Allen D. Henricks

Allen Dale Henricks, 90, of Marathon, passed away on Saturday, May 23rd, 2026, leaving behind a lifetime of stories, resilience, humor, and memories that will continue to live on through his family.

Allen was born July 13th, 1935, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the oldest of three children, son of Arthur and Laura (Mahner) Henricks.

Born two months premature and weighing just 4½ pounds, Allen entered the world at a time when care for premature infants was far more limited. During his earliest days, his family kept him warm near an open oven set on low heat — a family story Allen later used, with his dry sense of humor, to explain why he was “always half-baked.”

He spent his childhood in Sheboygan before moving to Green Bay as a young teenager. Allen learned the value of hard work early in life. At age 12, he carried a paper route in Green Bay and later spent weekends and summers helping with the family’s dairy delivery business. Those early experiences helped shape the hardworking, practical man he would become. He also had a natural curiosity for mechanics and problem-solving, once completely disassembling and reassembling three motorcycles.

Allen proudly served in the United States Air Force before beginning a long career in education. He taught English for many years, later earned his master’s degree in Library Science, and worked as a librarian at North Central Technical Institute until his retirement in 1996.

Allen and his first wife, Miriam (Nelson) Henricks, built their life together while raising their three children, John, Charles, and Sheryl. In June of 1969, tragedy struck when Miriam passed away in a traffic accident, leaving Allen to continue raising his children while navigating the heartbreak of becoming a young widower.

Allen later married Judith Green. Together, they purchased a farm on Schoolhouse Lane and built a new life in the country, where they raised their family and welcomed two daughters, Allyson and Elizabeth. Allen and Judith later divorced.

Allen later married Nancy Wohld, and together they shared 43 years of life, family, and memories. Nancy survives him.

One of Allen’s most meaningful later-life experiences was traveling to Washington, D.C., on Honor Flight #51 on April 14, 2025, accompanied by his daughter Sheryl. It was a special opportunity to honor his service in the United States Air Force and to share a memory they had together.

Outside of work, Allen loved the outdoors and especially treasured time spent at his cabin in Marinette County. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, playing cards, and spending time up north.

Allen had a dry sense of humor. He could deliver a joke or a story with such a straight face that people were often left wondering whether he was serious. He enjoyed the quiet laugh, the perfectly timed comment, and the kind of humor that sometimes landed only after you had a moment to think about it. His family will remember not only the stories he told, but also the look in his eye when he knew he had gotten the last laugh.

Allen will be remembered for his intelligence, humor, resilience, storytelling, and quiet strength. From surviving a difficult, premature birth during the Great Depression to serving his country, raising a family, teaching students, helping others through education and libraries, and building a life filled with both hardship and joy, Allen lived with perseverance, curiosity, and character.

Allen was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Laura (Mahner) Henricks; his first wife, Miriam; his sister and brother-in-law, Kay and Jack Lauterbach; his brother-in-law, Dick Martin; and his eldest son, John Henricks.

Allen is lovingly remembered by his wife, Nancy Wohld Henricks; his children, Charles (Tammy) Henricks, Sheryl Henricks, Allyson (Pete) McKensey, and Elizabeth Henricks; and his grandchildren, Paul, Matthew John, Matthew Charles, Dylan, Marlena, Connor, Danielle, Nicholas, and Cayllah.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at Rib Falls United Methodist Church, 136700 Bearskin Trail, Marathon. Visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service at the church. Pastor Tim Gurlea will officiate. Interment will follow at Rib Falls Methodist Cemetery in Rib Falls, Wisconsin, with military honors accorded by the United States Air Force and American Legion Alois Dreikosen Post #469. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com.