Obituaries

Dec 30, 2023

Michael J. Galkin, 72, of Merrill, formerly of the Gleason area, passed away Saturday, December 30, 2023, at Pine Crest Nursing Home, Merrill.

Mike was born March 7, 1951, in Merrill, son of the late Arthur ‘Archie’ and Audrey (Henrich) Galkin. He was born during a snowstorm that was so bad that his mom rode to the...

Dec 29, 2023

Dale ‘Sonny’ Peterson, 93, of Merrill, passed away Friday, December 29, 2023, at Pine Crest Nursing Home.

Sonny was born November 16, 1930, in Merrill, son of the late Otto and Elizabeth (Nelson) Peterson. He enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1951 and was honorably discharged in 1954. Sonny married Geraldine ‘Dolly’ Kimmons...

Dec 24, 2023

Doris R. 'Dori' Smith, 83, passed away peacefully on Sunday, December 24, 2023, while under the care of St. Croix Hospice at Bell Tower, in Merrill WI.

She was born April 22, 1940, in Merrill, daughter of the late Edward and Marion (Braun) Rostal. On February 27, 1960, she married Stanley Smith. He preceded her...

Dec 22, 2023

Jack D. Grawien, 75, Town of Pine River passed away peacefully on Friday, December 22, 2023, at his home.

He was born December 14, 1948, in Merrill, son of the late Elwood and Ruth (Hoff) Grawien. On June 27, 1970, he married Audie Schmeling in Neenah. She survives.

From 1969 until...

Dec 22, 2023

Monica Norma Talbot, 95, of Merrill, passed away Friday, December 22, 2023, at Bell Tower Residence under the care of Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Services.

Monica, the youngest child of eight, was born on October 1, 1928, at Holy Cross Hospital in Merrill, daughter of the late Adlord and Friedal (Schillak) Talbot. She was...

Dec 18, 2023

Will E. Sorby, 64, of Merrill, passed away Monday, December 18, 2023, at his home.

Will was born May 22, 1959, in Merrill, son of the late William and Joann (Groth) Sorby. He married Yvonne Hall in 1982, in Merrill. She survives. Will worked in maintenance and as a machinist at Ward Paper and Voith...

Dec 14, 2023

Melvin M. Klebenow, 88, of Merrill, passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 14, 2023, at Bell Tower Residence, Merrill.

Melvin was born July 14, 1935, in Merrill, son of the late Eldor and Alvera (Sturm) Klebenow. He married Joyce Bade on September 24, 1960, at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Merrill.

Melvin and Joyce were dairy...

Dec 14, 2023

Dr. Tom Krembs, 93, of Merrill, passed away Thursday, December 14, 2023, at Pine Crest Nursing Home, Merrill.

Eugene Thomas Krembs was born September 4, 1930, in Merrill, son of the late Dr. Eugene Alexander and Dorothy (Seicheck) Krembs. He attended school at St. Francis Xavier School, graduated from Merrill High School with the class...

Dec 13, 2023

Irvin B. King, 89, of Tomahawk, passed away Wednesday, December 13, 2023, at Aspirus Tomahawk Hospital.

Irvin was born August 16, 1934, in Merrill, son of the late Benjamin and Edith (Hipke) King. He graduated from Antigo High School and worked as a truck driver for R.O.W., Lincoln Wood, Merrill Manufacturing, and SEMCO. Irv also had a...

Nov 26, 2023

Duane W. Krause, 75, of Merrill, passed away unexpectedly Sunday, November 26th, 2023 while caring for his animals. Duane was born August 4th, 1948, in Merrill, son of Walter and Dorothy (Scheu) Krause. He married his wife of 50 years, Cathy Bellin on May 19th, 1973.

Duane was a very hard worker and was a...

Nov 23, 2023

Cindy (Sense) Salzman, age 59, of Merrill, passed away on November 23, 2023, with her family by her side fighting her short battle of cancer.

Cindy was born on December 10, 1963, in Merrill, daughter of the late LeRoy and JoAnn (Lodholz) Sense. She married Bradley Salman on September 27, 1986, at Faith Lutheran Church, Village of...

Nov 21, 2023

Rita Burgener, 85, of Merrill, passed away Tuesday, November 21, 2023, at Woodland Court Edler Services, Merrill.

Rita was born April 16, 1938, in Tomahawk, daughter to the late Ethel and Lawrence Campbell. She married the love of her life, Rudolph 'Rudy' Burgener on May 14, 1955. They spent sixty-three married years together until Rudy's...

Nov 14, 2023

Gerald Roland Duwe, 87, of Merrill, passed away Tuesday, November 14, 2023.

Gerald was born August 24, 1936, in Merrill, son of the late Sylvia (Utech) and Roland Duwe. He grew up in the Town of Berlin in Marathon County. Gerald married Carol Seehafer on May 7, 1960, at St. Stephens United Church of Christ, Merrill. He...

Nov 3, 2023

Donna Mae Eckerle

May 30, 1933 – November 3, 2023

Longtime Merrill resident Donna Mae Eckerle died quietly in her sleep on November 3, 2023, after a years long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. She was 90 years old.

Born in Wausau, Wisconsin to Harold and Genevieve Ruprecht, she moved with her...

Nov 2, 2023

Philip E. Woller, 65, of Plover, passed away Thursday, November 2, 2023, at his home.

Philip was born November 15, 1957, in Merrill, son of the late Laverne and Donna (Beste) Woller. He married Nancy Hagedorn on November 16, 1996, at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Merrill. They moved to Plover, WI after their marriage.

...

Oct 30, 2023

James M. Roberts, born on April 10, 1947, in Harvey, Illinois to Bernard and Margaret (Redmond) Roberts, passed away Monday, October 30, 2023, with his family by his side.

James proudly served in the United States Army 101st Airborne during the Vietnam War. He was awarded multiple commendations, including the Purple Heart for his bravery. After his...

Oct 29, 2023

Harry Donald Doering, 95, of Elk Grove Village, Illinois, devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, formerly of Merrill, WI, passed away Sunday, October 29, 2023, at his home in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.

Harry was born June 16, 1928, and raised in Doering, Wisconsin. He graduated from Merrill High School and later attended Spencerian Business...

Oct 19, 2023

Albert C. Herdt, 94 of Merrill, passed away Thursday, October 19, 2023, at Pine Crest Nursing Home, Merrill.

Albert was born June 22, 1929, in Merrill, son of the late John and Marie (Reichert) Herdt. He married Dawn Bellin on September 4, 1954, in the Town of Pine River, Lincoln County. She preceded him in death on...

Oct 17, 2023

Ricky ‘Rick’ Lyle Henrichs passed away on October 17th, 2023, at his home, surrounded by family. Rick was born in Merrill on September 11th, 1955, son of the late Lylas and Ethel (Kleinschmidt) Henrichs. He attended Trinity Lutheran School and Merrill High School. He worked at various positions in Merrill, with 33 years at Rite Screen.

Rick...

Oct 12, 2023

Lyle E. Gast, 92, of Weston, passed away Thursday, October 12, 2023, at Pride TLC, Weston.

Lyle was born December 27, 1930, in Birnamwood, son of the late Herman and Caroline (Wickman) Gast. He married Delores Hoff on June 23, 1951, at the former Zion Lutheran Church in the Village of Maine, Marathon County. They recently celebrated...