Obit: Bartsch, Donald Leroy (1934 - 2016)

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

Surnames: Bartsch, Handke, Garbisch, Doud, Prill, Foemmel, Jordan, Helm, Schoessow

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 4/06/2016

Bartsch, Donald Leroy (21 June 1934 - 2 April 2016) With Flag

Donald Bartsch, 81, of Granton died Saturday, April 2, 2016, at the House of the Dove in Marshfield.

Donald Leroy Bartsch was born June 21, 1934, in the Town of Fremont, Cark County, the son of Fred E. and Clara (Handke) Bartsch. He attended Franklin Country School and Zion Lutheran Parochial School. He played high school sports, football, baseball and basketball and graduated from Granton High School in 1953. Don entered the United States Army in 1954 and was honorable discharged in 1956. June 2, 1956, he was united in marriage to Lavon Garbisch at the Zion Lutheran Church in Granton. He worked for Parkins Ice Cream and later, Lynn Dairy, hauling “can” milk. For 36 years he farmed in the Town of Fremont and the Town of York. After retiring from farming, Don worked at the Loyal Pallet Company. Don and Lavon have been together for 60 years.

Don was a member of the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Granton. He served on the church council, helped with the fall pancake supper and the Sunday School Breakfast, sang in the church choir for years and helped with the planning of the church’s 125th anniversary. He served as the second supervisor for the Town of York, was a friend of the Granton Park Committee and worked on the ball diamond at the Granton Park. He was a member of the Granton FFA Alumni and has belonged to the Associated Milk Products Cooperative. He worked at the Farm Progress Days at Loyal.

He is survived by his wife, Lavon; three children: Rhonda (Angelo) Doud of Burlington, IA, Russell Bartsch of Granton and Ronald Bartsch of Granton; six grandchildren: Megan Doud, Brittany Prill, Natalee Doud, Rick Bartsch, Kayla Foemmel and Brooke Jordan; and six great-grandchildren: Cayden, Bennett, Alli, Presley, Pailynn and Porter. Don is further survived by three sisters-in-law: Jane Bartsch of Granton, Betty Bartsch of Plover and Margene Bartsch of Marshfield, along with many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers: Merle Bartsch, Leland Bartsch and Fred Bartsch Jr.

A memorial service for Don will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 9, 2016 at the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Granton. Pastor Daniel Schoessow will officiate. Music will be provided by Caroline Helm, organist. Interment will be in the Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery with Military Honors performed by the Neillsville Veterans’ Council. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, at the church.

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