William H. “Bill” Bahrke, 90, formerly of the town of Belle Plaine, passed away peacefully Tuesday morning, Dec. 31, 2019, in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania.
Bill was born Sept. 15, 1929, in Racine, a son of the late William G. and Clara (Belland) Bahrke. On Sept. 26, 1946, he entered the United States Army and was stationed in Germany where he served his country for the next two years. Upon returning from service, Bill studied engineering at Marquette University under the G.I. Bill. On Nov. 19, 1952, he was united in marriage to the former Mae Jean Dittman in Racine. The couple lived in Milwaukee until Bill graduated from Marquette with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering.
In 1953, Bill took a job with Combustion Engineering in Long Island, New York. He had a long and successful career in engineering, working his way from sweeping the floors to becoming the CEO.
Bill, Mae Jean and their family lived in Kingston and Athens, Tennessee; Beaumont, Texas; Moonachie and Ramsey, New Jersey; Chicago, Illinois; Kansas City, Missouri; Avon, Connecticut; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. While in Pittsburgh, Bill was an engineer at Dravo Constructors, Inc., retiring in 1989 after 10 years with the company. In 1990, Bill and Mae Jean moved to Shawano.
Bill was a good and faithful member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Shawano. He served on the Finance Committee and the Phase I Renovation Committee, where he was instrumental in planning the addition of the church’s gathering space. Bill also served on the Shawano Police and Fire Commission, where he was actively engaged in establishing the first K9 Unit for the city of Shawano.
He was an active member of the Clintonville American Legion Post 63 as well as the Clintonville VFW Post 664. Bill was privileged to go on an Old Glory Honor Flight on April 9, 2015. In his free time, he loved to work in the woods and hunt. He also loved traveling and taking his family on amazing trips. Every year from 2008 to 2014, they went on a different dream trip.
Survivors include his children, Joan Bahrke of Farmington, Connecticut, Susan (Ted) Bell of Bettendorf, Iowa, and Nancy (Christopher) Hyatt of Glenshaw, Pennsylvania; his grandchildren, Katelyn (Tyler) Horbach and Jeffrey Bell, of Iowa, and Jonathan, Andrew and Anna Hyatt of Pennsylvania; and two nieces and one nephew.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mae Jean, on Dec. 11, 2014; and two brothers, Kenneth in infancy, and Milton Bahrke.
A funeral Mass for Bill Bahrke will be celebrated Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020, at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Shawano. The Rev. Scott Valentyn will be the celebrant. Entombment will take place at the Sacred Heart Mausoleum, with full military honors conducted by the American Legion Post 63. Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. and continue until 11 a.m. at the church. In lieu of flowers and plants, memorials are preferred in Bill’s name to Sacred Heart Catholic Church or the Old Glory Honor Flight, P.O. Box 482, Menasha, WI 54952.
William H. Bahrke
