Obit: Raleigh, Ronald Patrick (1920 - 2003)
Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Raleigh, Schoenfuss, Lewis, Maurer, Hackbarth, Boehm, Scheer

----Source: Ashland Daily Press (Ashland, Ashland County, Wis.) Tuesday, October 14, 2003

Raleigh, Ronald Patrick (29 Aug. 1920 - 12 Oct. 2003)

Ronald P. Raleigh, longtime Brantwood resident passed away at the Lakeside Nursing Home, Chippewa Falls, on Sunday, October 12, 2003, at the age of 83. He was born on August 29, 1920, in Stratford, the son of Arthur and Frances (Schoenfuss) Raleigh. He spent most of his life in the Brantwood Tripoli area. He attended school in Brantwood, and then was a graduate of Tripoli High School, Class of 1938. He then attended and graduated from Vocational School in Rhinelander in 1941. He was married to Beulah Lewis on May 8, 1947 in Linn County, Iowa. He served his country as a Technical Sergeant in Company 8, 381 St. Infantry, 96th Infantry Division in the South Pacific during WW II.

Following military service he was employed by the Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, Ill. They then made their home in Brantwood and in 1962 they moved to Tripoli where he owned and operated the Tripoli Oil Company, made and sold custom trailers, did custom chopping for silage, peddled frozen fish, ran a machine shop and mixed feed for the Brantwood Co-op. He also fixed furnaces, sold insurance and was known for his welding and carpentry skills. He was actively involved with his community where he held various offices including: Board Member of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Pier Willow, taught religious classes and led services when a priest or deacon was unable to be present, Charter member of the Tripoli-Brantwood Lions Club, Town Chairman of the Town of Somo for 31 years, Brantwood Credit Union member of the Southern Price County V.F.W. Post #8491, Prentice, Brantwood Co-op member, Tri-County School Board member for 15 years, a 4-H Leader in Price County, Pier Willow Voluntary Fireman, helped organize and served as the first Fire Chief for the Tripoli Voluntary Fire Dept., instrumental in bringing scouting to Tripoli, served as the first Scoutmaster for Pack 581, created Tripoli Day and brought parades back to Tripoli, and he played softball with the Brantwood softball team.

Mr. Raleigh is survived by his wife Beulah; by three sons: Wally (Cheryl) of Stillwater, Minn., Pete (Donna), Eau Claire, Charles (Marcy), of Elmhurst, Ill.; by two daughters: Kathy Maurer, McCormick, South Carolina, and Edye R. (Lee) Hackbarth, Durand; by nine grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; five brothers: Robert, of Corvallis, Oregon; Patrick, of Gobles, Mi., James (Elaine), of Brantwood, and Arthur (Judy) and David (Rose) all of Prentice; by a sister Mary Ann (Clarence) Boehm, of Cumberland. He was preceded in death by his parents and by two brothers Daniel and Richard.

The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, October 16, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Pier Willow with Fr. John Scheer officiating. Interment will be in the Prentice Cemetery, Prentice, with Military Honors by the Southern Price County VFW Post #8491 conducting.

Friends may call after 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the Heindl Funeral Home, Prentice, where a parish wake service will be held at 7 p.m.

The Heindl Funeral Home, Prentice, is in charge of the arrangements.