Manfred E. Donath

Manfred E. Donath, age 82, of 206 McDill Avenue, Whiting, died early Monday morning, Nov. 13, 2006, at St. Michael's Hospital. He was born June 15, 1924, in Lobau, Germany to the late Hermann and Frida (Kurze) Donath. He entered the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) in 1942, serving in Italy and France as a paratrooper and was taken Prisoner of War on June 11, 1944. His release took place in 1945 and he was returned to his hometown. On April 5, 1945, he was married to Ina Maltzahn in Germany. In February of 1957, they moved to the United States. Ina died Nov. 23, 1985. He later married Irmgard Anderson on Nov. 11, 1987 in Las Vegas, NV.
Manfred worked for Potter & Sons Cranberry Marsh in Cranmoor for 10 years before going to work for the Nekoosa-Edwards Paper Co. in Port Edwards, retiring in 1988. He had also worked for Ironside Motors in Wisconsin Rapids. He loved the Green Bay Packers and was active in the Wausau-Merrill German Club. He also enjoyed traveling, gardening, dancing and loved animals. He built and flew model and radio-controlled airplanes and he was a member of the River Valley Flyers in Wisconsin Rapids. Manfred especially loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

SURVIVORS:

His Wife: Irmgard of Whiting.

His Sons & Daughters:

Roland (Nancy) Donath of Marshfield,
Brigitte (Thomas) Gilson of Lomira,
Gabriele (Special Friend, Tom McConnell) Mehlbrech of Stevens Point,
Robert (Anita) Schmidt of Weidenbach, Germany,
Ingrid (Harry) Weinert of Berlin, Germany,
Christa (Ted) Strong of Plover,
Klaus (Diane) Anderson of Stevens Point,
Diane Salvinski of Stevens Point,
Sandra Brown of Plover,
Gary (Peggy) Anderson of Stevens Point.

2 Brothers:
Martin (Ursala) of Germany,
Erwin of Germany.

Also: 18 Grandchildren and 11 Great-Grandchildren.

In addition to his parents and first wife, Manfred was preceded in death by his sister, Hilde Pushman and brother, Herbert.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his name to the Portage County Humane Society.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday at Pisarski/Dzikoski Funeral Home in Stevens Point with Chaplain Dave Baker officiating. Entombment will follow in Forest Hill Mausoleum, Wisconsin Rapids. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services at the funeral home on Friday morning. For online condolences, please visit www.pisarskifuneralhome.com.

Pisarski/Dzikoski Funeral Home,
Stevens Point, 344-4595