Henry Uihlein Obituary
Uihlein, Jr., Henry Holt Henry "Chip" Uihlein found peace on Wednesday, July 5, 2017, at the age of 72. Beloved older brother of Chris, Phil and Richard (Lauralee) and cousin Sandy (Nancy) Martin. Loving father of Jennifer and Marnie (Jonathan) Omer. Proud grandfather of Anna and Tyler Straszewski and Aston Omer. Animal lover to his cherished cat, Tilly. Preceded in death by his parents Henry and Polly Uihlein and his cherished cat, Bella. Heartfelt appreciation to Chip's Angel on Earth, Joyce Bisnar, who started as a care provider and now is forever a part of the family. Her love, compassionate care and kindheartedness allowed Chip to remain at home until the end. Chip attended Milwaukee Country Day School (MCD) starting in 3-year old kindergarten and graduating in 1963. After high school, he was off to the University of Vermont (UVM) with one of his lifelong friends, Jim Klode. Chips and Jimmy started at MCD together and both graduated UVM in the class of 1967. His freshman year, Chip joined the Delta Psi Fraternity where he made lasting memories and friendships. UVM was where he met and married, Betsy, the mother of Jennifer and Marnie. Chip was a remarkable athlete and excelled in baseball, football and hockey. Chip was one of the original non-scholarship hockey players at UVM where he scored the first goal when hockey became a varsity recognized sport at UVM in 1963 and went on to have a standout three-year career with the Catamounts. Chip was inducted into the UVM Hall of Fame in 1989. Although a diligent and committed business executive, as illustrated with his 40-year career split between NCR Corporation and U-Line Corporation, his true passion was youth hockey. He coached, mentored and administrated for the Milwaukee Winter Club for over 20 years. It was during these years that he impacted the lives of many young players. Today, these men tell his family that Chip was more than a hockey coach; helping shape them into the people they are today. Chip enjoyed many pastimes. He was a beautiful and prolific writer, which was evident in his extensive journal collection or anytime he addressed a group of people. The words always flowed eloquently. He also loved to bike from 20 to, sometimes, 100 miles in a day. Chip would leave his house, for hours at a time, equipped with extra water bottles and tire tubes in case of an occasional flat. One of his most cherished places was Montana. As a young boy he worked with his brothers and cousins on his uncle's ranch. As a young man, he spent his time horseback riding to Lighting, Cedar and Cache Creeks. As Chip grew older, he found hiking the Hilgards to be his true passion. He always described Montana as the most striking and vast part of the country. It was a place of beauty, wildlife and peace that was the backdrop for many of his fondest memories. On one of his hikes, he told his daughter that Montana was the pathway to heaven. In fact, one of Chip's few words towards the end of his life was MONTANA. Chip had many personal and professional accomplishments but these are only the details of his life. The quintessential elements of who Chip was, his greatest gift and legacy, are kindness, generosity and love. A true family man, unconditional friend and gentleman. Everyone that knew Chip and was touched by his compassion and wisdom received a great gift. Sweet man, may you finally be able to rest in peace and ride off into the beautiful Montana sunset. We love you. A celebration of Chip's life will be held on Wednesday, August 23rd, 2017 at Crossroads Presbyterian Church, 6031 W Chapel Hill Rd, Mequon, WI 53097 with the Rev. Dr. Chris Spotts presiding. The family will greet friends and family from 2:00-4:00PM, with the service commencing at 4:00PM. In lieu of flowers, donations in Henry "Chip" Uihlein's name may be sent to the Ozaukee Humane Society or the Red Arrow Charles M. Boesel Scholarship Fund.
Published by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Aug. 20, 2017.