Obit: Bonk, Harry (1928 - 2004)

Contact:  Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Bonk, Mikrut, Milewski, Mueller, White, Holbus, Meyers, Peterson, Hartley, Manke, Auburg, Wojciechowski, Litwin

----Sources: Thorp Courier, (Thorp, WI.) September 22, 2004

Bonk, Harry (April 4, 1928 - September 17, 2004) (Flag)

Harry Bonk age 76, Withee died Friday, September 17, 2004 at St. Joseph’s Hospital Palliative Care Unit, Marshfield, WI.

Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m., Monday at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Owen, Wis. Inurnment will be in Riverside Cemetery at a later date. Father Eric Linzmaier and Father Al Jakubowski officiated. Pallbearers were Ray Venet, Al Jalowitz, Bernard Frankewicz, Jerry Orth, Clem Grajec, and Lanny Auburg. Visitation was held from 9:30 until time of services at the church on Monday. Maurina Home assisted the family.

Harry was born April 4, 1928 in Withee to Alois and Anastasia (Mikrut) Bonk. He graduated from Withee High School. He served in the Korean War. Harry and Geraldine Milewski were married July 7, 1951 at St. Hedwig’s Catholic Church, Thorp. She died June 27, 1997. He then married Luella "Toodie" Mueller on October 27, 1998. Harry worked as a milk hauler, owned Westside Garage, worked for Will’s Gas, Clark County Health Care Center, and completed his employment as Director of Public Works for the City of Owen, Wis. He retried in 1993. He was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church, OW Vets Club, Lion’s Club, and a former member of the Owen-Withee Fire Department. During his retirement he enjoyed his family, gardening, cooking and playing cards.

Harry is survived by his wife "Toodie" Bonk of Withee, his children: Donette (Bill) White of Union Grove; Gayla (Bill) Holbus of Union Grove; Randall Bonk (Diana Meyers) of St. Petersburg, FL, and Brian (Stacy) Bonk of Chippewa Falls; his step-children: Debbie (Jim) Peterson of Chippewa Falls; Sandy Hartley of West Bend; Vicky Mueller of La Crosse; Cheryl (Mark) Manke of Lodi and Tom (Kari) Mueller of Medford; his mother-in-law Ardelle Auburg; his five grand-children: Josh Bonk; Sarah Bonk; Adrienne White; Kirstin White and Ben Holbus; his eight step-grandchildren: Jacob and Jordan Hartley; Jeff and mike Peterson; Ben and Brent Mueller; Fred and Anna Manke; two sisters: Lorraine Litwin and Sylvia Wojciechowski; sister-in-law Angie Bonk and brother-in-law Ronald Milewski.

He was preceded in death by his parents: first wife Geraldine; sister Adeline and brother Walter.