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BORN
1928
DIED
2012
Joseph Fandre Obituary
Joseph was born November 6, 1928 in Wausau to Gustav and Mabel (Nacker) Fandre. He was the youngest of eight children and as the baby of the family he enjoyed charging candy and ice cream cones to his parents account at the local store, riding street cars and playing baseball.
He met the love of his life, Jean Heise, while working at Ryan Chevrolet when her parents came in to buy a 1949 Chevy. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1951 and served as a Staff Sergeant in Korea during his four years in the military. Joseph and Jean were married in Rib Falls on August 22, 1953.
He was a Greyhound Bus driver for three years and drove the Green Bay Packers, including Vince Lombardi and Bart Starr to their games, as well as chartering the Milwaukee Braves to their away games. He loved driving, seeing new places and meeting people from all walks of life.
Joseph joined the Stevens Point Police Department in 1959 and served 31 years before retiring as the Chief of Police in 1990. After retirement he served on the Police and Fire Commission.
Joseph's passion in life was to share his faith in the Lord Jesus with everyone he met, whether by word or deed. He was quick to help anyone in need and very supportive of biblically based mission organizations. He attended a weekly Fellowship Bible Study faithfully for 38 years and also regularly attended Woodlands and Berea Baptist Churches. He sought to grow in his faith by reading the Bible and praying daily with his family. His faith, family and friends were his top priorities.
Joseph also enjoyed all things automobile related, including driving, looking through car lots and working on cars. He also loved to travel, spend time at their cottage and had a big heart for animals of all kinds, especially his dogs. He had a fine sense of humor and those who knew him can likely still conjure up the twinkle in his eye as he told them one of his many humorous stories.
Survivors include his wife, Jean; son, Allen (Kathy) of Stevens Point; daughter, Patricia (Martin) Feldhake of Pickford, MI; grandchildren; Jason (Becky) Fandre of Plover, who are expecting his great grandchild in May, Paul Fandre of Sun Prairie, Sarah (Mike) Hewitt of St. Paul, MN, Emily Feldhake of Pickford, MI and Joel Feldhake of Grand Rapids, MI; brother in law, Edward Heise of Wausau, as well as many nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, David, Walter (Dorothy), and John; four sisters, Ruth (Walter) Buedding, Arlene (Ellsworth) Tietz, Mary (Mason) Dean and Esther (Warren) Essells.
A Funeral Service will take place at Woodlands Church, Plover, at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, March 30, 2012, with Rev. Brian Berg officiating. Burial will follow at Pine Grove Cemetery in Wausau, WI. Visitation will take place at the church on Friday from 9:00 a.m. until time of service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Woodlands Church Mission's Fund or Ministry Home Care Hospice.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Joseph Fandre
Jeffrey & Lori Kostecki
Jeffrey Kostecki
April 23, 2012
Dear Jean, I recently learned of your husband Joe's passing. Please accept my sympathies. I would have liked to attend the ceremony but was in Minneapolis with family events that weekend (I was hoping there would be an evening visitation I could drive down for, but alas, there was not.) I remember what good friends you and he were to my parents, Clarence and Phyllis, and the Fellowship that met weekly, pastored by Dave Mahler. I last remember being at your house (with my wife, Lori, and my parents) probably 10+ years ago when Peanut (the teacup chihuahua) was your little pet dog. Not sure if he is still "with us" but I remember he sat above Joe on the cushions of the couch. I remember your fancy antique gumball machine too, that took pennies; it was quite large (wasn't it a meter at one time?). Funny, the things you remember. I remember going up to Cedar Camp? in Michigan (Escanaba, maybe?) on a bus (which Joe probably drove) for a Fellowship camping outing. I believe it was a place that Patti, your daughter and her husband, Marty, helped run. That was fun. Gosh, I must've been 10 or 15 years old at the most; sometime in the 1980s, that was. I remember distinctive white sand or gravel which I'd never seen before too.
Hey, I didn't know that Joe once drove bus for the Packers; what a neat bit of history. So glad you included that in the obituary. Amazing how teams back then simply used Greyhound buses, not jets . But that's before the whole sports industry became a million dollar baby.
I know you will greatly miss Joe but he is in the Lord's hands now and is enjoying His powerful presence. May you be comforted with that thought, Jean.
Thanks for letting me share some remembrances & thoughts about my times with Joe.
With Sympathy
Jeffrey & Lori Kostecki
ph: 715-581-2477
em: [email protected]
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jeffrey.kostecki
March 31, 2012
My Sympathy,
To Jean and the entire Family. Yes he was a great man in many ways. God's Blessings to each one of you.
Dave & Lois Essells
March 31, 2012
Dear Aunt Jean, Allen & Pat, Our love & prayers are with you and your families. We'll miss Uncle Joe greatly! His life leaves the legacy Aunt Jean that with his Lord your almost 60 years with him is a great start on forever! We love you, Dave & Lois
Cheryl Hardman
March 30, 2012
Joe was such a wonderful man of God and such a wonderful friend to so many.
Steve and Cheryl (Higgins) Hardman
Karl Wojtalewicz
March 30, 2012
A true gentleman. It was aways a good conversation when joe would show up for car repairs at my shop karls service center. He liked to give some of the young employees a hard time saying" keeping your nose clean" and then we would laugh. I think he scared the the heck out out them. Our condolences to Jean, Al and Patricia. He will be missed by all that knew him.
Scott and Amy Schatschneider
March 29, 2012
Dear Fandre Family
Joe was a wonderful man, I loved listening to his stories about old Stevens Point and how he used to "walk a beat" as a police officer. You could see the pride in his eyes. He was proud to be a cop. He is finally home and in a better place. Your neighbor's
Alan Fandre
March 29, 2012
Please accept my deepest sympathies.
March 29, 2012
My father, the late Jack Gibbs, always spoke so highly of Joe Fandre. He considered him a great friend. You have my sympathies. Mary Gibbs Nelsen
David and Lois Essells
March 29, 2012
Dear Aunt Jean, Alan and Pat,
We have been blessed and privileged to know and love Uncle Joe. He never missed an opportunity encourage us in our faith. He also always had advice about cars or work or a joke to share. We are thankful for his long life and wish we could be there on Friday for his service. Our love and prayers are with you and the whole family.
Kevin & Deb Hentges
March 29, 2012
One of the finest men we have ever known. A man of integrity and honor,a gift to the community. He will be dearly missed.
Nancy
March 29, 2012
Joseph seemed like a fun man who LIVED a very fun and interesting life. I did not know Joseph but the obituary is a very well written story of Joseph's life.I work at Northwestern Mutual in Stevens Point and Bob Taylor asked me to forward this obituary to our Appleton office for notification. Condolences to Joseph's family from Northwestern Mutual.
Fred Strasser
March 29, 2012
My thoughts and prayers are with you in this time of sorrow.
Joe will always be remembered as a kind and thoughtful man.
Shawn Engebretson-Moldenhauer
March 29, 2012
It's hard to understand why people are taken from us, but take comfort in knowing you were a special part of such a well-lived life.
My sympathy,
Shawn Moldenhauer
(daughter of Fred and Judy Engebretson)
March 29, 2012
Dear Pat and family, what a fine example of a true Christian man your father was. My brother served under Chief Fandre on the police force, and had nothing but good things to say about him as a leader. He will be missed greatly and remembered forever. Condolences and Blessings to all of you. Jane Burroughs
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