Laddie F. Zellinger

LADDIE F. ZELLINGER
Laddie F. Zellinger, 77, died peacefully at his home in the Township of Harmony on Thursday, July 2, 2015, while under the care of his family and Flambeau Home Health Care and Hospice.
He was born on October 3, 1937 to Fred, Jr. and Mildred (Hendrych) Zellinger, with the delivery by Dr. MacKinnon of Prentice in the house where he lived most of his life. He attended the Hillside and Lake Ten grade schools, graduated from the “Old” Phillips High School, Class of 1955. After a year at U.W. Superior he transferred to U.W. Stevens Point, graduating in 1959.
He married Carole Kirchmeyer on July 15, 1961,at the First Lutheran Church of Prentice.
They celebrated nearly 54 years of marriage.
He taught high school classes in History, Speech, and English at Casco, New Richmond and Manitowoc Lincoln Senior from 1959 to 1968 before returning to teach in Phillips. .He taught at the Phillips High School from 1968 until the time of his retirement in 1997. During his teaching career he also spent a year and one summer of graduate school at U.W. Madison .During his tenure at Phillips High School he was briefly the president of the Phillips Teachers Association.
Military experience included ROTC at Superior and then tours of duty with the U.S. Marine Corps in Quantico, Parris Island and Camp LeJeune. He also served for 11 years on the United States Senator Kasten’s Committee, interviewing, evaluating and selecting candidates for the U.S. Military Academies, often assisted by his wife Carole.
He was active in government and local politics, where he held various local and state party offices. Laddie received state awards and was proud to hear that once Governor Lee Dreyfus asked, “Where’s Laddie” at a meeting. He also served as the Township of Harmony supervisor/chairman for 13 years.
Among his many other accomplishments include: president of the 100- year-old ZCBJ/WFLA Lodge 236 (grandparents were charter members) where he was elected as the district and state president and received the 1994 National Fraternalist Award. .He was awarded the Phillips Citizen of the Year in 1995. He was also a member of the Save Our School project, 1894-1994 Phillips Fire Centennial, Phillips Czech/Slovak Festival, Phillips Area Community Center, Price County Antique Association, and contributed to many articles and editorials for area newspapers
He enjoyed outdoors fishing at Lake Three, deer hunting, part -time logging, raising beef and pigs and exploring historic sites with “Sacagewea”(aka Carole).
He is survived by his wife Carole, Township of Harmony, By his children: Kathy, Orlando,Fl., Nancy, Eau Claire, Wi., Janet (Mike) Kuhlmann, Hudson, Wi., Amy (Aleck) Aguado, Luck, Wi., Shanelle (Wilmer) Fernandez, New Hope, Minn., Fred (Sanu) Bloomington, MN., Steve (Kelsi) Maple Grove, Mn., by grandsons; Tony, Jake, Nick,, Josh, Emmett, and Noah, by 1 sister Agnes (Bob) Hrabak, West Salem, Wi., by many nieces, nephews and cousins.
A memorial Service will be held at 11:00 A. M. on Saturday, July11, 2015 at St. John Lutheran Church, Philips, with Pastor Thomas Reiff officiating. Inurnment will be in the Harmony Cemetery, Township of Harmony, Military Honors will be conducted by the Wisconsin-National Honors Team, the Frank and Michael Baran VFW Post # 5778, the Lane-Kreiling American Post #122, both of Phillips. Friends may call at the church on Saturday, July 11, 2015 from 10:00 A.M. until the time of the service
Thanks to his wife, children and families, relatives, “associates”, neighbors, and friends, doctors and nurses, Pastor Reiff and God for many years of uncountable blessings.
The Heindl Funeral Home, Phillips, is in charge of the arrangements.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.heindlfuneralhome.com.