Final Obit

Nathaniel Nehrbass
Project 2, Obits
Sept. 26th

Elmer George Nehrbass an avid Vikings fan and connoisseur of all things brandy, died Friday, Sept. 15, due to natural causes. Known affectionately to his family and friends as “Butch”, he spent his final months in declining health at Marywood Convalescent Center. He was 86.

Elmer was born to, John and Elsie (Degner) on Feb. 12, 1920, in the small town of Athens, Wis. On June 26, 1946, he married Lucinda Westfall and at the time of his passing the two were enjoying their 60th year of marriage.

During his youth, Elmer attended the local elementary school but discontinued his education after the eighth grade. At the age of eight Elmer spent his time working in an icehouse in which he would cut ice off a lake and store it for customers to later pick up and place in their iceboxes. Elmer also spent time working in his grandfather’s cheese factory. In his twenties he worked as a logger cutting trees for the town of Athens and its surrounding counties.

After their marriage, Elmer and Lucinda purchased a house in the Athens countryside and took up farming. Elmer dabbled in the sales of chickens and pigs but it was the selling of dairy cows in which he garnered the most profit. His days on the farm would not last, however, as decreasing cattle prices forced him to find work elsewhere.

In 1965, he became employed by the Marathon County Highway Service and finished out his career there until his retirement in 1985. During his retirement, he worked various side jobs for his son-in-law’s construction company, Rod Werner Construction.

Throughout his life Elmer lived a healthy and active lifestyle. Whether it was performing various duties on the farm or working on highways, Elmer always held a physically demanding occupation. After he retired he would walk two miles nearly every day during the summer months in order to stay in pristine shape.

From the years of 1944 to 1946 Elmer served in the United States Army infantry during World War Two. He was stationed in Iraq and at one point he and his infantry endured temperatures close to 150 degrees.

During his time of service Elmer would come to gain a keener understanding of not only himself but of others as well. It was during his time in service that he learned to leave behind the racist stereotypes in which he was brought up.

“He always told me not to judge a man by the color of his skin but by the amount of workload that he pulls,“ his son, Jerome, said.

After working vigorously throughout his life to support his family, Elmer made sure to enjoy his retirement by venturing to NASCAR races in Michigan. Elmer was a true fan of anything that had to do with NASCAR and always rooted for Jeff Gordon to come away with the checkered flag. He was also able to spend some of his retirement traveling with his family to Texas and Disney World.

Aside from NASCAR, Elmer loved football. Every Sunday during football season Elmer could be found in his favorite chair cheering for the Minnesota Vikings, as if he were right there on the 50-yard-line. Of course, no Vikings experience was complete for Elmer unless there was a glass of brandy in his hand and a stereo blaring polka tunes by his side.

“He loved all those things very much,” his wife, Lucinda, said “but his most prized possessions were his children. One of the happiest times in our lives were when the kids were born.”

He is survived by his wife Lucinda of Wausau, two daughters Janet (Rod) Werner and Debra Drewek both of Wausau; one son Jerome “Bud” Nehrbass of Weston; four grandchildren Matthew, Stacey and Ryan Werner and Nathaniel Nehrbass; three great grandchildren Drake, Natasha and Megan Werner; two brothers Ellwood and Lester Nehrbass of Milwaukee and one sister Laura Bolka of Milwaukee. Elmer is preceded in death by three sisters Hilda Diedrich, Erna Diedrich and Elmira Barnes

Funeral services will start at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 18, with visitation from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Services will be held at Restlawn Memorial Mausoleum Chapel. The entombment will then follow at Restlawn Memorial Park Garden of Eternal Rest.