Harold Boettger

Harold John “Bud” Boettger, age 87, of Webster, WI, passed away unexpectedly Saturday, July 16, 2016. Born in Springfield, MN, on December 14, 1928, Bud was a son of the late Rose Mae (Krueger) and Rudolph John Boettger. He was received into the Christian faith through Holy Baptism on December 30, 1928, at Saint Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Springfield. He attended local schools there, and graduated from Springfield High School in 1947. Bud served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He enlisted on December 2, 1950, and was honorably discharged on November 19, 1953. While in the service, he attended the Ordnance Automotive School in Atlanta, Georgia, receiving his training certificate on March 23, 1951. On August 22, 1952, Bud was united in marriage with Bernice Anna Fenger in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma while he was in the military. During their marriage, Bud and Bernice lived in Cocoa Beach, Florida, and then moving to Minnesota, resided in Mankato, Springfield, and New London. They moved to the Webster area in 1978. Bud was employed at auto body repair shops in Frederic and then in Siren at Woodland Auto Body. He also worked at the Champion Aircraft plant in Osceola, WI. Bud then owned and operated his own auto body shop on Lee Road near Yellow Lake, while Bernice served as the bookkeeper. Bud’s last employment was with Burnett County Housing Authority in Webster. Bud was formerly a member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church (LCMS) in Webster. He and Bernice had also been members of Bethany Lutheran Church in Siren. In the 1980s, Bud was a reserve officer with the Burnett County Sheriff’s Department. A hard-working, caring, and amiable person, Bud made friends easily, was easy to talk with, and loved his family very much. He was an avid reader, especially western novels, and had a great interest in vintage automobiles and historic planes. He loved to “putz” around the house doing various repair or improvement projects, and drive around the local area admiring the nature scenes and looking at older automobiles. Bud also enjoyed bird watching at home and at Crex Meadows, tending his vegetable gardens, creating lawn ornaments and other wood working, attending air shows, and helping care for the family’s Black Labrador Retrievers. He is preceded in death by his parents, Rudolph and Rose Boettger; his wife, Bernice, on July 13, 1998; his sister and brother-in-law, Phyllis and Jack Hawthorne; a son-in-law, Russell Mitchell. Bud is survived by his daughter, Debra L. Mitchell; his son and daughter-in-law, Derek J. and Nancy Boettger; grandchildren: Theo Mitchell, Sarah Mitchell, Amanda Boettger, Haley Boettger, and David Boettger; great-grandchildren: Kendel, Jordan, and Bailey Mitchell; his brother and sister-in-law, Richard and Alice Boettger; as well as nieces and nephews. The funeral service for Bud Boettger will be conducted at 1:00pm (visitation 11:00am to 1:00pm), Friday, July 22, 2016, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church (LCMS) in Webster, WI, with Pastor Jody R. Walter officiating. Interment will be in Lutheran Cemetery on Old Route 35 west of Webster. Pallbearers are: Roger Boettger, Greg Boettger, Todd Boettger, David Boettger, Jordan Mitchell, and John Spafford. Arrangements have been entrusted with Swedberg-Taylor Funeral Home, Webster, WI. Online condolences may be expressed at www.swedberg-taylor.com.