August 22, 2019 – West Bend, WI – Paul Rolland Wiese, 89, passed away peacefully with his daughter by his side on August 17, 2019.
Paul was born on January 6, 1930, to Esther and Tracy Wiese in Appleton, Wisconsin. On June 21, 1952, he married Shirley Becklund at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Milwaukee. Paul was employed at Sterling Tool and Die in Milwaukee, retiring after 40 years as a tool maker and a shop foreman.
“The Old Guy” as he was lovingly called, was an amazing and hardworking man full of love and humor. He lived life to the fullest! Always joking with family and friends, and reminding us to watch out for bad ice cubes. Paul also enjoyed dressing up for holidays and special events. He helped family and friends with countless projects, such as roasting pigs for numerous occasions, serving beverages at the Hubbleton Riders snowmobile breakfasts, helping to build, move or take down buildings, and of course, always insisting he arrived early for appointments.
Paul was an avid card player and lucky slot machine winner. His many activities also included camping, traveling, boating, snowmobiling, fishing, playing bingo, cribbage, and shaking Farkel dice.
The Old Guy volunteered for many years as the resident wood cutter for River Bend Resort in Watertown. As he rode around on the gator, selling fire wood to campers, he’d be wearing a large smile and have a story to tell. After 47 years as members at River Bend, Paul and Shirley moved to West Bend in 2016, where Paul became the resident flower and garden keeper at The Fields of Washington County.
Paul is survived by daughter Donna (Peter) Hesprich, son-in-law Bill (Jackie) Vandenberg, grandchildren Matt (Jessica) Seiser, Anthony (Katie) Seiser, Aaron (Kelly) Seiser, Valerie Vandenberg, Jon Zautner (Jamie Roach), Claire (Rob) Braby, Katy (Jake) Smith, many cherished great-grandchildren, brother Vernon Wiese, sister-in-law Edna Wiese, sister-in-law Karen (Ron) Kuehn, special friends Grant and Christa, Ed and Karen, Jim and Kay, and other friends and relatives.
He is preceded in death by wife Shirley, daughter Sandy Vandenberg, parents Tracy and Esther Wiese, in-laws Caroline Potzner and Clarence Becklund, brothers Carl Wiese, Don (Ruth) Wiese, Lenard (Verla) & (Murial) Wiese, and sister-in-law Bev Wiese.
A Memorial Service will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 27, 2019, at the Phillip Funeral Home Chapel of West Bend (1420 W. Paradise Dr.) with Rev. John Bass presiding. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Tuesday, August 27, 2019, from 5 p.m. until time of service at 7 p.m.
Thank you to the staff at The Fields and Samaritan, Horizon Hospice Care, and the many wonderful doctors and nurses at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee.
