Clifford O. 'Chief' Nenzel
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Wednesday, May 7, 2008 11:07 AM CDT
You Who Are Weary, Come Home.
STANLEY — Clifford O. “Chief” Nenzel, 89, of 709 N. Franklin St., Stanley, fought a dignified, valiant battle against cancer. He went to his eternal home on Monday, May 5, 2008, peacefully at his home with his family by his side.
Clifford was born on the family farm in Norwalk on May 30, 1918, the son of Henry and Emma (Foth) Nenzel. He attended Norwalk schools, graduating in 1936, then worked on the Alvin Noth farm until 1939. He then attended Platteville College from 1939 to 1943, receiving his Bachelors Degree in vocational agriculture, plus almost enough credits for his Masters Degree by the time he retired.
In 1943, Clifford entered the U.S. Navy at Notre Dame and after his discharge worked as a milkman in Waukesha. He then taught agriculture in Black River Falls for one year and from 1945 to 1954 taught in Bloomer. “Chief” (a name given to him by Bob Kyle, one of his students) then taught from 1954 to 1981 in Stanley. He taught for a total of 37 years. He also helped out at his family’s farm in Norwalk from 1945 until the farm was sold in 1972.
Clifford was united in marriage to Betty Jean Geary on June 12, 1948, in Curtiss. They would have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in June 2008.
He is survived by: his wife, Betty of Stanley; and his three daughters, Sandra (Konrad) Thorson of Tomahawk, Sharon (Paul) Stoll of Bloomer and Susan (Frank) Foiles of Cadott; six grandchildren, Jessica (Tyler) Fleig, Kelly Clifford Foster, Kristin Foster, Jamison Nenzel Thorson, Derek and Brent Foiles; and his first great-grandchild, Henry Konrad Fleig, who was born April 16, 2008.
Cliff was so very proud of his family, always carrying pictures of his kids and grandchildren in his wallet to share with everyone.
He was preceded in death by: his parents; and one brother, Orville.
Cliff loved to reminisce about school, his family farm, class reunions, his family and just about everything. He so enjoyed life and people. He judged at county fairs for 35 years and loved to talk to the kids and give them pointers on how to make their animals “blue ribbon” winners. He also used to be a barker for Big Oscar, the world’s largest Holstein steer, and his successors, Oscar 2 and Oscar 3, at various county and state fairs. He was also superintendent of the crops building at the Northern Wisconsin Districts Fair in Chippewa Falls for 54 years.
His kids loved to go down to the fair and spend the whole day there. Class reunions were also vital to Cliff, catching up with students about their lives. He also enjoyed them telling him that he looked just like he did when they were in high school!
He was especially fond of all of his Ag boys, telling about all the trips to Canada with them where he was the chaperone, bus driver and cook. Cliff’s family feels that they turned into the fine men that they did in part due to his influence in school. Cliff spoke of his philosophy on teaching, which was: say what you mean, mean what you say, and treat everyone equal.
“5 Job” Nenzel sent himself through college and worked five jobs at one time while going to school: the dry cleaners; chicken hatchery; the National Youth Association working with a professor; the butcher shop; and fired furnace at a grass widow’s home in the mornings. He was also a milkman in Lake Geneva during the summer. He always said that he worked so hard to send himself to college and didn’t want his girls to have to. He paid for his daughters’ education and they so appreciated it and never took it for granted. They in turn have done the same for their children.
Cliff had double pneumonia in February 2005 when vacationing in Florida. In November of that same year he fell and broke his left hip. Coming down to the hospital on the day of surgery, Cliff was heard asking all of the nurses where they had gone to school and who their grandparents were. When he was battling cancer, every nurse on the oncology floor was asked where they were from. It didn’t seem to matter what town or state; he knew someone from their hometown!
Oh, how Cliff loved people and life. Nothing seemed to keep him down. He was also a member of Lions, Moose, and American Legion organizations. He had a combined total of over 160 years. He was definitely a pillar of his community; not only in these organizations but also in his involvement with the Stanley-Boyd School District as a teacher, senior class adviser for 20 years, scorekeeper for the basketball games for 54 years, coach for his FFA basketball team, selling refreshments at S-B games for his FFA Association, selling seed corn for FFA, and driving school bus for a total of 46 years.
He will be terribly missed by all his family and friends, which numbered many. Special thanks to Dr. Les Harrison and Marilyn Le Duc of the Marshfield Clinic, Chippewa Center and Dr. P. Tana of the Oncology Department at Sacred Heart Hospital, Eau Claire. A special heartfelt appreciation to his home caregiver, Bonnie Stewart.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 9 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Stanley, with Pastor Linda Dutton officiating. Burial will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery, Stanley.
Friends and family may call from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday evening at the Plombon Funeral Chapel, Stanley, and one hour prior to service time at the church on Friday morning.
Plombon Funeral Service, Stanley, is assisting the family with arrangements.
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