Obit: Bieneck, Duane Dale (1956 - 2017)

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

Surnames: Bieneck, Sternitzky, Arndt, Schleifer, Johnsrud, Marty, Bemis, Morris, Kruta, Leitch, Rochester

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 4/26/2017

Bieneck, Duane Dale (22 September 1956 – 20 April 2017)

Duane Dale Bieneck passed away surrounded by his family April 20, 2017, rejoining forever his best friend and loving wife, Cathy (Schleifer). Duane was born Sept. 22, 1956, in Neillsville, the son of Ernest Paul Bieneck and Adeline Louella (Sternitzky). He attended St. John’ Lutheran Elementary School and graduated from Neillsville High School in 1974. After high school, he worked at Edlen Cranberry Company, Struensee Concrete, and Tesmer Construction before beginning what was a long productive career at Northern Auto Parts/Car Quest in 1980. He would spend the next 34 years as an auto parts salesman and retired in 2014.

Duane was united in marriage to Cathy Schleifer Sept. 16, 1978, at the Calvary Lutheran Church in Neillsville. Together, they enjoyed 32 years of camping, fishing, deer hunting, making sausage, smoked meats, and wine, spending time on their hobby farm with their nieces, nephews, and families. They were members of Calvary Lutheran Church in Neillsville.

He is survived his mother, Adeline Arndt; sister Lila Johnsrud, brother Roy Bieneck and wife Sandy (Marty) Bieneck, sister Iris Bemis and husband Harlan Bemis, brother Dave Bieneck and wife Julie (Morris) Bieneck, sister Darlene Kruta and husband Jeff Kruta, and 17 nieces, and nephews.

Duane was preceded in death by his wife Cathy, father Ernest Paul Bieneck, brother Dennis Bieneck, brothers-in-law Jim Johnsrud and Ken Leitch.

He will be sorely missed by the many who loved him.

Funeral services for Duane were held at 11 a.m. Monday, April 24, 2017, at the Calvary Lutheran Church in Neillsville. Visitation was held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, April 23, 2017, at Gesche Funeral Home and again from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. prior to the service at Calvary Lutheran Church.

Pallbearers were Michael Bemis, Jeff Bemis, Ryan Bieneck, Jacob Leitch, Zachary Leitch, and Ricky Rochester.

Online condolences may be made at www.geschefh.com.  The Gesche Funeral Home assisted the Bieneck family with funeral arrangements.