Donald John Litzer, 89, of the Town of Emmet, Marathon County, Wisconsin, died at his home early on Sunday, November 28, 2021 after a long illness under the care of family and Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Services. Don was born on October 15, 1932, west of Kelly in the Town of Weston, Marathon County, on the family farm of his parents, Edward J. and Gertrude (Schneider) Litzer. His parents’ farm included the property on which Phillips Scout Camp is now located. Don was a member of the Weston 4-H Club and a 4-H alumnus. Don attended local schools and graduated from Wausau Senior High School in 1950. In August 1949, Don moved with his parents to Glandon in the Town of Hewitt, Marathon County, where Ed and Gertrude had purchased a tavern, store and dance hall they named Litzer’s Store and Tavern. In 1949-50, Don commuted to school in Wausau with several other students, including Nancy Seymour, daughter of William E. and Elsie (Weden) Seymour, who became his sweetheart. Don and Nancy were engaged in December 1951 and were married at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Wausau on April 6, 1953. A week after his 18th birthday, Don enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. From March 1952 to February 1953, Don served with George Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines on the U.N. Main Line of Resistance—the first line of defense against a possible Chinese and North Korean invasion. He went into Korea as a corporal and left as a sergeant, earning the Purple Heart for wounds in a raid on Chinese positions in January 1953. Don returned to the States in March 1953 and was honorably discharged in October 1953. After Don & Nancy returned from the service, they farmed in several locations in the Town of Hewitt until March 1957, when they moved to the Kammenick farm in the Town of Emmet. Don dairy farmed for several years, then briefly raised veal calves until his brother-in-law George Lonsdorf’s barn burned in August 1966, at which time Don milked George’s Guernsey herd until they had a new home. Don then bought a herd of Jerseys and, with the addition of some Holsteins and one of George’s Guernseys, he dairy farmed until his son Carter took over in 1988. In 1995, Don was reunited with Marine buddies he hadn’t seen since the mid-1960s, and he and Nancy subsequently attended several G-3-1 reunions around the U.S. Don was a G-3-1 Korea Association and Disabled American Veterans member, and was honored in 2013 to experience the Never Forgotten Honor Flight with his daughter Pam. Don’s service has been recognized at the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, and a chronicle of his service, compiled by his son Don, is online at https://www.genealogycenter.info/military/koreanwar/search_donaldlitzer.php
In Don’s retirement, he and Nancy built a home in the woods at the back of their property. They enjoyed travelling, seeing plenty of country on casino trips, and made two trips to Canada to visit Don’s cousins in western Quebec. Don loved working in his woods, logging and making firewood, and enjoying the wildlife that cohabited with Don & Nancy in their woodland retreat. Don was a member of Farm Bureau from 1953 until his death, serving as a Marathon County Farm Bureau director and on several committees. Don was a longtime leader of the Cassel 4-H Club, and for years served as Assistant Superintendent of Open Class Grains, Grasses, Vegetables & Fruit at the Wisconsin Valley Fair. He enjoyed going to the World Dairy Expo, Farm Technology Days and the Edgar Steam Show. Don was a faithful member of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Parish in the Town of Cassel, Marathon County for over 60 years. He was a member of Sacred Heart’s Holy Name Society and, in 1969, served as the treasurer for the building fund which culminated in the parish’s present church structure.
Don was preceded in death by his parents, daughter Paula Fry, brother Edward R. Litzer, sister Dolores Lonsdorf, brother-in-law George Lonsdorf and sons-in-law John Doyle and Gerald Wendlandt. Don is survived by his beloved wife of 68 years, Nancy, daughter Julie Litzer-Doyle of Wausau, daughter Jannette Litzer-Wendlandt of Marathon, son Donald S. (Sarah) Litzer of Merrill, daughter Pamela (Ray) Welch of Wausau and son Carter (Rosalie) Litzer of the Town of Emmet. He is further survived by nine grandchildren, Jessica Fry (Jacob Strauss) of Sherburn, Massachusetts, Jared (Jennifer) Fry of Trophy Club, Texas, Danielle Fry of Irving, Texas, Brittany Doyle of Denver, Colorado, Patrick Doyle of Wausau, Rebecca (David) Alexander of Maine, William Litzer of the Town of Emmet, Amy Litzer of Wausau and Toni (Andrew) Grulkowski of Eau Claire, two great-grandchildren, Hudson Fry and Logan Alexander, two step-great-grandchildren, Gavin Alexander and Vanessa Alexander, sister-in-law Lorraine (Vercimak) Litzer of Weston, son-in-law Douglas Fry of Sierra Vista, Arizona, and 19 nieces and nephews.
A funeral Mass will be held for Don at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 11, 2021 at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in the Town of Cassel. The Rev. Joseph Nakawa will officiate. Burial of his cremains will follow in the parish cemetery. Full military honors will be conducted by the American Legion Post No. 469, Marathon. Visitation for family and friends will be at the church from 9:00 a.m. until the time of services. The family requests that those in attendance please wear a mask. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be directed, in Don’s name, to the Church Bell Restoration fund at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in the Town of Cassel. Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, 1302 Sixth Street, Wausau, is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com.