1930
John
2010
John Anklam
February 28, 1930 — March 27, 2010
John Curtis Anklam, age 80, a life-long resident of the Town of Stettin, answered the Lord’s call to come home on March 27, 2010. Born on February 28, 1930, to the late Ernest and Clara (Neiztke) Anklam, John was baptized and confirmed at the former Immanuel Lutheran Church, Town of Stettin, where he faithfully served the Lord as a Sunday School teacher, Sunday School Superintendant, usher, choir member, President of the congregation, and chairman of the 100th anniversary of the congregation.
After the closing of Immanuel, John became a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran church, Wausau, where he served as an usher, in the choir and men’s chorus, an elder in the lay ministry, a Christ Care Bible Study member, and played on the church’s dartball team.
John and his older brother, Donald, attended Woodland Dale School in the Town of Stettin. When they started school, neither could speak a word of English as German was always spoken at home. John graduated from the old Wausau High School in 1948. He played the accordion and was in the marching band. He was also on the track team.
In his early years, John participated in many church and tavern league ball teams. The milking always had to get done early so he could make it on time to get to the ball diamond in “Maraten” City. He was on a bowling team for a number of years and also played dartball in several church and tavern leagues.
The homestead was the site of many parties during the early years, when neighbors and relatives visited each other all the time. Thrashing time was a neighboring event, with the men going farm to farm to help thrash and the women going farm to farm to help cook the bountiful meals that were served. There was always lots of cold beer and Pepsi (in glass bottles) on hand for those events.
John was a hard worker on the family Holstein dairy farm along with his Dad, his uncle Arnold, his brother Donald and a multitude of nieces and nephews. John also managed to squeeze in driving school bus for many years. He and his nephew Kevin continued to work the farm but eventually gave up the dairy cows, and Kevin then began raising young stock, Black Angus and Belgian Horses. To keep himself young, John continued to help Kevin and Jenny with the farm work and also worked part-time in area ginseng fields.
John loved his nieces and nephews. Their school vacations were always spent on the farm helping Grandpa, Grandma and Uncle John. He would wrestle and play with them whenever they were at the farm. It was a tradition that after the noon dinner, everyone would lay down for a nap even before the dishes were cleared off the table and they had to go back to work in the hot sun. A lot of wrestling was done before the nap started. The farm had huge front and back yards, with baseball played in the back and football in the front. The younger kids had it easier than the older ones, because there was no indoor bathroom when the older kids started spending their vacations there. They learned fast why you save the tissue paper wrapped around the fruit in the wooden boxes.
In the later years, John started delivering meals on wheels for the Marathon County Commission on Aging. This job was perfect for John! He thoroughly enjoyed all the people he met. He would speak German to those who could understand it, and their eyes would light up when John showed up. John loved to play with their dogs, especially the little ones, and would always go home with a clean face. He also helped out with the Share food program.
As the years went on and John started facing serious medical problems, including a serious heart attack, Parkinson’s disease and leukemia, John had to give up delivering meals. At home he loved to read to occupy his time. He watched a lot of TV, although it often involved doing so with his eyes closed. John’s last three years were divided between home, Aspirus Wausau Hospital and Mount View Care Center. John had many friends at these places, they all loved his bright smile and he could come out with quite the jokes. The ladies especially adored him.
Though never marrying, John was especially close to his brother and sister-in-law, Donald and Ruth and their family which include; Susan (the late Jim Ostroski), her son Timothy (Lissa), Hannah, Wyatt, Garrett & Gabriel; Bruce (Linda), Alissa, Krista & Bethany; Nancy (Ron) Fenhaus, her daughters Sara, Brad, Brogan & Brennen Barttelt & Becky, Matt, Taylor & Teagen Deffner; the late Brian (Barb Reynolds), Lisa, Mark, Luke & Brianna Hieronimus & Matthew, Leslie, Connor & one on the way; Clark (Kathy); the late David (Dorie), Hillary; Patti (Gary) Busche, Donny, Nicki & Corey; Joyce (Peter) Reger, her son Jonathan (Tara) Jagler, Callie & Emily & her daughter Jennifer (Nate) Davidson; Kevin (Jenny); Vicki (Peter) Porter, Benjamin & Elizabeth; Keith (Kris), Kyler & Kolter; his beloved Sassy; and many more extended family and dear friends.
John was preceded in death by his niece, Janel and his beloved Ueker.
The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the staff at Mount View Care Center for their wonderful care of John. The family is also grateful to Kevin and Jenny for their devoted care of Uncle John.
Visitation for John will be on Tuesday, March 30, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Helke Funeral Home, Wausau. The celebration of John’s life will be on Wednesday, March 31, at 11 a.m. at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Wausau, with visitation from 10 a.m. until the time of service. Pastor Bruce Lamont and Pastor Chris Samson will be officiating. A luncheon will immediately follow the service, and burial will take place after that at Big Hill Cemetery, County Highway A, in the Town of Berlin.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in John’s memory to his favorite charities, The Lutheran Hour (Lutheran Hour Ministries, 660 Mason Ridge Center Drive, St. Louis, MO 63141), Dakota Boy’s Ranch (Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, PO Box 5007, Minot ND 58702-5007), or to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church (St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 600 Stevens Dr, Wausau, WI 54401).
You may sign our family guestbook at www.helke.com.
After the closing of Immanuel, John became a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran church, Wausau, where he served as an usher, in the choir and men’s chorus, an elder in the lay ministry, a Christ Care Bible Study member, and played on the church’s dartball team.
John and his older brother, Donald, attended Woodland Dale School in the Town of Stettin. When they started school, neither could speak a word of English as German was always spoken at home. John graduated from the old Wausau High School in 1948. He played the accordion and was in the marching band. He was also on the track team.
In his early years, John participated in many church and tavern league ball teams. The milking always had to get done early so he could make it on time to get to the ball diamond in “Maraten” City. He was on a bowling team for a number of years and also played dartball in several church and tavern leagues.
The homestead was the site of many parties during the early years, when neighbors and relatives visited each other all the time. Thrashing time was a neighboring event, with the men going farm to farm to help thrash and the women going farm to farm to help cook the bountiful meals that were served. There was always lots of cold beer and Pepsi (in glass bottles) on hand for those events.
John was a hard worker on the family Holstein dairy farm along with his Dad, his uncle Arnold, his brother Donald and a multitude of nieces and nephews. John also managed to squeeze in driving school bus for many years. He and his nephew Kevin continued to work the farm but eventually gave up the dairy cows, and Kevin then began raising young stock, Black Angus and Belgian Horses. To keep himself young, John continued to help Kevin and Jenny with the farm work and also worked part-time in area ginseng fields.
John loved his nieces and nephews. Their school vacations were always spent on the farm helping Grandpa, Grandma and Uncle John. He would wrestle and play with them whenever they were at the farm. It was a tradition that after the noon dinner, everyone would lay down for a nap even before the dishes were cleared off the table and they had to go back to work in the hot sun. A lot of wrestling was done before the nap started. The farm had huge front and back yards, with baseball played in the back and football in the front. The younger kids had it easier than the older ones, because there was no indoor bathroom when the older kids started spending their vacations there. They learned fast why you save the tissue paper wrapped around the fruit in the wooden boxes.
In the later years, John started delivering meals on wheels for the Marathon County Commission on Aging. This job was perfect for John! He thoroughly enjoyed all the people he met. He would speak German to those who could understand it, and their eyes would light up when John showed up. John loved to play with their dogs, especially the little ones, and would always go home with a clean face. He also helped out with the Share food program.
As the years went on and John started facing serious medical problems, including a serious heart attack, Parkinson’s disease and leukemia, John had to give up delivering meals. At home he loved to read to occupy his time. He watched a lot of TV, although it often involved doing so with his eyes closed. John’s last three years were divided between home, Aspirus Wausau Hospital and Mount View Care Center. John had many friends at these places, they all loved his bright smile and he could come out with quite the jokes. The ladies especially adored him.
Though never marrying, John was especially close to his brother and sister-in-law, Donald and Ruth and their family which include; Susan (the late Jim Ostroski), her son Timothy (Lissa), Hannah, Wyatt, Garrett & Gabriel; Bruce (Linda), Alissa, Krista & Bethany; Nancy (Ron) Fenhaus, her daughters Sara, Brad, Brogan & Brennen Barttelt & Becky, Matt, Taylor & Teagen Deffner; the late Brian (Barb Reynolds), Lisa, Mark, Luke & Brianna Hieronimus & Matthew, Leslie, Connor & one on the way; Clark (Kathy); the late David (Dorie), Hillary; Patti (Gary) Busche, Donny, Nicki & Corey; Joyce (Peter) Reger, her son Jonathan (Tara) Jagler, Callie & Emily & her daughter Jennifer (Nate) Davidson; Kevin (Jenny); Vicki (Peter) Porter, Benjamin & Elizabeth; Keith (Kris), Kyler & Kolter; his beloved Sassy; and many more extended family and dear friends.
John was preceded in death by his niece, Janel and his beloved Ueker.
The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the staff at Mount View Care Center for their wonderful care of John. The family is also grateful to Kevin and Jenny for their devoted care of Uncle John.
Visitation for John will be on Tuesday, March 30, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Helke Funeral Home, Wausau. The celebration of John’s life will be on Wednesday, March 31, at 11 a.m. at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Wausau, with visitation from 10 a.m. until the time of service. Pastor Bruce Lamont and Pastor Chris Samson will be officiating. A luncheon will immediately follow the service, and burial will take place after that at Big Hill Cemetery, County Highway A, in the Town of Berlin.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in John’s memory to his favorite charities, The Lutheran Hour (Lutheran Hour Ministries, 660 Mason Ridge Center Drive, St. Louis, MO 63141), Dakota Boy’s Ranch (Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, PO Box 5007, Minot ND 58702-5007), or to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church (St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 600 Stevens Dr, Wausau, WI 54401).
You may sign our family guestbook at www.helke.com.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John Anklam, please visit our flower store.