Ralph "Rick" A. Westfall

Ralph "Rick" A. Westfall, 79, Athens, died in his garage where he lived his life to the fullest on Wednesday, November 5, 2014. He is now up in heaven with Alis, family and friends having a country jamboree. He was born July 13, 1935 in the town of Halsey, son of the late Andrew and Sofia (Greiner) Westfall. On September 17, 1959, he married Alis A. McCharles in Stoneham, Mass. She preceded him in death on July 14, 2003. Rick was a veteran of the United States Navy and was a member of the American Legion Chapman-Belter Post No. 4, Athens. For 30 years, Rick worked as a machine operator for the Marathon County Highway Department until his retirement in 1990. Among his favorite pastimes, he enjoyed hunting, singing and playing guitar for many years and entertaining and socializing with friends and family in his garage. Rick loved life, his family and friends and will be deeply missed by all who knew him. Survivors include, four children, Kim (Kevin) Kottke, Kelly (Mike Hart) Nowacki, Rick (Tammy) Westfall and Corey (Kelly) Westfall, all of Athens; eleven grandchildren, Katrina (Jeramie) Penney, Kris (Jenny) Kottke, Kyle (Bridget) Kottke, April (John) Schreiber, Heidi Nowacki, Jeremy Hart, Marshall and Connor Westfall, Brandon (fiancAC.e Karissa Kelley) Westfall and Heather and Autumn Westfall; seven great-grandchildren, Kierra and Javon Penney, Addisyn and Aubrey Kottke, Courtney Tesch, and Payton and Parker Schreiber; four siblings, Donald (Marlene) Westfall, Iris (Frank) Schreiner, Marcella (Joseph) Scheithauer, all of Athens and Lucinda Nehrbass, Wausau; and numerous nieces and nephews. Besides his parents and wife, Alis, he was preceded in death by an infant son; four brothers, Marvin, Gordon, Harold and Kenneth Westfall; and three sisters, Clara Hennig, LaVerna Kramm and Myrtle Nimmerguth. Funeral services will be at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, November 10, 2014 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Athens. Rev. Jeffrey Lambrecht will officiate. Burial will be in the Athens Lutheran Cemetery with full military honors conducted by the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, Athens. Friends may call on Sunday from 3:00 until 7:00 p.m. at Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, Athens and again on Monday from 10:30 a.m. until time of services at the church. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com