Obit: Kaatz, Allan L. (1941 – 2020)

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Kaatz, Baesemann, Leichtnam, Holl, Ropella, Lehman, Verbeke, Waters, Braund, Nowak, Neider, Holtzheimer, Stecker

----Source: Tribune/Phonograph (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wis.) 08 Apr 2020

Kaatz, Allan L. (13 NOV 1941 – 2 APR 2020)

Allan Leonard Kaatz, exemplary father and loyal husband, died peacefully on April 2, 2020, in Dorchester, after several days of visits and prayers with family and relatives under the care of Hope Hospice.

Born on Nov. 13, 1941, to Leonard and Dorothy (Baesemann) Kaatz in Wausau, Allan grew up in the town of Wien, attended Strupp school in the Town of Wien and also attended Edgar schools.

Allan married RaeJean (Leichtnam) on April 4, 1959. Over the next 14 years, they brought five kids into the world: Jayne, Jeff, Jody, Jamie and Krista, who was born on his birthday.

Allan raised his family on a dairy farm in Fremont, worked for Schwan’s Ice Cream and was also the local bread man. He started hauling milk in the fall of 1977 for Weyauwega Dairy, then sold the farm and moved to Ogdensburg, and eventually started his own milk hauling business, Kaatz Trucking, in 1982. Allan moved to Curtiss in 1983 and then Dorchester in 1998.

Allan enjoyed being semi-retired to fully retired in 2017, during this time he was able to travel to Texas and Florida to get away in the winter months until they bought a house in Avon Park, Fla., in 2012. Allan enjoyed his time in Avon Park with the warm weather, taking walks, playing card games with friends, fishing and riding his Can-Am Spyder with his biker group.

Allan loved tractor pulling, if he wasn’t pulling, he was watching. He also enjoyed watching Nascar and the Packers, going out to eat, fishing, traveling and watching his son, Jamie, and grandson, Aaron, play ball at the Dorchester Park.

Allan was a great husband and especially a great father. He loved seeing and talking to his children daily or whenever he was able to do so. He was especially proud to be a grandfather or Papa to: Amanda (Gabe Holl, fiancé) Ropella and Justin (Andrea) Ropella; Bradley Kaatz and Felicia Kaatz; LeRoy (Cari), Sam (Jamie) and Rosanna Lehman; Samantha and Lindsey Verbeke; and Rachel and Aaron Kaatz; and great-grandfather to: Cael and Ashton Lehman and Caleb (Kaatz) DeMaio.

Allan was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer in May of 2019 and he tried everything he could do to fight it until the end. Everyone who knows Allan, knows he is a fighter and gave it his all.

He is survived by his wife, RaeJean; his daughter, Jayne (Bob) Ropella, Inver Grover Heights, Minn.; son, Jeff (Barb), Manawa; daughter, Jody (Jim) Verbeke, Shakopee, Minn.; son, Jamie (Jenny), Dorchester; and daughter, Krista (Keith) Waters, Savage, Minn. He is also survived by aunts: Grace Braund and Doris Kersten; brothers-in-law: Donald (Shirley) Leichtnam, Rick (Debbie) Nowak, Randy Nowak and Rodney Nowak; sisters-in-law: Nancy (August Neider) and Lori Holtzheimer; along with several cousins and many great friends, especially Roger and Joanne Stecker.

Allan was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard and Dorothy; sister, Eleanor; and twin grandsons, Joshua and Bryant Verbeke.

Visitation and a funeral service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that people donate to Hope Hospice in Medford.

Family and friends may express condolences online at www.maurinaschilling.com.