Obituary for Kenneth John Wiechman
Kenneth John Wiechman, age 86, went peacefully to his heavenly home on September 19, 2022, at his home in Oshkosh, after a battle with cancer. He was born on June 1, 1936 in Greenleaf, Kansas to Karl and Erna (Westermann) Wiechman. Ken became a member of God’s family of faith through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism on June 7, 1936 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Barnes, Kansas. At age 5, the family moved to Sturgeon Bay, WI, where his father worked in the shipyards during World War II. In 1946, they moved to Oshkosh and Ken attended Grace Ev. Lutheran School and church and was confirmed there in Christian faith on April 2, 1950.
Ken graduated from Oshkosh High School in 1954. As a teenager, he worked at Rudy Meyer’s Gas Station. His first full time job was at Scharpf’s Inc., (where he met his future wife), served in the U.S. Army from 1958-60, then worked as an office machine mechanic at Meyer’s Office Machines. He retired in 2001 from Wis. Pkg. Menasha Corp. as a maintenance mechanic.
The Lord graciously provided him with a faithful and loving companion in his wife, JoAnn, whom he married on September 12, 1959, at Grace Ev. Lutheran Church and they recently celebrated 63 years of marriage. God blessed them with three children, Mark, Marcy and Meredith, all who attended Grace Ev. Lutheran School in Oshkosh and Winnebago Lutheran Academy (WLA) in Fond du Lac. Ken was a faithful member of Grace Ev. Lutheran Church and over the years served on many church and school committees, Grace Dartball Team and on the Plenary Board at WLA.
When their children were young, they took them camping all over Wisconsin and also South Dakota. During their marriage and retirement, they traveled all over the beautiful United States with good friends and family.
Ken also enjoyed hunting, fishing and sturgeon spearing with his son, grandsons and friends. As a young man, Ken belonged to a motorcycle club and went on several trips throughout the US with his friends. He enjoyed spending countless hours with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Ken is survived by those he loved so dearly: his wife, JoAnn; children: Mark (Teresa) Wiechman, Marcy (Pastor Eric) Steinbrenner, Meredith (William) McTrusty. Grandchildren: Kayla (Pastor Jacob) Scott, Eric (Cate) Wiechman; Lauryn (Kiel) Vedrode, Kristin (Pastor Caleb) Free, Aaron (Beth) Steinbrenner, and Jenna Steinbrenner; Jessica (Chad) Skaer, and Megan (Eric) Schoenbach. Ken was blessed with 19 great grandchildren 8 and under, the joy of his later life: Lucy, Jack, Owen, and Alice Scott; Cora, Ada, and Cole Wiechman; Vera and Kamryn Vedrode; Clay, Aaron, and Judith (JoJo) Free; Zoey and Hailey Steinbrenner; Ella, Aiden and Adeline Skaer; Mia and Ava Schoenbach. He is also survived by his sister Eunice Gibson, sister-in-law June Wiechman, brother Philip (Angie) Wiechman, brother-in-law David (Nancy) Juedes, and stepbrothers-in-law Lyle (Dorothy) Voss, Larry Voss and stepsisters-in-law Pat Tellock, Helen Voss and many loved nieces and nephews
He was preceded in death by his parents; and JoAnn’s parents, Dorothy (Juedes) Voss and Norman Juedes, as well as stepfather-in-law Elmer Voss, his sister and brother-in-law Lois and William Polzin, niece Nancy Gibson, brother-in-laws, John Gibson, Gary and (sister-in-law Marie) Juedes also stepbrother-in-law Kenneth Voss and stepsisters-in-law Nancy Voss and Trina Voss.
A memorial service will be held at 12:00PM on Saturday September 24th, 2022 at Grace Ev. Lutheran Church, 913 Nebraska St. with Pastor Colin Rieke officiating. Visitation will be held at the church from 10:00AM until the time of the service. Burial will be in Lakeview Memorial Park, Oshkosh.
The family would like to thank the incredible caring and loving support of the Aurora Hospice nurses and staff.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Ken’s name may be given to Grace Ev. Lutheran Church and School, Winnebago Lutheran Academy, Fond du Lac, Wi., or Michigan Lutheran Seminary, Saginaw, Michigan.
Ken graduated from Oshkosh High School in 1954. As a teenager, he worked at Rudy Meyer’s Gas Station. His first full time job was at Scharpf’s Inc., (where he met his future wife), served in the U.S. Army from 1958-60, then worked as an office machine mechanic at Meyer’s Office Machines. He retired in 2001 from Wis. Pkg. Menasha Corp. as a maintenance mechanic.
The Lord graciously provided him with a faithful and loving companion in his wife, JoAnn, whom he married on September 12, 1959, at Grace Ev. Lutheran Church and they recently celebrated 63 years of marriage. God blessed them with three children, Mark, Marcy and Meredith, all who attended Grace Ev. Lutheran School in Oshkosh and Winnebago Lutheran Academy (WLA) in Fond du Lac. Ken was a faithful member of Grace Ev. Lutheran Church and over the years served on many church and school committees, Grace Dartball Team and on the Plenary Board at WLA.
When their children were young, they took them camping all over Wisconsin and also South Dakota. During their marriage and retirement, they traveled all over the beautiful United States with good friends and family.
Ken also enjoyed hunting, fishing and sturgeon spearing with his son, grandsons and friends. As a young man, Ken belonged to a motorcycle club and went on several trips throughout the US with his friends. He enjoyed spending countless hours with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Ken is survived by those he loved so dearly: his wife, JoAnn; children: Mark (Teresa) Wiechman, Marcy (Pastor Eric) Steinbrenner, Meredith (William) McTrusty. Grandchildren: Kayla (Pastor Jacob) Scott, Eric (Cate) Wiechman; Lauryn (Kiel) Vedrode, Kristin (Pastor Caleb) Free, Aaron (Beth) Steinbrenner, and Jenna Steinbrenner; Jessica (Chad) Skaer, and Megan (Eric) Schoenbach. Ken was blessed with 19 great grandchildren 8 and under, the joy of his later life: Lucy, Jack, Owen, and Alice Scott; Cora, Ada, and Cole Wiechman; Vera and Kamryn Vedrode; Clay, Aaron, and Judith (JoJo) Free; Zoey and Hailey Steinbrenner; Ella, Aiden and Adeline Skaer; Mia and Ava Schoenbach. He is also survived by his sister Eunice Gibson, sister-in-law June Wiechman, brother Philip (Angie) Wiechman, brother-in-law David (Nancy) Juedes, and stepbrothers-in-law Lyle (Dorothy) Voss, Larry Voss and stepsisters-in-law Pat Tellock, Helen Voss and many loved nieces and nephews
He was preceded in death by his parents; and JoAnn’s parents, Dorothy (Juedes) Voss and Norman Juedes, as well as stepfather-in-law Elmer Voss, his sister and brother-in-law Lois and William Polzin, niece Nancy Gibson, brother-in-laws, John Gibson, Gary and (sister-in-law Marie) Juedes also stepbrother-in-law Kenneth Voss and stepsisters-in-law Nancy Voss and Trina Voss.
A memorial service will be held at 12:00PM on Saturday September 24th, 2022 at Grace Ev. Lutheran Church, 913 Nebraska St. with Pastor Colin Rieke officiating. Visitation will be held at the church from 10:00AM until the time of the service. Burial will be in Lakeview Memorial Park, Oshkosh.
The family would like to thank the incredible caring and loving support of the Aurora Hospice nurses and staff.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Ken’s name may be given to Grace Ev. Lutheran Church and School, Winnebago Lutheran Academy, Fond du Lac, Wi., or Michigan Lutheran Seminary, Saginaw, Michigan.