Obit: Hribar, Walter J. “Wally” #2 (1922 - 2016)

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

Surnames: Hribar, Zitnik, Matijazik, Routar, Denk, Paredes, Dew, Suda, Eaton, Zwaschka, Bruksch, Volovsek, Hedemark, Marincic, Brice

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 3/02/2016

Hribar, Walter Joe “Wally” (5 December 1922 - 25 February 2016)

Walter J. “Wally” Hribar, 93, of Greenwood passed away peacefully Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016 at the House of the Dove in Marshfield.

Walter Joe Hribar was born Dec. 5, 1922, in Willard to Frank and Anna (Zitnik) Hribar. His mother passed away when he was 4 and gather when he was 9. His loving step-mother Mary (Matijazik) Hribar and caring older siblings continued to raise him on the family farm. Walter received his education at Gorman School and the Willard State Graded School. He worked on the farm and for a short time, worked in Chicago at Stewart-Warner Corporation. Walter also worked in the wheat fields in North Dakota and picked apples in Washington State, during the harvest season.

He loved to play the game of baseball and went to spring training for the St. Louis Browns as a left-handed pitcher. In 1947, he played for the minor league Wausau Lumberjacks. He continued to play baseball with and against area teams, including Kidd’s Kids in Owen, making relationships he so enjoyed. He ended his baseball career as a manager for the Greenwood team.

Walter was united in marriage to Clara C. Routar Nov. 25, 1948, at Holy Family Catholic Church in Willard. Together they owned and operated a dairy farm west of Greenwood and also provided custom fieldwork for area farmers.

Walter was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, gardening, bowling, deer hunting, elk hunting out west and following the Milwaukee Brewers.

He is survived by his children: Wally (Cheryl) Hribar of Prior Lake, MN, Mary (Gerry) Denk of Crystal Lake, IL, Kathy Paredes (Tim Drew) of Conroe, TX, Patti (Dennis) Suda of Spencer and Tom Hribar (Lynn Eaton) of New Prague, MN; 12 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; one son-in-law, Tom Zwaschka of Willard; one brother, William Hribar of Willard; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents and step-mother; his wife, Clara, April 23, 2012; his daughter, Joanne Zwaschka, Dec. 22, 2013; six brothers: Louis, Ludwig, Anton, John, Joe and Frank Hribar; and four sisters, Bernice Bruksch, Mary Volovsek, Olga Hedemark and Anna Marincic.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 2, at Holy Family Catholic Church, in Willard. Rev. Steve Brice will officiate and burial will follow at Holy Family Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the church Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. until time of service.

Pallbearers will be his grandsons: Allen Denk, Thomas Denk, Andy Hribar, Ben Suda, Joe Suda, Adam Zwaschka and Lucas Zwaschka.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.cuddiefh.com.  Cuddie Funeral Home of Greenwood is assisting the family with arrangements.