Norman Parsch

Norman W. Parsch, 94 of Wausau went to be with his Lord on Saturday, September 8, 2012, at Wellington Place in Wausau with his loving wife at his side, and under the care of Aspirus Hospice Services. He was born March 12, 1918, the son of Gustav A. and Louise B. (Giese) Parsch in the town of Wausau. He received his elementary education at St. John Lutheran School in rural Wausau and graduated from Wausau High School in 1935. He continued his education at the Wausau Vocational School graduating in 1937, and at the Midland Management and Accounting Institute, Minneapolis, graduating in 1940. Known for his elegant penmanship he was also a graduate of the Tamblyn School of Penmanship.
On May 21, 1941, he was united in marriage with Ednamae Lucas at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Laurium, Michigan. The ceremony was conducted by the bride's father, the Rev. A. S. Lucas.
Norman worked at Blanksten's Men's Dress Ware store in Wausau for seven years. Then in 1942 the couple moved to his parents' farm in the town of Wausau where together they farmed for many years. Norman served the town of Wausau as Treasurer for six years (1955-1961) and on the town Planning Commission.
In 1961 he was elected a Director of the Wausau Mutual Insurance Company and served as its Secretary – Treasurer from 1963 to 1971, when he became the President and General Manager of the company serving in that role for 13 years until his retirement in 1984. In 1984, he was named Outstanding Employee of the Year by the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, the largest trade association in the world with 1, 227 companies in the United States, Canada, and Europe.
During this time he was also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Marathon County Health Care Facilities and for 12 years a member of the Human Services Board of Lincoln, Langlade, and Marathon counties which then supervised the Marathon County Health Care Facilities.
He served as a member of the Board of Directors of the MidAmerica Mutual Life and Health Insurance Company for 35 years (1960-1995) including service as Chairman of the Board. He was also a founding member of the Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives, a member of the Governor's Task Force on Financing Public Education and Property Tax Relief, a member of the Citizens' Advisory Insurance Committee at North Central Technical College, a member of the Marathon County Commission on Aging, and a Board member of Group Health Association of St. Paul.
Norman was a life-long member of St. John Lutheran Church, County Highway Z, Wausau, and served for many years on its Church Council and in various offices in the congregation. Beyond the congregation he served for 13 years on the Board of Education for the North Wisconsin District of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, as a lay member of its Board of Directors, and as a voting delegate to District and National conventions of the Synod.
He was preceded in death by his parents, by a sister and brother-in-law, Lorinda and Walter Runzheimer, a brother and sister-in-law, The Rev. Harold and Doris Parsch, a brother-in-law, Norman Zarnke, and by one great grandchild, Emma Grace Lutz.
He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Ednamae Parsch, Wausau; three children: Barbara (The Rev. Arleigh) Lutz, Wausau; Darlene (Jerry) Bongers, Appleton; Dr. Lucas (Janet) Parsch, Fayetteville, Arkansas; by three grandchildren: John (Jeanne) Lutz, Eau Claire; Laurie (The Rev. Todd McVey) Lutz, Madison; and Lisa (Aaron) Beyer, Menasha; by six great-grandchildren: Ellie, Beth, Abbie, and Olivia Lutz, Eau Claire; Jennifer Graf and Tyler West, Appleton; by three step-great-grandchildren: Jessica (Logan) Pace, Atlanta, GA, Christen (Ryan) Brockner Edwardsville, IL, and Lucas McVey, Kansas City, MO; and by two great-great-grandchildren: Kaden and Mason Graf, Appleton; and by one step-great-great-grandchild, Uriah Brockner. He is also survived by one sister, Gertrude Zarnke, Wausau and by other relatives and friends.
Visitation will be at St. John Lutheran Church, County Road Z, Wausau, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 12, 2012 and from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on Thursday. The funeral service will be in the church at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 13, 2012. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
You may sign the family guestbook at www.helke.com.
Memorials may be given to St. John Lutheran Church, E10723 County Highway Z, Wausau, WI 54403.
The family wishes to express its special thanks to the staff of the Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Services of Wausau for their special care of Norman in his final days.

DIRECTIONS TO CHURCH: The bridge is out 3 miles East, past Camp Phillips Road (County Road X) on County Road Z. Alternate driving directions from Grand Avenue and Townline Road (County Road N), take Townline Road East 6.3 miles, to County Road J, go left for 3 miles, to County Road Z, go right for .2 miles to St. John Lutheran Church and Cemetery.