Obit: Vine, Gordon E. #2 (1923 - 2017)

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

Surnames: Vine, Griffith, Nelson, Fennema, Kirschoefer, Knoff, Johnson, Mayer, Bowditch, Riedel, Normington, Hinke

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 7/12/2017

Vine, Gordon Ernest (15 November 1923 – 3 July 2017) With Flag

Gordon Ernest Vine, 93, of Neillsville passed away Monday, July 3, 2017, at home in the care of family, hospice, and aides while battling cancer.

Gordon was born Nov. 15, 1923, to Ernest and Margaret Vine. He was raised in the Town of Grant and in May 1941, graduated from Neillsville High School where he made his mark in football, basketball, and baseball. In the fall of 1941, he enrolled in River Falls State College until his enlistment in the United States Army Air Corp in 1943. He was deployed to Italy where he was a veteran as a top turret gunner on a B-24 bomber. On the 12th mission, their bomber experienced mechanical problems and crash-landed in Yugoslavia.

After the war, Gordon returned home to finish his degree at River Falls. There he met his future wife, Faith Griffith. Gordon graduated in 1947, and started his career teaching WWII Veterans agriculture basics in Melrose. He and Faith were married in 1948, and they moved back to a neighboring farm to his birthplace in the Town of Grant. Here he again taught ag to WWII Veterans, and he and Faith settled down to raise their family. In 1952, Gordon accepted a sales position with the American Dairy Association. He worked with area cheese factories, and cooperatives in promoting dairy products. In addition, he continued to farm with his father and mother. In the early 1960s, he converted the dairy farm to a beef operation. He also raised various other animals to enhance his children’s farm experience, while continuing his career with the American Dairy Association. In 1969, he accepted a position as ag loan officer at the Neillsville Bank, where he worked until his retirement in 1986.

As a longtime resident, he was active in Kiwanis and Rotary where he served in leadership positions in both organizations. He was also an active member of the United Church of Christ. He spent many hours at the Neillsville Country Club, where he enjoyed time golfing, as well as many nights of poker. He was an avid fisherman, and hunter. He enjoyed deer hunting, and grouse hunting in Wisconsin, many fishing trips to Canada, mule deer hunting in Wyoming, and pheasant hunting in South Dakota. In later years, he spent many hours fishing crappies and bluegills in area lakes and ponds. After retirement, he began a career as an author, writing books about his family heritage, WWII experiences, a book on his hunting exploits, another about his children. His final book, written in 2010, was on the geological history of Wisconsin, titled, “The Land We Live On.”

Gordon was preceded in death by the love of his life Faith (Griffith) Vine, who passed away on July 3, 1986.

He is survived by five children Jane (Greg) Nelson, Lake Park, MN; Virginia (Paul) Fennema, Pleasant Prairie; Paul (Kelley), Neillsville; Jeff (Betsy), Greensboro, NC; and Kristine (Jon) Kirschoefer, Stillwater, MN. He is survived by 11 grandchildren, Adam and Eric Knoff, Jason and Lauren Fennema, Sara (Vine) Johnson, Lindsay Vine, Jenna (Vine) Mayer, Jack and Jordan Vine, Brian and Kevin Bowditch; and four great-grandchildren, Liam Knoff, Landon and Audrey Fennema, and Calvin Mayer.

Following the death of Faith Vine, Gordon married Marlys Riedel and divorced. He also was married to Norma Normington, deceased. He is survived by his special friend Beatrice Hinke, Payson, AZ.

Funeral services were celebrated at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 8, 2017, at the United Church of Christ, Neillsville. Friends called from 1 p.m. until the service at the church. After a short graveside service, refreshments followed at the Neillsville Country Club.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting memorials be made to the Gordon and Faith Vine Scholarship Fund.

Online condolences can be made at www.gechefh.com.  The Gesche Funeral Home is assisting Gordon’s family with funeral arrangements.