Donald Anthony Resch, 75 of Birnamwood, passed away on Saturday, September 29, 2018 at his home under the care of his wife, Diane, and LeRoyer Hospice of Antigo.
Don was born on July 28, 1943 in Mattoon, the eldest son of the late Louis A. and Hilda (Koeppel) Resch. He grew up on a dairy farm and graduated in 1961 from Birnamwood High School. On June 1, 1963, Don was united in marriage to Dorothy C. Heckert at St. Boniface Catholic Church, Aniwa. She preceded him in death in December of 2000. After marriage, Don bought his father’s milk routes and drove truck for several years. In June of 1968, he joined the Wisconsin State Patrol and moved to Mauston. In May of 1970, the couple then moved to Bradenton, FL, where he joined the Bradenton Police Department retiring in 1990. The couple then moved back home to Wisconsin.
After returning home, he settled in the Mattoon area where he worked as a truck driver, at a casino and at Homme Youth and Family Programs for 11 years. Don also served as the town of Hutchins clerk from 1993 until 2012. On May 11, 2002, Don was united in marriage to Diane Nickens Frietag at United Methodist Church in Mattoon. She survives.
All his life, Don enjoyed playing sports, mainly basketball and baseball. As his children grew up, he enjoyed coaching all of their games at the Boys Clubs. He also enjoyed many hours of fishing and hunting with them. Don was always happy to help others and enjoyed the time he spent working with the troubled youth at Homme. After Don & Diane joined St. John’s Lutheran Church in Mattoon, Don enjoyed serving on the church council for many years and took pride in doing the custodial work for a number of years. At retirement, Diane encouraged Don to take up golf, a game he learned to love and he taught Diane to play with him. He always said, “There is nothing more beautiful and relaxing than riding around on a beautiful golf course on a beautiful day with a beautiful woman in your golf cart.”
Don and Diane enjoyed traveling, staying in their timeshares and playing golf nearly every day through spring, summer and fall. They especially enjoyed playing the golf courses in the hills of Tennessee, the Carolinas and Missouri. They were regulars at Bass Lake, Antigo and Maple Hills, Wittenberg.
Survivors include his wife, Diane of Birnamwood; five sons, Donald L. (April) Resch of Waynesboro, TN, Steven C. (Donna) Resch of Sister Bay, Tracy A. Resch of Antigo, Trevor E. (Traci) Resch of Hatley and Christopher T. (Amy) Resch of Birnamwood; 12 grandchildren, Donald A. II & Nicholas Resch of Wausau, Stephanie Resch of Tennessee, Desarai & Casey Resch of Bartow, FL, Corey Resch of Antigo, Traci K. Tallman of Antigo, Damien Resch of Wausau, Dylan Resch of Wittenberg, Brittny (Billy) Resch of Wausau and Natasha (Casey Hitz) Resch of Birnamwood; 7 great grandchildren, Izzy and Zada Resch of Tennessee, Caiden and Caleigh Resch of Birnamwood, Kaylan Resch of Florida, E. Jay Louis Resch of Antigo and Braelyn Hitz of Birnamwood; siblings, Delores ‘Dolly’ Dickman of Antigo, Carol (Rodney) Davidson of WA, Gerald (special friend Sharon Walker) Resch, Helen (John) Meverden, Thomas Resch and Mary (William) Noskowiak, all of Birnamwood, Sharon Resch of Antigo, Eugene Resch, Michael (Barbara) Resch and Terry (Tammy) Resch, all of Birnamwood and Tim ( Dorothy) Resch of Wausau and many other relatives and friends.
Donald was preceded in death by his first wife Dorothy and parents, Louis and Hilda Resch.
A Christian Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, October 4, 2018 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Mattoon. Rev. Dean Bertsch will officiate. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Mattoon. Visitation will be held on Wednesday from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Schmidt & Schulta Funeral Home, Birnamwood and again on Thursday, at the church, from 10:00am until the time of service.