Mathilda and John Hapke

1911 - 2016

Hapke, Mathilda G. and John R., Jr.

A graveside prayer service will be held at Pine Grove Cemetery on Saturday, July 16, at 11:00 AM for the internment of Mathilda G. Hapke and her son, John "Jack" R. Hapke, Jr. with their husband and father John R. Hapke, Sr. Mathilda died at age 101 in 2013, and Jack died at age 79 in 2014, both in St. Petersburg, Florida, where they lived for about 45 years.

Mathilda was born on May 5, 1911 in Baltimore, Maryland to John Gabris and Sophia Vinson. She married John R. Hapke, Sr. on November 28, 1928 in a wedding that was notable as the first double wedding (with her sister Mary) in an airplane. Mathilda and John lived in Wausau for many years from 1932 to 1957, owning "Hapke's Café" on 6th Street. During WWII, "Tilly" supported the war effort by working in Michigan as a "Rosy Rivetter" for a year. They also lived in Oswego, NY, and Chambersburg, PA, traveling with John's job with American Can until retiring in St. Petersburg. She was active well into her 80's managing several rental properties, gardening, and assisting an elderly neighbor. They had three children, Harry Hapke (Marge), John, Jr., and Vivian Detert (Ron). Husband John, son Harry, and daughter Vivian predeceased Mathilda.

John, Jr. "Jack" was born January 1, 1935 in Wausau. He graduated from Wausau High School in 1954 and served in the Army from 1957 to 1959 as a mechanic in the 35th Armor division, stationed mostly in Germany. Jack started a business serving pizzas from a truck in Oswego, NY, returned to Wausau to work in appliance repair, and then moved to St. Petersburg with his parents, where he became a precision machinist for Raytheon, retiring in 1994. As a young man, Jack loved to hunt deer with his brother and enjoyed the outdoors. He also enjoyed building and flying model airplanes and helicopters, and was a frequent patron and friend at Pope's Hobbyland in Wausau.

Mathilda had six grandchildren (nieces and nephews to Jack): Pam Schwede (Roger) of Wausau, Christine Seidler (Mike) of Wausau, the late Michael Detert, the late Ronald Detert, Jr., Alan Hapke (Jeanne) of Stilwell, KS, and Joel Hapke of Minneapolis. She also had eleven great grandchildren and eight great-great grandchildren.