These lasting bonds are a testament to the character of everyone who has been a part of their circle. On behalf of Perry, the rest of the family would like to thank those friends for the pleasure and joy you brought to his life.
For those who knew him, he will be remembered for his good nature, sense of humor, kind heart, integrity, and enduring patience.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara (Smith) Barthels, Wausau, his children; Rick (Jennifer) Barthels, Wausau, David Barthels, Wausau, and Joni (John) Young, Reedsburg, five grandchildren; Nate, Luke, Elizabeth, Jack, and Sam, one brother; Jon “Jack” (Mary Pregont) Barthels and a sister-in-law and brother-in-law; Joan and Roger Pospychala, and his nieces and nephews.
A celebration of Perry’s life will be held at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, May 21, 2022 at Doepke Recreational Park, 2200 South Mountain Road, Wausau, WI 54401. In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established in Perry’s name. Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, Wausau, is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com
