Obit: Micke, William G. #2 (1933 - 2016)

Transcriber: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Baker, Crowley, Girard, Kowalski, McDermott, Micke, Nolt, Plecity, Ryba, Stroinski, Turenne

----Source: WIGM/WKEB Obituaries (Medford, WI) 12/06/2016

Micke, William Gordon “Bill” (10 OCT 1933 - 5 DEC 2016)

William Gordon “Bill” Micke, age 83, of Stanley, WI, passed away at home on Monday, December 5, 2016.

Funeral Services will be held at St. Bernard-St. Hedwig's Catholic Church, in Thorp, at 10:30am on Friday December 9, 2016. Fr. Janusz Kowalski will officiate and burial will follow in St. Bernard's Catholic Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be: Andrew Micke, Jennifer Micke, Ryan Micke, Jim Micke, Greg Turenne and Leroy Nolt. Visitation will be at Thorp Funeral Home, in Thorp, on Thursday December 8, 2016 from 4pm-8pm, with a 7:30pm rosary service.

Visitation will also be held at the church, on Friday, from 9:30am until time of service.

William Gordon Micke was born on October 10, 1933, on the home farm, in the Township of Worden, to William Sr. and Florence E. (Plecity) Micke. He was raised on the family farm and attended the Busy Bee Country School until the 8th grade. He loved to tell stories about walking to school, hitching rides on the milk sleigh, and his first grade school teacher running away with the milk man. He graduated from Thorp High School in 1952 and later joined the Wisconsin National Guard, which was the source of many more stories.

On August 25, 1955, he was united in marriage to Rose Marie Crowley at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, in Owen, WI. Bill and Rose worked side by side with his father for many years and eventually they took over the family farm. They were blessed with two sons who joined him on the farm, and they were later able to purchase five more surrounding farms. The original farm has been in the family for 118 years, with Bill's grandchildren making it a 5th generation farm.

Bill was a member of St. Bernard-St. Hedwig's Catholic Church and its' Holy Name Society, the Catholic Order of Foresters, he was on the Board of Directors for Tri State Breeders, and was on the loan committee for the Northwestern Bank in Thorp.

Bill had many interests, including; raising turkeys and pigs, raising & selling bulls, and keeping draft horses on the farm. He truly enjoyed buying and selling livestock, which he started doing at 15 years old, and was a regular at all local sale barns. Bill also pulled horses and ponies for many years. Bill and Rose made many trips out West to visit friends, attend cowboy poetry performances, and visit auction barns along the way. He will always be remembered for his willingness to offer advice learned from experience and for treating everyone fairly.

He is survived by his wife, Rose M. Micke, of Stanley; 2 sons: Dean Micke (Natalie Baker) of Stanley, Allen (Lisa) Micke of Thorp; 4 grandchildren: Jessica Ryba (Lance Girard) of Chippewa Falls, WI, Andrew (Melissa) Micke, Jennifer Micke and Ryan Micke, all of Thorp WI; 2 great grandchildren: Aiden and Addison of Chippewa Falls, WI; 2 sisters: Joanne (Ray) Stroinski of Thorp WI, Carol McDermott of Henderson, NV; one brother: Gerald Micke of Stanley: nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother: Armon Micke; 2 sisters-in-law: Barbara Micke and Jan Micke.