Frederick A. Lang

Frederick A. Lang, 95, Wausau, died Thursday, February 9, 2017 at Aspirus Wausau Hospital. He was born September 23, 1921 in Marathon City, son of the late Conrad and Isabella (Vetter) Lang. On August 25, 1943, he married Patricia Maguire of Halder in Portsmouth, Virginia, while on leave from the Navy. She preceded him in death on July 28, 2014. Fred was a second generation water well driller, a profession he dedicated himself to before and after his military service. He was a two-time president of the Wisconsin Water Well Association. He had the third rotary drilling rig in the state of Wisconsin, and drilled many, many wells in Marathon County and beyond. He and Patricia were charter members of St. Matthew Catholic Church. He served, for a time, as scoutmaster of the St. Matthew Boy Scout troop and was a member of the Men's Club. He was a founding member of Rib Mountain Bowmen and was a member of the Knights of Columbus and the American Legion. Fred enjoyed an active life. While at Marathon High School, where he and Patricia met, he played basketball back when there was a jump ball after every basket scored. He would recount that he once wore out a brand new pair of shoes in one game. Fred's favorite pastimes were fishing, ice fishing, frying fish, smoking fish, going out for fish fries with his family, hunting with his family, and bowling--he was an avid league bowler well into his 80's. In his retirement, he enjoyed following his stocks on his computer, enlisting his family's help when poor eyesight made using a computer difficult. Fred joined the U.S. Navy after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He served on the battleship U.S.S. Arkansas, which took him to every major theater of World War II, including action during and after D-day and the island-hopping campaign in the Pacific. Survivors include five children, Alan (Charlene Palmer) Lang, Salt Lake City, Utah; Stephen (Mary) Lang, Madison; Jeffrey (Cathy Dietrick) Lang, Hales Corners; Roger (Susan) Lang, Wausau; and Melanie (David) Coulthurst, Wausau; daughters-in-law, Maureen Lang of South Milwaukee; and Lauren Schnelle and Julie Lang, both of Wausau; a son-in-law, Randal Keen of Wausau; 18 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Isabelle Misudek of Wausau and Stella Cortright of DePere. Besides his parents and wife, Fred was preceded in death by a son, David Lang; a granddaughter, Kathleen Lang; six brothers Clarence, Hugo, Hubert, Melvin, Arnold, and Mark; and two sisters, Erna Pozorski and Caroline Zimmerman. The funeral Mass will be celebrated at Noon on Wednesday, February 15, 2017 at St. Matthew Catholic Church, Wausau, with full military honors conducted by the American Legion Montgomery Plant Dudley Post No. 10, Wausau. Rev. Robert Thorn will preside. Visitation will be on Tuesday from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. at Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, 3400 Stewart Avenue, Wausau and again on Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. until time of services at the church. Private entombment will be on Thursday at Restlawn Memorial Park, Wausau. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com