Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
----Surnames: Scheelk, Copenhaver, Quicker, Dudek, Durst
----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark, Co) 5/02/2018
American Legion to Honor Three Veterans (Military Service – May 2018)
American Legion to Honor Three Veterans
Robert Scheelk
By Scott Schultz
Three area veterans are being honored in May by the Neillsville American Legion Post 73.
Robert Scheelk, John Copenhaver and Gene Quicker will be honored during a potluck event May 7 at the Legion’s Hall in Neillsville. A social hour will start at 4:30 p.m., and dinner will be served at 5;30 p.m. The event is open to the public.
Robert Scheelk
Robert Scheelk was born at home in Marathon County. He attended school in Ingram and worked on his family’s farm before joining the Army in October of 1955.
He went to basic training at Camp Chaffee, AR, and then was transferred to Fort Leonard Wood, MO, for training in the infantry.
The veteran was transferred to Fort Carson, CO, and worked as a mechanic in the motor pool.
A year later Scheelk was transferred to Korea with the 19th Battalion at the 38th parallel, where he pulled guard duty. He then was transferred to the 24th Quartermasters of the 24th Division.
His duties were in the laundry, running a 6-inch water pump and running the security light generators. He also worked as a mechanic at the motor pool.
Scheelk was discharged in October of 1958.
After returning home, Scheelk worked at various construction companies, as a mechanic and as a welder. He also operated heavy equipment, including bridge cranes.
Scheelk married Janice Dudek in 1961. They have children Cindy, Vicky, Debby and Jenny; and grandchildren: Ashley, Christopher, Cassie, Nicole and Kattie. They also have a great-grandchild, Ella.
He lives in Dorchester and said he enjoys: hunting and fishing and going to casinos.
John Copenhaver
John Copenhaver was born in Tucson, AZ. He went to Monona Grove High School near Madison and graduated in 1975.
Copenhaver worked at a lumber yard making pool cue sticks, until he joined the Army in 1976. He went to Fort Jackson, SC, for basic training and then was transferred to Redstone Arsenal Army Base near Huntsville, AL.
The Arsenal Army Base was established before World War II to be a manufacturing site for chemical weapons and 45mm shells. It was later deactivated and then was reactivated during the Korean War.
Copenhaver’s training was in air defense, with the Hawk Missiles.
Copenhaver was transferred to Grafenwohr Training Base – the U. S. Seventh Army’s joint multinational training command in Bavaria, Germany.
His work in Germany was with the Hawk Missiles’ fire control repair.
The honoree was discharged in 1980 and moved to Madison. There, he did computer repairs.
Later he joined the family business, which had college student housing properties.
Copenhaver said he was the “evil landlord and the fixer-upper of the properties.”
He bought property south of Neillsville in 2000, and in 2006 moved to that property after retiring.
Copenhaver has a daughter, Michelle.
He said he enjoys “snow mo fixin’,” old cars and gardening.
Copenhaver volunteers for the legion at the fair booth and frying chicken.
Gene (Butch) Quicker
Butch Quicker was born in Neillsville, and attended St. John’s, North Side and the Sunbeam schools. He graduated in 1968 from Granton High School.
After graduation, he worked at Cenex Feed Mill in Granton.
Quicker joined the Navy in May of 1969 and went to Great Lakes, IL, for basic training. He then went to Memphis, TN, for jet mechanic training.
The honoree then was transferred to Corpus Christie, TX, where he worked in ground support at the Naval base. He worked on the flight line, taxiing planes in and out of the runway.
Quicker was discharged in February of 1971.
After returning to Neillsville, Butch worked at various jobs, including Marshfield Homes, Spencer and Greenwood Homes, Christie Feed Mill, Sav-rite, Tesmers Construction, Graham Manufacturing and Wisconsin Homes.
He retired in 2013.
Quicker moved to Lynn, where he’s owned and operated Quicker’s Bar since 1995.
Quicker married Evelyn Durst in 1972. They have children Bridget, Scott and Kim; and grandchildren Brandi, Britney, Brandon, Breanne, Brielle, Alex and Leann.
The veteran has been an American Legion member for 38 years. He managed and tended bar at the old American Legion Club from 1981-1995.
Quicker said he enjoys fishing, spending time with grandchildren and riding all-terrain vehicles.
Legion News:
In other Neillsville American Legion news, Post 73 and it will have a rummage sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 10 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 11 at the Legion’s hall.
The rummage sale is a fundraising event for scholarships.
Also, the Neillsville Veterans of Foreign Wars will sponsor the Community Boxing Center’s Wisconsin State Junior Olympic Trials tournament starting at 6 p.m. May 12 and noon May 13 at the Legion’s hall.
