John E. Putzbach

John E. "Putz" Putzbach, 75, Wausau, passed away Friday, July 17 in the presence of his loving sisters under the care of Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Services at Mount View Care Center, Evergreen Place, Wausau, after a brave three year battle with frontotemporal dementia. He was born August 20, 1939, son of the late Arthur and Dorothy (Lang) Putzbach of Wausau. He attended St. Mary grade school and was a member of Newman High School's first graduating class of 1958. After high school he immediately joined the U.S. Navy, serving as Radar XX on the Destroyer USS Barry. The USS Barry was instrumental in tracking and retrieving deployed space capsules of NASA's Project Mercury. Returning to Wausau after the Navy, John worked for West Side Cold Storage and then for Wisconsin Fuel and Light from 1962-1964 burying the new gas line down Grand Avenue. His long employment with GTE began in 1965. In March of 1966, John survived a fall from a 25 foot telephone pole while trying to restore phone service during a sleet storm. John rehabbed his way back to become a key system repairman and later a PBX installer and repair worker at various companies including Employers Ins., Wausau Hospitals, Church Mutual and other large businesses where he maintained PBX systems. He retired in 1993 but his memories of working at GTE stayed with him until the end. John loved fishing and belonged to golf and bowling leagues. He also enjoyed gardening, canning and was very talented with home repairs. John took pride in his lifelong home which was built for his parents by his grandfather John Lang and Sons Construction. John volunteered in his free time, working at St. Mary's fish fry's with his Uncle Melvin and Betty Lang and later at the Church of the Resurrection working in the kitchen for funerals and Soup Kitchen. John is survived by two sisters, Marilynn (Roger) Smith, Anna (Daniel) Deml; two nieces, Carla (Mark) Rhyner, Brenda (Eric) Anderson; one great niece, Madeline Anderson; step great-nephews Nathan Rhyner, Brent Rhyner and Tyler Rhyner; two aunts, Alice Ferris and June (Wesley) Wilcott. A Memorial Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 29, 2015 at The Church of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Wausau. The Rev. Robert Schaller will preside. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Wausau. Friends may call on Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services all at the church. Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, 1302 Sixth Street, Wausau is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com. The family would like to thank everyone at Mt. View Care Center who, in any way, cared for John during his more than three-year stay there. We especially want to thank those at Evergreen Place for all the compassion, care and love you gave John during his long struggle. We are so grateful for all your kindness and support and for inviting us into your "family" ... . You will not be forgotten. In lieu of flowers please give to the Alzheimer's Association.