WILBERT BUCHHOLZ

Funeral Services for Wilbert Buchholz were held Saturday, January 22 at Danzig Baptist Church, rural Avon. Military honors provided by Arthur Wismann American Legion Post #150 followed the funeral service. Interment will be at Danzig Baptist Cemetery at a later date. Peters Funeral Chapel in Avon was in charge of arrangements.

Wilbert Henry Buchholz died Sunday, January 16 at the Good Samaritan Society-Wagner nursing home.

Wilbert was born July 2, 1930 to David and Martha (Mehlhaff) Buchholz southeast of Tripp. He attended Maxon Country Grade School and one year of high school in Tripp.

He farmed with his Dad until he was inducted into the Army in 1953. He served two years, one of which was at Ft. Richardson, near Anchorage, Alaska. He attained his GED while in the service. After his discharge in 1955, he again farmed with his Dad.

Wilbert enjoyed playing his guitar and mandolin, which was a gift from his Uncle Leonard, with his sister Odelphia who played piano and accordion. He also liked roller skating and met his future wife at the Tripp skating rink.

On August 28, 1955, Wilbert married Ruth Hieb in Tripp. They lived on a farm one mile south of his home place. Along with farming, he did carpentry work for others. He built a pickup camper and remodeled a Grey Hound passenger bus into a motorhome. They did some camping every year, even if it was just for a few days some summers.

Wilbert and Ruth’s travels took them to all the United States (including Alaska), except for the NE states and Hawaii. They visited many National Parks and Monuments. They spent 20 years wintering in Bibleville, Alamo, Texas.

Wilbert was a member of Danzig Baptist Church. He served as Sunday school teacher and held a number of church offices, being Deacon for 20 years. He sang in the men’s quartet and was a member of the Brotherhood. He was on the North American Baptist Church Extension Board and several other NAB offices. He sang in the Bon Homme Men’s Chorus and was active in the Bon Homme Sunday School Association.

When Wilbert quit farming, he and Ruth started doing upholstering, which they did for 30 years. They provided entertainment at assisted living and nursing homes playing their instruments…he on his Omnichord and she on her saxophone. They continued living on the farm and built a new house in 1976.

Wilbert and his wife Ruth have one son Verlin, married to La-Donn: a grandson Andy and wife Ashley and their children Annetta and Benji; two granddaughters, Larissa (fiancé Jordan Siedel) and Kaitlin Buchholz; brother-in-law Albert Vander Linde, Butte, MT; one nephew and four nieces.

He was preceded in death by his parents and sisters Odelphia Vander Linde and Velda Voigt.