Surnames: Schoen, Utecht, Johnson, Willey, Richter, Neville, Hainz, Pace, Resong

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) April 9, 2008

Schoen, Franklin Joseph Sr. (23 May 1918 - 2 April 2008)

Franklin J. Schoen Sr., 89, Neillsville, died Wednesday, April 2, 2008, at the Memorial Medical Center in Neillsville.

Franklin Joseph Schoen was born May 23, 1918, in Levis Township, the son of Henry and Wilhelmina "Minnie" (Utecht) Schoen.

Franklin served with honor and distinction in the U. S. Army from October 1941 through September 1945. During WWII, he was an antitank gun crewman and combat infantryman. He participated in combat and fought in the following battles: Ardennes - a major battleground of WWII, Rhineland, Central Europe and the Aleutian Islands. He earned the following citations and awards: Combat Infantryman Badge, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with three Bronze Battle Stars, Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon with one Bronze Battle Star, six overseas service bars and one service strip and the Bronze Star.

Franklin married Lila Vivian Johnson September 18, 1948, in Wittenberg. He successfully operated a dairy farm at W4603 STH 73. He and Lila lived at this one location for over 45 years. Franklin was a hunter, trapper and fisherman. He made over 90 trips to Canada. In his retirement years, Franklin and Lila spent over 20 winters near Mission, TX.

He is survived by his wife Lila of Neillsville; two daughters Maurine (Richard) Willey of Pewaukee and Debra (Lowell) Richter of Granite Falls, WA; three sons, Franklin (Teresa) Schoen Jr. of Craig, CO, Michael (Phyllis) Schoen of Neillsville and David (Francine) Schoen of Cheyenne, WY; 14 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren, Frank is further survived by one brother, Edward (Grace) Schoen of Neillsville; two sisters, Eleanor Neville and Lou Hainz, both of Neillsville; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.

Frank was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers and two sisters.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, April 7, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Neillsville. The Very Reverend Woodrow H. Pace officiated. Providing music were Ronald Resong, organist, and St. Mary’s Choir. Burial was in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery.

The Gesche Funeral Home of Neillsville assisted Franklin’s family with arrangements.