Harold W. Jaeger

MERCER, Wis. — Harold W. Jaeger, 94, of Mercer, went to be with his Lord Tuesday, May 28, 2013, in his home, with his daughter by his side.

Harold was born Oct. 20, 1918, in Merrill, son of the late August and Martha (Weege) Jaeger, attended the Goetschel School in Pine River, and farmed with his dad in Pine River. He came to Mercer in 1935, where he worked for Walt and Alvina Hanneman in their lumber mill.

Moving to Wausau, he worked at the Wausau Paper Mill for two years, then farmed once again in Pine River. Returning to Mercer in 1946, Harold worked with his father-in-law on the Chicago and North Western Railroad for two years, and at the Keith Jesse Sawmill from 1950 to 1967, when he purchased the equipment and the mill closed. He then was a self-employed excavator until retiring in 1982. In retirement, he worked for Arnold Saarnio for six years and plowed snow in the winter.

Harold was a legend in his time. He was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Mercer.

On March 12, 1941, he was married to the former Vivian Strahlow at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Ironwood, Mich. She preceded him in death on Dec. 30, 1997.

Surviving are his daughter, Darlene Jaeger, Mercer; a sister-in-law, Elsie Jaeger, Merrill; four nephews, Marvin Strahlow, Madison, Roger (Kate) Jaeger, Oshkosh, Ronald (Teri) Jaeger, Menomonee Falls, and Keith (Danette) Jaeger, Wausau; and a niece, Lorraine (William) Buehler, Whitefish Bay.

Harold was preceded in death by two brothers, Herman and Edwin; three sisters, Amanda Sutte, Emma Jaeger and Alvina Hanneman; and a niece, Carol Hanneman, on June 19, 2003.

Private funeral services will be held at Zion Lutheran Church in Mercer, with burial to follow in the Mercer Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Zion Lutheran Church or Regional Hospice Services Inc., 100 S. Mill St., Bessemer MI 49911.

Arrangements have been entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home Inc., Ironwood, where memories may be shared online at mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com.