WILLIAM GEAR
July 14, 1924 - June 12, 2019
Obituary
William “Bill” Gear, age 94, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, after a lengthy illness. He was born on July 14, 1924 in Menasha to the late Roy “Hugh” Gear and Caroline (Heckrodt) Gear. Bill graduated from Menasha High School in 1942 and began working at Banta Publishing Company. He proudly served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps. during World War II from 1943 to 1946. Bill served in both the European and Pacific Theaters and his favorite story was his crossing the Atlantic on the Queen Mary when it served as a hospital ship. Following his military service, he worked at Gear Dairy in Menasha until 1968 and then worked for the Menasha School District, retiring as the head of maintenance at Menasha Senior High School. On October 12, 1950, Bill married Dolores Gelbke and the couple enjoyed 68 years together.
Bill enjoyed raising and flying homing pigeons and was a member of the Valley Flying Pigeon Club. He was a bowler since high school and served as a Little League baseball coach and a troop leader for Boy Scout Troop #14 Congregational United Church of Christ Neenah-Menasha. He was a member of the Menasha Historical Society.
Bill is survived by his wife Dolores; children: Linda (Steven) Stoll, Menasha, Steven (Tressa) Gear, Freedom and Alan (friend Kay Franke) Gear, Menasha; grandchildren Brian (Stephanie) Stoll, Italy, Jennifer (Eric) Blankenfeld, Fox Crossing, Rebecca (Bill) Brown, Menasha, Jason (Kelly) Stoll, Menasha and Lacy Gear, Freedom; great- grandchildren Megan and Abbey Stoll, Tyler Balcomb and Christopher Blankenfeld, Lily and Wyatt Brown; sisters Carole Kinas and Dorothy Jones; nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Hugh and Duane and sisters Helen, Elaine, and Margaret.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, July 13, 2019 at the Congregational United Church of Christ Neenah-Menasha, 1511 Nicolet Blvd, Neenah. Visitation will be held at the church from 9:00am until the service. Full Military Honors will follow with the Neenah/Menasha Veterans Honor Guard. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund will be established.
Bill's family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to his caregivers from Home Instead especially Ed and Terry and the nursing and care staff from Affinity Visiting Nurses Home Care and Hospice.