Obit: Ludwig, Jerome Henry (1930 - 2016)

Contact: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Bruesewitz, Emmerich, Etten, Gebert, Geisler, Genrich, Hermans, Hiebl, Hurth, Imler, Kranz, Ludwig, Meier, Minico, Peissig, Powell, Rapalje, Schwantes,

----Source: The Tribune - Phonograph (Abbotsford, WI) 2/08/2016

Ludwig, Jerome "Jerry" Henry (21 JAN 1930 - 4 FEB 2016)

Jerome "Jerry" Henry Ludwig, age 86, of Dorchester, passed away on Thursday, February 4, 2016 at Golden Living Center - Continental Manor in Abbotsford.

A Memorial Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 9, 2016 at Saint Louis Catholic Church in Dorchester. Father Charles Hiebl will officiate.

Military Honors provided by the Dorchester American Legion Post #517. Family and friends are welcome from 9:00 a.m. until time of service Tuesday at the church.

Jerry was born on January 21, 1930, to Fred and Margaret (Hurth) Ludwig in the town of Little Black in Taylor County. He was the oldest of 12 children. He attended Liberty and Lawndale grade schools, and Medford and Dorchester High Schools, graduating from Dorchester in 1947.

Following high school, Jerry enlisted in the Air Force and served for a couple of years. In 1949 he married his high school sweetheart, Dora Genrich. Dora passed away on April 4, 1983, after a four year battle with cancer. On August 9, 1986, he married Helen (Peissig) Gebert, and she survives.

Jerry was a hard working, kind, and considerate man, with a quick wit. He enjoyed many sports and had always been very active in them, either playing or coaching. He was an avid Cubs fan for as long as he could remember, until just a few years ago, when he started to cheer for the Brewers. He followed the WI Badgers football and basketball teams religiously. He managed the Dorchester Baseball team in the early 60's, and also some softball teams in the 80's and 90's. Jerry liked kids, and liked giving them opportunities.

He started a youth basketball program and headed up a Cub Scout and Boy Scout program to help give the kids something to do and learn. He was an excellent bowler, bowling until the age of 81, and bowling a 600 series at the age of 80! He threw horseshoes in a league for many years, and had some stakes in his back yard that saw plenty of action between him and his sons and grandkids! Jerry loved to fish and hunt. Up until just a few years ago, he had not missed a hunting season at “The Cabin” in the last 60 years.

He enjoyed many fishing trips to Canada as well. One last favorite pastime of Jerry's was playing cards. Sheepshead and Scat were his favorites. And if you played a hand with Jerry, you knew you better keep track of your cards, because he most certainly would, and would be able to tell you what your last card was.

Jerry was a member of the Dorchester Village board, Dorchester Park Board, and volunteer fireman for many years. He worked in Milwaukee at Harnischfager's for a number of years before moving back to Dorchester in 1959 and getting a job at Meyer Lumber Co. He retired from Meyer's after 40 years.

Jerry loved his family dearly, and especially enjoyed having them together for summer cookouts, where he would do the barbecuing.

Jerry is survived by his wife, Helen, and four children, Terry (Dianne) Ludwig and Connie (Steve) Etten of Dorchester, Tim (Diane) Ludwig of Stetsonville, and Brad (Sherri) Ludwig of Mosinee. He had 13 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren. He is further survived by 3 brothers, Duane (Connie) Ludwig, Dale (Kay) Ludwig, and Bob (Nancy) Ludwig, and 6 sisters, Joanne (Earl) Emmerich, Norma (Al) Meier, Marlene (Darrel) Hermans, Loretta (Pat) Kranz, Germaine Imler, and Sandy (Dave) Bruesewitz.

Also surviving are Helen's eight children: Karla (Jim) Rapalje of Benson, NC, Julie (Sam) Minico, Kelly (Beth) Gebert, Jayne Schwantes, and Jean (Tim) Powell all of Westerville, OH, Kristin (Rick) of Sonoma, CA, Joan (Gary) Geisler of Fredericksburg, VA and Kurt (Gayle) Gebert of Suamico, her 28 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.

Jerry was predeceased by his first wife, Dora, his father and mother, and two brothers, Merlin and Glen.