He was born February 10, 1909 in the Town of How, Oconto County, Wisconsin, to Ernst and Ida (Luebke) Free. He was baptized at St. John Lutheran Church in Hayes, Wisconsin, and remained a faithful member there all of his life, serving as an elder of the church for many years. On August 9, 1930 he married Emma Pethke and they farmed in the Town of Underhill for over 50 years. She preceded him in death on March 20, 1988.
He will be sadly missed by his two daughters, Doris (Marion) Wilber of Appleton, and Charlotte Christensen of Rural Gillett; ten grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren; sister and brother-in-law, Hildegard (Kenneth) DeLonge; three sisters-in-law, Dorothy Pethke (who was so helpful to him), Mildred Pethke, and Darlene Pethke, and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death, by a great-grandson in 2000.
Visitation was held Friday, August 31, at the Gruetzmacher Funeral Home, Suring. Funeral services were held 11 a.m. Saturday, September 1 at St. John Lutheran, Hayes, Wisconsin, with visitation starting at 10 at the church. The Rev. Russell Kampfer officiated. Burial at the church cemetery. A memorial fund has been established.
Gruetzmacher Funeral Home, Suring, assisted the family. Our sincere thanks to the St. Vincent Oncology Clinic, Green Bay, for all the help they have given him for the past nine years, and to the Oconto Falls Hospital and Gillett Nursing Home where he spent his final days.