Herbert “Herb” Scheithauer
1941-2023
Herbert “Herb” Scheithauer passed away on Saturday, April 8, 2023 at the age 81, at his home in Rib Lake, surrounded by his loving family. A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 15, 2023 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, N5868 County Rd. C, town of Greenwood, Rib Lake. Military honors by the Rib Lake American Legion Post #274 will follow. Burial will be in St. Peter’s Lutheran Church Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until the time of service at 1 p.m. Saturday at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.
Herb was born to Joseph & Marcella Scheithauer on Friday, April 11, 1941 in Medford. He went to grade school at Green Grove, and Rib Lake Schools through his freshmen year, when he decided to go to work in the woods. He then joined the Army and finished his GED while in the service. Much of his service time was spent in Germany, where he collected many steins that you will see on display around his home. Herb was honorably discharged in November 1966. After the service, he went to Milwaukee where he worked for Highway Pavers road construction.
Herb met the love of his life, Ruth Radtke, in 1964 at a dance at Zondlo’s. They married on June 11, 1966 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Rib Lake. Herb & Ruth continued to live in Milwaukee, where their days were busy. While there, they had their four children, Dawn, Kris, Jenny, & Ryan; worked, and still managed to travel home for weekend ball games and family time. In 1977, they moved their family back to Rib Lake, and have never looked back!
Herb continued to work construction for 7 more years, then went to work for Smola Brothers Logging. In 2000, he hung it up in the woods and became an independent carrier for the U.S. Postal Service for the next 17 years.
Herb was an avid sports fan from all aspects — watching, playing, coaching, running leagues, and organizing pools — but we can all agree, his true passion was for the game of baseball. He played ball for many years at Chet & Bernie’s, coached the Interwald Woodticks for 35 years, and ran the WBA tournaments at the end of season during those years. In his later years, you could find him by the grill, cooking up his famous “Herbie Burgers” for the Sunday ball games, while watching his own son and many grandsons take the field as a ‘Tick.’ Herb’s love for the game was surpassed only by the love he had for his family, especially his grandchildren. He attended many of their sporting events, and even got to enjoy a couple trips to state baseball tournaments with his grandsons on the field.
Herb was truly involved in everything. He spent countless hours dropping off pool sheets, working on the bowling books, making up brackets for tournaments, putting together luncheons for end of season celebrations, meal planning for the hunting shack, getting ads for the semifinal book, organizing and running the WBA Semifinals, helping out with the annual Ron Smola softball tournament, filling up his Packer pools and 3/33, making up jars of pickled eggs and sausages, and delivering them to various people and many area hunting shacks. There are far too many things to hit on them all, but one thing’s for sure, we will all feel his absence.
Herb was a man who lived life to the fullest by staying active, involved, and connected to everyone in some way. He was a bit growly and a real smart ass sometimes, but he loved with his whole heart and he loved fiercely. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather… son, brother, and uncle… friend, teammate, and coach… a small town legend who will be forever missed by all who knew him, but his memory is sure to live on through the endless connections he made. He will also be deeply missed by Mugzy, his “little buddy,” who laid by his side until his very last day.
Herb is survived by his beloved wife, Ruth; their four children, Dawn (Mark) Wudi, Kris (Ron) Arkola, Jenny (Zane) Schrader, and Ryan (Shanna) Scheithauer; brother Dennis (Cathy) Scheithauer; sisters, Alice Smola and Barb Steinman; brother-inlaw, Ron (Kathy) Rusch; sisters-in-law Delores and Laverne Scheithauer; grandchildren Amber (Jim) Fettes, Hailey Wudi, Maegan (Dylan) Wudi, Andrew Wudi, Jordan (Brooke) Arkola, Josh Arkola, Jerod (Lindsay) Arkola, Dalton (Katie) Strebig, Mackenzie (Mike) Opelt, Ryanna and Ziarra Schrader, Talon, Tahlia, and Slade Scheithauer; great-grandchildren Saige, Silas, Beckham, Easton, Cole, and Greyson; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Joe, Kenny, Bob, Marvin, and Allen Scheithauer; sisters, Bernie Brahmer, Durana Dentz, and Vera Hoffman; brothers-in-law, Jim Smola, Lavern Hoffman, Chet Brahmer, Ray Rusch, and Neil Habeck; sistersin- law, Marcy, Gerri, Beth, and Linda Scheithauer, Kay Heckendorf, and Barb Habeck; grandchild Maddox Scheithauer.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a monetary contribution that the family plans to use toward the donation of a batting cage facility at the Rib Lake baseball diamond in Herb’s memory.
Hemer-Pickerign Funeral & Cremation Services of Medford and Rib Lake is serving the family. Online condolences can be left at www. hemerfuneralservice.com.
Paid Obituary 134874
