Obit: Kaiser, Donald John (1935 - 2021)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Kaiser, Schmitt, Schemenauer, Barr, Abney, Blume, Newman, Kalepp, Brahmer, Koch, Rachu, Danis, Radke, Christianson, Ratai, Redfern

----Source: Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home (Colby, Clark Co., WI) 7/05/2021

Kaiser, Donald John (21 March 1935 – 3 July 2021)

Donald J. Kaiser, age 86, of Colby, passed away on Saturday, July 3, 2021, at the Marshfield Medical Center surrounded by his loving family.

Donald John Kaiser was born on March 21, 1935, at home in Frankfort Township in Marathon County, to Amanda C. (Schemenauer) and Andrew C. Kaiser. He was welcomed by his sister: Mercedes (Howard Barr). Then he was joined by sisters Kathleen (Jack Abney), and Ruth (Robert Blume). He attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and later graduated from Colby High School, where he accumulated a collection of shutouts and no-hitters in baseball. In 1953, he attended St. Thomas University in Minnesota on basketball and baseball scholarships and played semi-pro baseball.

In the 1960s, Don was in business with his father at Kaiser Oil, and he founded the Colby Trailblazers Snowmobile Club. He was a member of the Marathon County Civil Defense Organization during that time as well as being instrumental in forming the Colby-Unity Area Little League Baseball Organization. In 1971, he started working for Alexandria Boat Works as a district manager for the Midwest. Then in the early 1980s, he started his own business, Designer Advertising/Scoreboard Sportswear. He was a member of the Clark County Board of Supervisors for nine years, Colby School Board, and St. Mary’s Finance Council at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Colby. He was a charter member of the Knights of Columbus and was named “Fan of the Year” by Colby HS Athletics in 2012-2013. Don enjoyed playing cribbage and cheering on the New York Yankees.

He married Marlene Hope Schmitt on February 17, 1954, and together they made their life in Colby, creating a family of ten children: Mark Alan of Colby; Michael Don of Medford (Dawn Newman); Margo Marie of Madison (Kim Kalepp); Melinda Ann of Medford (Hutch Brahmer); Mitchell John of Eau Claire (Sara Koch); Marty Joseph of Colby (Gwenn Rachu); Marijo Theresa of Newton, MA (Peter Danis); Marlin Andrew of Colby (Lorrie Radke); Melissa Renee of Strum (Barry Christianson); and Marshall Robert of Weston (Anna Ratai). Don and Marlene were then blessed with 20 grandchildren: Markie, Molly, Christopher, Courtney, Mackenzie, Griffin, Hanna, Mitchell, Elliott, Rachel, Bailey, Quinn, Samuel, Alexandra, Andrew, Amanda, Kelsey, CJ, Drew, Riley, and Jailin.
Don and Marlene were then further blessed with 19 great-grandchildren, as well as Baby Boy Kaiser arriving in August.

Don was predeceased by both of his parents, Andrew and Amanda; sister, Mercedes Barr; niece, Linda Barr; grandson, Elliott Kaiser; nephew, Andrew Abney; brother-in-law, Jack Abney; nephew, Casey Blume and mother-in-law, Genevieve Schmitt.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 8, 2021, at St. Mary Help of Christians Parish in Colby. Father Joseph Redfern will officiate. A visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until the time of service at the church on Thursday. Family and friends can watch the service live on the Maurina Schilling Funeral Home Facebook page or after the service anytime on Facebook or the website. The Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home of Colby is entrusted with the arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, Memorials can be made in Don’s name which will be determined at later date.