Surnames: Foemmel, Dahl, Worley, Pabst, Johnson, Barrett, Mast, Birkett, Smazal, Bjerke, Coyle

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) July 23, 2008

Foemmel, Walter Ralph Jr. (24 Feb. 1929 - 14 July 2008)

Walter R. Foemmel Jr.

With Flag

Walter Foemmel Jr., 79, of Chili, died Monday, July 14, 2008, at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Tomah.

Walter Ralph Foemmel Jr. was born Feb. 24, 1929, in Loyal, the son of Walter and Viola (Dahl) Foemmel. He attended school in the Chili area and then enlisted into the United States Air Force and served from 1950 to 1953. He returned from the service with training as an airplane mechanic. Walter worked for North Central Airlines in Minneapolis, Minn. North Central later became Republic Airlines and then Northwest.

He was united in marriage to Olive Marie Coyle on May 11, 1963, at the Zion Lutheran - Missouri Synod Church in Granton. They lived in Bloomington, Minn., Northfield, Minn., where they had an 80 acre hobby farm and later in Beldenville, where they had a 165 acre hobby farm. After retirement from the airlines they moved to Chili in 1995.

Walter enjoyed his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. He was very good mechanically and found ways to be creative in building the things he needed. He enjoyed farming and collecting maple syrup.

He is survived by his wife, Olive; four daughters, Roberta (Steve) Worley of Des Moines, Wash., Sally (Dan) Pabst of Ellsworth, Dixie (Roger) Johnson of Roseville, Minn., and Holly (Kevin) Barrett of Belgrade, Mont.; eight grandchildren, Spencer Mast, Alex Pabst, Bryon Barrett, Anna Barrett, April Pabst, Samantha Barrett, Austin Pabst and Jeremy Barrett; one brother, Gilbert Foemmel of Chili; and a sister, Mildred Birkett of Rothschild.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Irene Smazal.

Funeral services for Walter will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, July 18, 2008, at the Gesche Funeral Home in Neillsville. Pastor Douglas Bjerke will officiate. Music will be provided by Eileen Zank, organist. Interment will be in the Yolo Cemetery in Chili, with Military Honors accorded by the Neillsville Veterans Council.

Visitation will be from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m., Thursday, and from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m., Friday, both at the Gesche Funeral Home. Casket bearers are Kevin Barrett, Dan Pabst, Jack Foemmel and Eugene Coyle.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to The HighGround, Veterans Memorial, W7031 Ridge Road, Neillsville, WI 54456.