In Memoriam: Notable people who died in 2022
Every year we see a list of all the people the media feels are notable losses to us. We get wrapped up in this and we forget the everyday people who have touched our lives and the lives of the people important to all of us. This year and other years, all of us have lost love ones who are notable to their families. My list of twenty people is by no means complete, but these are the people, that my friends and family have lost.
You can read a person's obituary and get know a little bit about that person. Ron was a lot more. I'm not even sure where to begin or what to say. Ron was a lot of different things to different people. He was the PGA pro at the Rhinelander Country Club. He was a husband, dad, grandpa, snowbird, mentor, deacon and chaplain. He touched so many people in a positive way. I first knew Ron as the pro at the club when we joined the RCC. Over the years, I'd like to think that we became friends. He was quick with a smile and made you feel comfortable.
I met Michele went I started playing PM women's golf league. She was a real stickler for the rules, but not in a bad way. I learned a lot about how to correctly play golf, making me a better player. Michele was also a lot of fun to play with, just the right mix of serious and humor. She was always quick with a joke. Michele was also known for her love of the salmon entree on the menu and often had it. I will miss our discussions and her humor.
She worked as a nursing assistant for five years at Phelps Nursing Home before finding her passions for with animals. She was a vet technician for 20 years and the last 10 years she was a pet sitter. It was when she was a tech for Dr Dunn when I met Eva, she was so comfortable around my pets. Eva moved from working for a vet in Rhinelander to one in Eagle River, and I lost touch with her for some time. Then one fateful day when my dog Lilly was in that vet's care instead of her regular vet, that I came in touch with her again. She was so compassionate with Lilly, you would have thought she was Eva's dog. We kept in better touch after that and it was a total shock when we lost Eva this past summer.
Leah was one of my mentors when I was first learning to golf. Her kindness, patience and encouragement is something I will never forget. I had a horrible slice when I first started playing, Leah would make suggestions, never making me feel bad about how disastrous my last stroke was. Slowly I improved and I hope she knew how much she helped me. Leah will always be remembered for her kindness, loving heart and laugh.
Alice Marie Ingraham (December 9, 2022)
I didn't personally know Alice. She was one of my friends from work, mom. Linda would talk about her mom often. She'd talk about going to lunch or the casino with her. The last few years, Alice had to go into assisted living. Linda went and visited her often and took a quite a few pictures of herself and mom. She'd share the holiday pictures of Alice with us. Alice was greatly loved and will be missed by her children and grandkids.
I met "Manna" through a friend at work. Annette is her mom. Annette had a special friendship with her daughter Brenda and son-in-law Greg. I only saw Manna when she'd stop in at work to see Brenda. It's easy for me to think of her as Manna because of how she was. When you'd ask about any of her family or her special pets Buddy and Lucy (and most recently Lacy) her whole face would light up. Annette's family lost her to a short battle with cancer. Cancer sucks.
Shirley lived a long and full life. She loved her home life and did not like to travel much. Her greatest joy came from watching her family in their sports activities, especially baseball. She will sorely be missed by her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
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Were a mother and son who passed within 5 months of each other. Brothers and sisters barely had time to process losing their mother before having to process losing a brother. It 's hard enough to lose one family member in the course of one year let a lone two.
Leroy “Val” Lukowski (February 27, 2022 )
Val was lost early in 2022. Val as he was known to friends and family was a much loved husband and father. Val was an avid golfer and sportsman (which included hunting and fishing) He and his wife lived by the Rhinelander Country Club and you would often see Val sitting in his yard watching the golfers and cheering them on.
Rich, had an usual nickname of Itch. He was one of the older brothers of a long time friend of my sister. He had a great love for music, hunting, fishing, and his family.
