Obit: Will, Neland A. #3 (1926 - 2007)

Contact: R. Lipprandt
Email: bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Armstrong, Backus, Brown, Dickey, Dix, Edblom, Franklin, Friday, Heckendorf, Lingl, Morrow, Oestreich, Ott, Schaffer, Schilling, Schreiber, Shong, Sieving, Smith, Stezl, Traas, Wepfer, Will

----Sources: The Tribune-Phonograph, (Abbotsford, Wis., Clark Co., WI), 24 October, 2007, (Online Edition)

Will, Neland A. (11 Jul 1926 - 21 Oct 2007)

Neland A. Will

Neland A. Will, 81, Spencer, died Oct. 21, 2007, in the Palliative Care Unit of St. Joseph’s Hospital, Marshfield, after a lengthy struggle with cancer and diabetes.

Neland was born July 11, 1926, in the Town of Colby, to Frank and Margaret (Schaffer) Will. He received his education at the Cloverdale School, rural Colby, and was a 1944 graduate of Colby, Wis. High School. Neland was a dairy farmer on the same farm for 45 years; milk hauler for Kasper Cheese Factory for eight years and Will Brothers for eight years; owned and operated the Breeze Inn, Spencer from 1964-1976; was licensed as a real estate salesman for 33 years, working with Mike Wepfer, Lee Dix, Shong Realty, Oestreich Enterprises, and Schilling Real Estate; operated a sand pit in the township of Colby, dealing with Bugar Enterprises of Loyal in recent years.

He was a member of the Cloverdale 4-H and FFA, Catholic Order of Foresters for 64 years, member of the Marathon County Tavern League, and member and former president of Clark County Tavern League, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Colby, and Christ the King Catholic Church in Spencer, where he participated in daily services.

On Sept. 2, 1947, he and Velma Lingl were united in marriage. Velma died July 7, 1980. On June 11, 1982, he married Joan Ott Stelzl. In 1993 he retired from farming and moved to the Village of Spencer, Wis.

Survivors include his wife, Joan; four daughters, Karen (Les) Smith, Fisher, Ill., Mary Jo (Ted) Smith, Loyal, Dawn (Larry) Heckendorf, Wausau, and Karla (Robert) Dickey, Gleason; 12 grandchildren, Kim Sieving, Neil Backus, Ranata (Brian) Armstrong, Timothy (Kelly) Smith, Billie Jo (Tom) Brown, Bobbie Jo Traas, Thomas Smith, Kristie Heckendorf, Shanna Heckendorf, Danielle Dickey, Dana Dickey; 12 great-grandchildren, Skyler and Lucas Sieving, Austin and Maria Armstrong, Lily and Reilly Smith, Reggi Brown, Cadence Traas, Haley andd Kylie Franklin, and Connor Smith; four step-children, Michael (Shirley) Stelzl, Marathon, Janean (Roger) Morrow, Spencer, Janell Stelzl, Wausau, and Mark (Sheila) Stelzl, Appleton; 10 step-grandchildren, Chadwick (Christina) Stelzl, Steven Stelzl, Aaron Stelzl, Megan Stelzl, Andrea Stelzl, Cheri Friday, Kristi (Jeremy) Schreiber, Eric Morrow, Samantha and Sheridan Stelzl; four step-great-grandchildren, Taylor Friday, Nicholas Friday, Haylee Schreiber and Austin Schreiber; and brothers and sisters, Ralph (Arlene) Will, Zona (Arlyn) Edblom, Colby, and Doris Schilling, Abbotsford, Wis.

Neland was preceded in death by his first wife, Velma; a brother, Donald Will; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

He enjoyed his 22 new autos and trucks, traveling and going to auctions. Serving as active and honorary pallbearers are Timothy, Wayne, and Thomas Smith, Neil Backus, Chadwick, Steven, and Aaron Stelzl, and Eric Morrow.

Visitation will be held at the Community Funeral Home in Spencer on Wednesday, Oct. 24, from 4 to 8 p.m. Rosary will be said, starting at 7:30 p.m. The funeral mass will begin at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Colby, with visitation one hour before.

Paid Obituary

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Re: Obit: Will, Neland A. #3 (1926 - 2007)

Contact: Cheri
Email: cheri.friday@yahoo.com

He will never be known to me or my children as a STEP Grandfather...he was my grandpa from day 1 and "papa" to my children. We love him and will never forget him as a grandfather.