Obit: Dahlke, Billy John #2 (1946- 2015)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Dahlke, Lucas, Gassen, Pasciak, Roehl, Opelt, Pongratz, Brietzman

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 12/09/2015

Dahlke, Billy John (29 January 1946 - 5 December 2015) With Flag

Billy John Dahlke, 69, of Granton died Saturday, Dec. 5, at the House of the Dove in Marshfield.

Billy was born Jan. 29, 1946, at the Neillsville hospital, the son of Henry and Adeline (Lucas) Dahlke. He attended elementary school in the Town of Lynn and graduated from Granton High School in 1964. While still in high school, he joined the National Guard and began working at Lynn Dairy. After graduation he went to Madison to obtain his cheesemaker’s license. He served in the National Guard from 1964 to 1967. He was united in marriage to Valerie A. Gassen at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Neillsville.

After obtaining his cheesemaker’s license, Billy worked for Lynn Dairy and also ran cheese factories in Nasonville and Shiocton. In December of 1976, they purchased a bar from Pasciaks, which they operated until 1999 as the Gin Mill and Peddler’s Pub. During that time, they also owned the Silver Dollar Bar in Granton, which they sold in 1981, and they owned the Chili IGA for a year and a-half. To offset the cost of pumping his business’s septic system, Bill began BJ Septic, which he still currently owned.

Bill was a member of the Chili Fire Department and the Chili Lion’s Club. His passion was old cars, and his first care was a GTO.

He is survived by his wife, Val; two daughter: Chris and Dawn Dahlke, both of Granton; a brother, Robert (Evie) Dahlke, of Lac Du Flambeau; an aunt, Alice Lucas, of Florida, and an uncle Edwin (Rosemary) Lucas, of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Bill is also survived by many nieces, nephews and extended family.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, James.

A Memorial Service for Billy will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 11, 2015, at the Gesche Funeral Home in Neillsville, with visitation from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Military Honors will be performed by the Neillsville Veteran’s Council. Following the service, a celebration of life will be held at the Community Center in Granton.

Honorary casketbearers are: Eric Pasciak, Ross Roehl, Rollin Opelt, Rich Pongratz, Dave Brietzman and Vic Lucas.

Online condolences may be made at www.geschefh.com.  The Gesche Funeral Home is assisting Billy’s family with funeral arrangements.