William A. “Bill” Raatz, 73, Edgar, passed away Tuesday, September 21, 2021, at the UW Hospital, Madison after a long battle with heart failure.
He was born June 20, 1948, in Berlin, Wisconsin, son of the late Richard F. and Lauraine (Sauerbrei) Raatz. Bill graduated from Wautoma high school in 1966. He then attended MSOE in Milwaukee for computer programming. On July 13, 1968, he married Shari Groth in Redgranite. She survives.
Bill started working at St. Joseph’s hospital in Milwaukee in programming. He and Shari then moved to Marathon City in 1974 where he worked at Wausau Insurance in Data Processing. In 1976 they moved to their current home south of Edgar. In 1985 Bill started Data Resource with Charlie Dahlke writing his own computer programs for the county governments. Bill ran DRI until he retired, still doing the bookkeeping till the end.
In 1991, Bill and Shari bought a cottage on North Twin Lake near Phelps. They enjoy many vacations and long weekends relaxing and fishing. In 1996 Bill and Jon traveled to Ontario Canada for a spring bear hunt, Bill shot a beautiful brown faze black bear. Over the years Bill has also hunted Elk, Mule deer and Antelope in Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, and New Mexico. He was especially proud of his 8x7 elk he shot near Cortez CO in 2012. Bill had just received his first bobcat permit and was looking forward to hunting one this winter. He enjoyed cutting wood, riding his 4-wheeler around the woods by the house and also at the hunting land. He enjoyed wood working, making toy chests for his grandchildren. His biggest enjoyment was spending time with his grandchildren either watching their sporting events or teaching them new things.
Survivors include his loving wife of 53 years, Shari, Edgar, his three children, Jon (Kathy) Raatz, Edgar, Christy (Dan) Roloff, Weston and Matt Raatz, Racine, nine grandchildren, Hunter (Heather), Mitchell, William Raatz, Alexis (deceased), and Logan Roloff, Ethan, Katja, Mya, Landon Raatz, step grandson Jake Lueck, three sisters, Jean Johannes, Oshkosh, Janice Dumonson, Weston and Judy (Gary) Oleson, Arkansas and many nieces and nephews.
Besides his parents he was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Alexis Roloff and three brothers, Jerry, James and Tom Raatz.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, October 1, 2021, at St. Agnes Catholic Church, Weston. The Rev. Greg Bohren will officiate. Burial will be in the parish cemetery. Visitation will be held from 9 a.m. until the time of services all at the St. Agnes church. Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, Wausau is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com
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William A. Raatz