Ret. U.S. Army Maj. Wilmer Charles Bohnaker

WILMER CHARLES BOHNAKER MILWAUKEE, WI

Retired U.S. Army Major Wilmer Charles Bohnaker died on November 4, 2011 at home in Milwaukee, WI at the age of 91. He is survived by his wife, Madelyn Louise (Smith); daughter, Roberta A. Beller (Robert) of Milwaukee; son, James P. Bohnaker (Mary) of Leesburg, VA; seven grandchildren; and five great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father, Charles Adam Bohnaker of Savanna, IL; mother, Matilda S. (Haring) Jacobs of Scioto Mills, IL; son William C. Bohnaker of Durham, NC; and sister, Dorothy (Jacobs) Daniels of Freeport, IL. He is also survived by three brothers: Paul and Richard Jacobs, both of Freeport, IL, and James Jacobs of Shannon, IL; cousins, and many nieces and nephews. Mr. Bohnaker was a native of Freeport, IL and resided in northeastern Indiana for 26 years and Hampton, VA for 38 years before returning to the Midwest and Milwaukee several years ago. Mr. Bohnaker's career was with the U. S. Army in uniformed service and as a civilian employee. He began his career of 36 years as an ordinance inspector with the Chicago Ordinance District prior to this country's entry into WW II. In uniformed, service he was assigned to Ordinance, Infantry, Armor, Artillery and Transportation training and tactical units and headquarters in Okinawa, Italy and France. After release from active duty, he obtained his MBA degree from the University of Chicago and resumed civilian employment with comptroller duties at Headquarters Fifth U.S. Army, Headquarters U.S. Continental Army Command (CONARC), and Headquarters Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). Upon his retirement from the Army, Mr. Bohnaker pursued a career as a professional tax preparer. After ten years as a seasonal employee in the Office of the Commissioner of Revenue Service, Hampton, VA, he worked another decade as an independent tax practitioner. Given his penchant for using the latest technology, he was one of the first practitioners in Hampton to be approved by both the IRS and the Virginia department of taxation to file electronic tax returns. He was a past member of St. Joseph Church of Hampton, VA, and after moving to Milwaukee, he attended Mass at the VA Medical Center Chapel. Visitation will be held at the Prasser-Kleczka Funeral Home, 3275 S. Howell Ave., Milwaukee, WI Friday, November 11, 2011 from 5:00-7:00 PM with a 7:00 PM vigil. A Memorial Mass will be held at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center Chapel on Saturday November 12, 2011 at 9:30AM. Burial with military honors will follow at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Freeport, IL at 1:30PM. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society. For information: (414) 483-2322. www.pkfuneralhomes.com