Neal Fehrenbach

Neal Roger Fehrenbach, age 82, of Sheboygan, departed from this earth to the Lord's loving hands on February 25, 2015. Neal was born September 16, 1932 in Marshfield, Wisconsin and was the sixth child of Helen (Baltus) Fehrenbach and William H. Fehrenbach. Neal attended St. John's Catholic Grade School and St. Lawrence Seminary, graduated from Marshfield High School in 1950, and attended college at St. Norbert, Stout Institute (where he ran the school paper, the Stoutonian), and Stevens Point Teachers College until 1953. Neal's special school time memories included being senior class student council president, football quarterback and cheerleader alongside his then-girlfriend Darlene Hughes. Neal was especially proud of his Boy Scout honors, gaining his Eagle Scout in 1947, along with the Order of the Arrow Honor - at the same time as President Eisenhower received his. He spent many early years assisting his father at the family printing business, Fehrenbach Printing of Marshfield. Neal's life took off in 1953. He married his sweetheart since the first grade, Darlene Mary Hughes. He also joined the United States Air Force and began building his ever-growing family. For the first 3 ½ years of married life, Neal and Dar were afforded the opportunity to live around the country, including Biloxi, MS, Albuquerque, NM and Rapid City, SD. After completing his service to his country, Neal spent the next 3 years in the car business in Marshfield with his father-in-law, Glenn Hughes. In November 1959, he entered the insurance business as an agent in Marshfield for American Family Insurance. In September 1963, he was appointed District Manager for American Family Insurance in the Sheboygan area where he remained active until his retirement on February 1, 1994. Neal's years with American Family brought many friends and family close, and of course helped Neal and Darlene provide for their ever growing family! Neal and Darlene lived in Sheboygan since 1963 and also enjoyed five years in Florida from 1999 to 2004. Neal was actively involved in his Parish Community, Holy Name Catholic Church, where he served as CCD teacher for many years and also as Chairman of the Congregation and Parish Council. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus for over fifty years, was a Rotarian, and a past American Legion member. Neal and Darlene loved to entertain family and friends, and rare was their home not filled with laughter. Neal also specifically enjoyed family camping. Highlights included a 33 night, 10,000 mile trip to the west coast in 1970 which involved the family encountering an unexpected summer blizzard in the mountains, and a trip to the east coast in 1976 to celebrate the Bicentennial. Both are still reminisced whenever the family gets together. Through over 30 years with American Family, on their own with family and friends, Neal and Darlene traveled extensively. American Family All-American trips included the Caribbean, Mexico, and throughout the continental United States, trips that became all the more special as son Michael joined American Family and he and his family joined several award trips as well. Personal travel included visiting various families for the weekend in Marshfield (which always included Grandma Fehrenbach's special fried chicken), Madison, Green Bay, Sheboygan, Milwaukee, Indiana, and Minneapolis; family trips to enjoy the sibling cottages of the Beining's, Hughes' and Draxler's; Palm Springs with Jean and family, Florida with Kay and family, and Hawaii with Mike and family. Especially dear were the visits with the family of Neal's departed brother Art and wife, Treva, allowing their families to remain close across the miles. Two special Christmases in recent years stood out for Neal, one where he and Darlene brought all of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren together at Blue Harbor, and one at Barb and Jim's cottage in Minocqua that included family sledding and hours upon hours of cribbage and dominoes. All agree that among favorite travels was Neal and Darlene's trip to Europe with siblings where they visited Ireland, Germany (where they purchased a Fehrenbach heirloom wooden clock), Switzerland and more. Neal took great pride in the fact that all eight children were raised to be very hard working and self-sufficient and, regardless of gender roles, all were taught everything from how to do laundry, change a diaper, change oil or a flat tire, yard work, house painting (where all 8 kids helped to paint the Sunnyside home one summer!) and even how to scrub freshly laid brick with acid as needed! Neal also took special pride in the fact that both son Michael, and daughter Kay, followed in his footsteps in careers with American Family Insurance. This allowed for great personal connection as he humbly shared his thoughts and how to best succeed in the industry. Also of special note, Neal was especially proud of the last family home, a super-insulated passive-solar home, which he designed and had built overlooking the Sheboygan Quarry. Since retirement, he loved going to daily Mass and playing cribbage with Darlene or anyone else who was game! And of course, Neal never missed watching a Packer or Badger game of any sort. Deepest appreciation to the staff of Harvest Home in Howards Grove who helped to make Neal's last few years very comfortable and enjoyable. He is survived by seven children: Rae (Robert) Gilbertson (Anacortes, WA), Kay (Al) Kuznacic (Sheboygan Falls), Patricia (Randy) Gries (Green Bay), Wayne (Dana Ballweg) (Prairie du Sac), Michael (JoAnne Renkas) (North Prairie), Jean (Jim) Gallimore (Sheboygan), and Neal William (Lee Anderson) (Minneapolis, MN); grandchildren Joe Gilbertson, Julie Gilbertson, Kim (Kuznacic) Barts, Brian (Nichole Ranta) Kuznacic, Kyle (Jackie Lindberg) Kuznacic, Elizabeth (Ben) Michiels, Ben (Heather Athey) Gries, Ryan (Gina Buiocchi) Gries, Nick (Tianna Posey) Gries, Ann (Brian) Martin, Kristin (Jeff Wendt) Fehrenbach, Noah Fehrenbach, Talia (Carl) Westerby, Katelin (Paul) Gallimore, Jake (Ashley Peterson) Fehrenbach, Shannon Fehrenbach, Hallie Fehrenbach (Josh Gracia), Jaymeson Gallimore, Alex Gallimore, and Drew Gallimore; great-grandchildren Makenna, Jack, Abby, Luke, Ella, Konrad, Madeline, Mikayla, Marlow, Rayne, Phoenix, Kennedy, Rowyn, Tatum, Maysa, Mia, Simon, Owen, and three more on the way! He is also survived by sisters- and brothers-in-law and their families Cherie Krier (Marshfield), Joan Hughes (Marshfield), Geraldine and Ronald Wampler (Eau Claire), Kathleen and Karl Draxler (Marshfield), Daniel and Carol Hughes (Marshfield), Barb and Jim Beining (Marshfield), Hugh Hughes (Oshkosh), Kat Hughes (Milwaukee), Treva Fehrenbach (Dayton, OH) and Elaine Fehrenbach (Marshfield); over seventy-five nieces and nephews, countless other loved ones and friends. Neal was preceded in death by his wife Darlene, son James, mother Helen, father William, brothers Richard, Junie and Art, mother-in law Helen Hughes, father-in-law Glenn Hughes, brothers-in-law Pat and Mike Hughes, daughter-in-law Tanja (Thiel) Fehrenbach, and great grandson Brady Johnson. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, March 2, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church (824 Superior Avenue, Sheboygan) with the Rev. Matthew Widder as celebrant. Friends may call on Monday, at the church, from 2:30 p.m. until the time of Mass. Entombment will follow at the Calvary Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers or gifts, please donate to the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, Sheboygan, in Neal's name.