Surnames: Weix, Franklin, Tamborino, Downer, Melvin, Raatz, Frey, Murphy, Blazel, Duvall, Cherwinka, Schotz, Schmidt, Perez-Garcia, Calverley, Didier, Xander, Hein, Murphy-Jones, Carpenter, Kilty, Rieve, Dittner, Schnabel, Weis

----Source: Marshfield News Herald (Marshfield, Wood County, Wis.) Sunday, 7 Dec. 2008

Weix, Henry M. (7 Dec. 1921 - 5 Dec. 2008)

Henry M. Weix, 86, of Abbotsford, Wisconsin, died Friday, Dec. 5, 2008, at Saint Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield after being admitted Dec. 3, 2008.

A Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2008, at Saint Bernard's Catholic Church, Abbotsford, Wis.

Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home in Abbotsford and Wednesday at the church from 10 a.m. until time of services.

A complete obituary will run in the Monday edition of the Marshfield News-Herald.

----Source: Marshfield News Herald (Marshfield, Wood County, Wis.) Monday, 8 Dec. 2008

Henry M. Weix, 86, of Abbotsford, Wisconsin died Friday Dec. 5, 2008, at Saint Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield after being admitted Dec. 3, 2008. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10 at St. Bernard Catholic Church, Abbotsford, Wis. The Rev. Benjamin Franklin will officiate.

The burial will follow at the Abbotsford Public Cemetery with Military Rite. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9, at the Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home in Abbotsford and Wednesday at the church in from 10 a.m. until the time of service. A parish prayer service followed by a rosary service will take place at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home in Abbotsford, Wis. Henry was born Dec. 7, 1921, at home in Colby to Martin and Mary (Tamborino) Weix. He attended the Sandhill School in Colby, Wis. Henry entered the National Guard on September 23, 1939, and left for active duty October 15, 1940, with the 32nd Division, where he served in Louisiana, Massachusetts and California. He left for overseas duty April 22, 1942, where he served in Australia and New Guinea and later joined the 11th Air Cargo Resupply Squadron. He was then sent to the Philippines. He took part in the battles and campaigns of Bismark Archipelago, South Philippines, Luzon and New Guinea, where he helped drop supplies over enemy territory. He left the service with a rank of Staff Sergeant, and he received the Distinguished Unit Citation Badge. Henry also earned air crew combat wings for 300 hours of combat flying, the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Service Medal and the Philippine Liberation ribbon with bronze star. On January 16, 1946, Henry married the love of his life, Mary Luan Downer.

Henry was a very hard worker. He worked for the Northwest Feed Mill; he then decided to start farming in the Colby area and eventually moved to Athens and farmed for more than 20 years. In 1972, he moved to Abbotsford and worked for Francis Melvin. Later, he became the city clerk, treasurer and assessor of Abbotsford for several years. Henry and Mary purchased the Dorn Furniture store, which was renamed H&M furniture. Henry served on the Abbotsford City Council for three terms and also served the Abbotsford Fire and EMS Department. Henry and Mary acquired the Spring Crest Drapery franchise in Abbotsford in 1978, which they operated for 20 years. It was eventually bought by Otto and Laurie Raatz.

Henry was a long-time member of St. Bernard's Catholic Church in Abbotsford, Wis. Together, Henry and Mary served as Eucharistic Ministers in Florida and Abbotsford, Wis.

In his free time, Henry enjoyed polka dancing, camping and woodworking. He especially loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Henry is lovingly survived by his wife Mary Weix (Abbotsford), five children: Dennis (Shelia) Weix of Edgar; Katherine (Duane) Frey of Medford; James (Bonita) Weix of Abbotsford; Mary Jane (Mike) Murphy of Linton, Ind.; and Laurie (Otto) Raatz of Abbotsford, Wis. He is further survived by 15 grandchildren: Steve Weix of Chicago; Janet Weix of Eau Claire; Mark (Chrissy) Weix of Medford; Henry Blazel of Abbotsford; Brenda Duvall (Jim Kimball) of Medford; Bonnie (John) Cherwinka of Wausau; Rhonda (Tim) Schotz of Rothschild; Tammy (Jay) Schmidt of Edgar; Logan Weix of Abbotsford; Lisa (Carlos) Perez-Garcia of Waipahu, Hawaii; Bobby Murphy of Linton, Ind.; Michelle Murphy of Waipahu, Hawaii; Heather Raatz (Scott Calverley) of Wisconsin Rapids; Crystal (Jason) Didier of Almond; and Michael Raatz of Abbotsford, Wis. Seventeen great-grandchildren: Jaden and Xander of Eau Claire, Kirsten Weix of Medford, Nikki and Colton Duvall of Medford, Jonathon Hein, Christopher Hein, Derrick and Danielle Hein of Colby, Casey Cherwinka of Wausau, Justin and Miranda Schotz of Rothschild, Kalob and Keaton Murphy-Jones Waipahu, Hawaii, Evan Calverley of Wisconsin Rapids, Malakai and Tristyn Didier of Almond. Three brothers: Alphonse (Jean) Weix of Medford, Leonard (Bonnie) Weix of Spencer, and Leo (Marilyn) Weix of Abbotsford, Wis. Five sisters: Pat Carpenter of Colby, Irma Kilty of Colby, Laura (Lennie) Rieve of Colby, Mary Helen (Norbert) Dittner of Marshfield, and Rita (Donald) Schnabel of Abbotsford, Wis. Henry is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Paul Weix, and his sister Mary Ann Weis.

Henry was a man of deep faith and strong convictions. He was a lifelong Democrat with a desire for, and understanding of, what good government could be. This has been carried through by his children and grandchildren. The Weix family would like to thank the nurses, physicians, and staff at Saint Joseph's Hospital, VA Clinic, and the Marshfield Clinic for their supportive and compassionate care given to Henry.