William (Bill) J. Weidert, 87, Waterford, formerly of Burlington, died May 12, 2012, in Appleton. He was born Feb. 1, 1925, in Chicago, to the late Michael and Anna (Lauer) Weidert. At age 12, he and his family moved to Lombard, Ill. He graduated from Immaculate Conception High School in Elmhurst, Ill. After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy Air Corp. He attended Newbury College in North Carolina and while learning to fly, the war ended, and he returned home.
On Nov. 23, 1946, he married his high school sweetheart, Lorraine Krishack, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Elmhurst. They moved to Burlington where they raised their 13 children. He was a salesman for Lavelle Rubber Co. and later became an independent insurance agent for May’s Insurance.
Bill was one of the early members of the Burlington Rescue Squad. He started Telecare in Burlington. He delivered Meals on Wheels and was on the board for Transitional Living Center. In 1989, he was chosen by the PIA of Wisconsin Board of Directors to receive the Stony Steinbach Achievement Award. This honor was established to provide recognition for outstanding work by an individual member of the PIA. He was president of the Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin from 1992-93. Bill and Lorraine were long time members of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church and they sang in the choir. He was on the school and parish boards, and spearheaded many fundraisers.
Along with Rep. Cloyd Porter, Bill was instrumental in getting legislation passed and signed into law that gave adopting parents the same rights to insurance coverage for their children as biological parents had for theirs.
After he and Lorraine moved to Rochester, he was on the Rochester Village Board and joined the choir at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Waterford. He loved music. He helped raise money and support to equip all of Racine County Sheriff’s cars with lifesaving portable defibrillators.
He enjoyed sailing, fishing, making soup for others, cooking for and being with his family. He wrote two books, one about his childhood in Chicago and one on the history of Rochester. Bill was an amateur, melodica virtuoso. He claimed to have invented the tube jig for catching smallmouth bass and he excelled at the highly competitive sport of corn hole- beanbag toss.
Survivors include his loving wife of 65 years; children, Sue (Bruce) Warren, Sycamore, Ill., Cathy (John) Louden, Pittsboro, Ind., Joe (Mary Jo Gehl), Menasha, Mike (Bonnie Kempken), New London, Tom (Mary Rae Oldenberg), Delavan, Mark, New Munster, Mary (Jim) Rubach, Waterford, Ellen (Greg) Klemm), San Antonio, Texas, Dan (Deb Jaszewski), Lomira, Paul (Pat Heiligenthal), Belgium, Chris (Peggy Meyers), Burlington, Jim (Linda Kamp), Menasha, and Karen (special friend Eric Mink), St. Louis, Mo.; 31 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; a great-grandchild on the way; his sister, Dolores Becker, Hilton Head, S.C.; a brother-in-law, Dr. Albin Sowka, Stevens Point, and several nephews and a niece.
He was further preceded in death by his parents-in-law, Joseph and Ann Krishack; and sisters-in-law, Doris Fiene and Rita Sowka.
Visitation is Thursday, May 17, from 4 p.m., until time of Mass of Christian Burial at 7 p.m., at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. The Rev. Eugene Doda will officiate. Private burial will be in St. Charles Cemetery, Burlington. Schuette-Daniels Family Funeral Home, Burlington, is serving the family.
Memorials to Transitional Living Center of Burlington, Franciscan Missions of Waterford, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, Burlington Rescue Squad, or Racine County Sheriff’s Defibrillators Fund are suggested.
The family would like to thank the nurses and doctors at Appleton Medical Center, Hospice, Rennes Health and Rehab and Dad’s many great friends for their caring, prayers, and support.
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