Obit: Boettcher, Joseph H. (1929 – 2000)

Contact: Crystal Wendt

Surnames: Boettcher, Dix, Reierson, Nienow, Hines, Justus, Rusch

----Sources: Scrap book one: by Elsa Lange Hardrath & Dorthaleen Edwards Hardrath

Hardrath Family Photo Album 

Contributed by Halbert "Bud" Hardrath

Boettcher, Joseph H. (6 Dec. 1929 – 4 Oct. 2000)

Colby - Joseph H. Boettcher, 70, of H3043 Elderberry Rd., Colby, died at 6:58 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2000, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield where he was admitted on October 2, 2000.

Funeral services are scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at the First United Church of Christ in Colby with Rev. Kenneth A. Dix officiating. Suzanne Dix will be the organist and Greg Reierson will be the soloist. Burial will be at Hillside Cemetery in Marshfield.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the Hansen Chapel and then after 10 a.m. until time of services Saturday at the church in Colby. Masonic services will be conducted at 7 p.m. by the Wisconsin Rapids Lodge 128 F. & A. M. at the funeral chapel.

He was born Dec. 6, 1929, in Merrill, the son of Henry and Martha (nee Nienow) Boettcher. He was married on July 5, 1954, to Zona Hines at Wesley United Methodist Church in Marshfield.

He received his elementary and secondary education in Merrill, graduating from Merrill High School in 1947. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and his Master’s degree from the University of Wyoming in Laramie. He worked on his Doctorate at Winona State University in Winona, Minn. He served in the U. S. Army from 1951 to 1953 and served in the Army Reserve from 1953 to 1959.

After his education he taught high school English and History at Pittsville High School from 1953 to 1956. He taught English and History at Nekoosa High School from 1956 to 1960. He was principal of Elroy High School from 1960 to 1961. He then returned to Nekoosa as principal from 1961 to 1964. He was Superintendent of the Random Lake School District from 1964 to 1967 and the Superintendent of the Colby School District from 1967 to 1075. He then taught English in the Colby Junior High School from 1975 to 1988. He served as Principal of the Colby, Wis. High School for one year from 1988 to 1989, prior to his retirement.

He was a member of the First United Church of Christ in Colby and at the present time, a member of the church council. He was a past president of the congregation and served as a Lay Minister, assisting the clergy who were on vacation and congregations who were in transition, for over 20 years. He was a member of the Wisconsin Rapids Masonic Lodge 128 F. & A. M. and the Eau Claire Consistory-Scottish Rites. He was a member of the Lions Club for over 40 years. At the present time he was a member of the Colby Lions. He served as the District Governor of District 27-C1 for the Lions Club from 1970 to 1971. He was a recipient of the Melvin Jones Fellows, being the first person in Colby to receive this award. He also was awarded the Birch-Sturm Fellows. He was a member and served on the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Lions Foundation for seven years. He served on committees at the local, state and district levels for many years in the Lions Club. He served as the Town Clerk for the Town of Hull, Marathon County, for four years. He was a member of the Marathon County Board of Supervisors, District 30, for 10 years. He was a member of the joint Portage/Marathon County Airport Committee, member of Law Enforcement Committee and the Marathon County Board of Adjustments. He was a member of the Wisconsin Retired Educations Association, a member and past president of the Marshfield Area Teachers Association. He received the Citizen of the Year award in Colby in 1990.

Surviving are his wife, Zona Boettcher; daughter Shelby (James) Justus of Holcombe; son, Brian (Cheryl) Boettcher of Winona, Minn.; and six grandchildren, Aaron, Andrew, Shani and Jordan Boettcher, Kelly and Dana Justus.

He was preceded in death by one son, Randall Lee, at birth, his parents and one sister, Ruth Rusch.

Memorials may be designated to the family in his name. They will establish a memorial at a later date.