Fred Louis West

Fred Louis West, age 96, of Elcho/Madison, died on Saturday, April 13, 2013 at Baraboo Wisconsin. Born June 7, 1916 in Shell Lake, Wisconsin, the son of Louis and Mabel (Carlson) Adam. Fred's father, Louis Adam, died in 1918. In 1922 Mabel married Dewey West and the family moved to the Elcho area where they initially operated a logging camp. During Fred's early years in Elcho he had various jobs, including chauffeuring the owners of Kraftwood Gardens, working for the Elcho telephone company and operating a traveling movie business at the Elcho Grange and other Northern Wisconsin communities. Once while Fred was in the Manitowish Waters area with his movies the Dillinger gang was also there. He was stopped by federal agents who searched his movie truck for gang members. On January 7, 1942 Fred joined the Army. He served in the European and Middle Eastern theaters as Field Wire and Communication Chief. He landed with the third wave at Normandy on his birthday. He was awarded several medals including the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and Silver Battle Star. When Fred returned home from the war he married his girlfriend, Grace Shulze, on October 13, 1945. Fred worked for the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad for many years. In 1961 he moved his family from Elcho to Madison where he continued to work for the railroad until his retirement in 1981, when he and Grace moved back to the Elcho area. Fred was a lifelong member of the Elcho United Church of Christ and also a member of the Plymouth United Church of Christ while living in Madison. He was a member of the American Legion and the C&NW Retired Railroad Workers. Fred was a well-known handyman, he could figure out a way to fix anything. He enjoyed the outdoors, trains and keeping up with the news Fred is survived by his four children, Emily (John) Winburn of Elcho, Karen (Bob) Gutzman, of Baraboo, Peter West of Poynette, and Kenneth West of Elcho, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; two brothers, Oscar West and Eugene West, and a sister, Crystal Tschetter. He was preceded in death by his wife, Grace, his parents; and four of his siblings, an infant sister, Leland, Louise and Hulda. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 23 at the Elcho United Church of Christ with Rev. Gary Wilner officiating. Visitation will be at the church one hour prior to the service. Military Honors will take place at the church following the service. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made in Fred's name to the Elcho United Church of Christ Men's Club.