William E. Lemmer

William “Bill” E. Lemmer, 74, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, February 16, 2022, at Aspirus Wausau Hospital.

He was born March 13, 1947, in Wausau, son of the late Ralph Sr. and Margaret Lemmer. On August 13, 1977, he was united in marriage to Rita Knauf at St. Mary Catholic Church in Marathon. She survives.

Bill believed in working hard for what you had and did that throughout his life as a farmer, truck driver and factory worker up until his retirement from Menzner Lumber in 2014. Bill’s smile was bigger than life and his laughter contagious. He loved his family above everything else. Among his favorite pastimes, he enjoyed dancing with Rita, playing cards every Sunday after church with his family, he enjoyed hunting, fishing and cruising on the pontoon. He will be remembered for his legendary potato pancakes served with liverwurst and his famous homemade kielbasa, corn roasts around the fire and making sausage with his sons in law and grandsons, and his huge smile. After retirement,  if he wasn’t in his office making Rosaries to send to the Missions you could find him on his phone talking to family or one of his many friends. He was a long-time member of the Central Wisconsin Conservation Club, President of the Holy Name Men at St. John the Baptist Church in Edgar, and the NRA. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

Survivors include his loving wife of 44 years, Rita Lemmer, Edgar; three daughters, Amy (Marshall) Jacobs, Kim (Christopher) Woller and Jenna (Joseph) Martin, all of Edgar; 13 grandchildren, Carnissa, Devin, Austin, Madelyn, Logan, Emersyn, Christopher Jr., Sabrina, Elizabeth, Alexander, AliMae, Joseph and Aviana; two great-grandchildren, Aurora and Everlee; his siblings, Ralph (Adinun) Lemmer, Charles Lemmer, Anthony (Lou Ann) Lemmer, Virginia (Jack) Ganser, Mary (Eugene) Freese, Paul (Lisa) Lemmer, Kathy (Art) Nowak and Christopher (Sarah) Lemmer; two sisters-in-law, Anna Lemmer and Sharon Lemmer; and many nieces and nephews.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his grandson, Dylan; three brothers, Jerome, Robert and Mark and an infant sister, Virginia.

The funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, February 25, 2022, at St. John Catholic Church, Edgar. Rev. Alan Wierzba will preside. Burial will be in the parish cemetery following the service. Visitation will be on Thursday from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. at church and again on Friday from 10:00 a.m. until time of services at the church. There will be a rosary service beginning at 7:30 p.m. Thursday evening at church. Funeral services will be livestreamed Friday at 11:00 a.m. on the Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home facebook page.

Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, Edgar is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com