Reinhard Gohdes

Reinhard August Gohdes was born on May 24, 1921 and died on September 17, 2015 at the age of 94. He was born to Reinhard August Gohdes, Sr. and Lorinda Zimmerman in the town of Texas.

With the outbreak of World War II, Reinie joined the Services as a Marine of the 3rd Division, and after training at Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, California, was shipped to Guam to fight in the Pacific theatre. The year was 1942 and he was 21. After being severely wounded in action, he was brought stateside to the Naval Hospital in Great Lakes, Illinois, where he spent the last days of his military service recovering from his wounds, being officially discharged in 1946 with the Purple Heart, having served honorably as Staff Sergeant. During training, combat and then recovery, our dad and mom romanced each other with handwritten love letters, 1, 057 in all they shared, still intact and beribboned as a legacy for their kids and grandkids. On a requested furlough in July 1945, he came home to marry the "love of his life," Annabelle Beyer, in Trinity Lutheran Church in the town of Hewitt.

Together our parents went on to build, own and operate Gohdes Trucking Svc., which later became Gohdes Trucking and Excavating, for 46 years, beginning with the purchase of his first truck, a new 1947 International KB-5 from Wausau Garage for $2, 296. Starting from the ground up, early on he hauled canned milk, pea vines for the Lincoln Canning Company, logs and pulp. Running almost simultaneously with trucking, was owning and operating school buses for the Wausau School District, spanning 36 years. Entwined with this work, incredibly, they raised a boisterous and jostling family of 4 girls and 2 boys. Growing up alongside our parents while their own business was growing, with all of its attendant diversions and attractions, turned out to be a remarkable time for us kids.

Gohdes Trucking sponsored a bowling team from 1960 to 1970, which started out at Eddie's Sport Bowl, moving on to the Wausau Bowling Center and finally to Mountain Lanes. As well, there was a year sponsorship of a local stock car, which ran at State Park Speedway in 1960, built and repaired in Reinie's garage.

There were yearly hunting trips out West, first with extended family, but by 1967 with his own group of friends. On perhaps one of the longest trips, the former school bus that our dad had converted into a camper, headed west with Lenny Hollman's jeep in tow, taking them into Wyoming for mule deer and antelope and then to Colorado. With the gift of a pool cue from his oldest daughter in the late '60s, he began playing league pool, including couples league with our mom in the early '90s, from which they walked away as Friday Night Couples Champs 90-91/Country Crossroads, and then finally, up until the age of 93, still participating in 2 pool leagues a week.

Reinie served as chairman of the Hewitt township for 16 years, resigning in 1995 at the age of 74, after which he again returned as town supervisor. He was a lifelong member of the Lutheran church, first at St. Peter's and then Calvary Lutheran.

Our dad was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 388; American Legion, Post 10; Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 64; Third Marine Division Assn.; National & State Chapters. He traveled to Washington D.C. on the first Never Forgotten Honor Flight from Central Wisconsin in April of 2010, accompanied by his youngest daughter. Following this they attended yearly Marine gatherings, including one in San Diego, where he returned to visit Camp Pendleton. He felt a real fondness for the members of the Third Marine Division Assn., Wisconsin Chapter.

He is survived by his kids, June/Doug Jones, Terry/Mike Mathie, Darryl/Becky Gohdes, Patsy/Dick Prahl, Dale/Mary Gohdes and Betty/Kevin Noel; his grandchildren, Javonna, Jalena, Lauren, David, Erick, Jamie, BethAnn, Justine, Erica, Naomi, Nathan, Joel, Jared, Peter, Anna, Paul, Jonathan, Daniel, Morgan and Bennett; his great-grandchildren Reya, Dominic, Aston, Bodhi, Isabelle, Zachary, Titus, Eleanor, Lauren and Brooks; 2 nieces and 1 nephew. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ann, of 56 years, who went to her rest on April 7, 2002; by a granddaughter, Emmie Elizabeth Gohdes, and by his parents and siblings.

A frank image of a fair, decent, generous and loving man, our dad was a child of the Depression era, coming of age with World War II, someone, who, through all the winds of change that followed, never faltered or lost his way. Known as Reinie to most, Rein to our mom, Dad to his boys, and Grampa and Great Grampa to 30 kids, this man was still "Daddy" to us girls, his daughters, until the end. Semper Fidelis.

Funeral services will be 11:00 AM on Saturday, September 26, 2015 at Calvary Lutheran Church, N365 Cain Creek Road, Merrill. Pastor Susan Christian will officiate. Visitation will be from 3:00 PM until 8:00 PM on Friday, September 25 at Helke Funeral Home, Wausau; continuing on Saturday at the church from 9:30 AM until the time of service. Military Rites to be rendered by VFW Burns Post #388. Burial will take place at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Town of Hewitt, at a later date. You may sign our family guestbook at helke.com.