Mike, age 76, died at Aurora Medical Center's ICU surrounded by his family on August 26, 2018, after a courageous battle with heart disease.
Eugene "Mike" was born to the late Richard and Margaret (Kauer) Hartzheim on November 27, 1941. He grew up in Appleton, WI and graduated from Appleton High School in 1960.
He married Kathleen Dellemann on May 11, 1963, at St Mary Catholic Church (in the little old white church) in Winneconne, WI. They lived in Appleton the first 2 and a half years of their marriage. They have lived in Winneconne since 1965 and in their present home for 41 years where many fond memories were made. They were blessed with 4 awesome children, 9 loving grandchildren, and 3 great- grandchildren.
Mike loved spending time with family and friends. He also had fun traveling, reading, playing board games, cards, computer games, tending to his fish pond, and hand feeding any frog who called his pond home. Mike had a deep faith in God. He loved being Dad, Dad-in-Law, Papa/Grampa, and Great-Papa.
He was a Sheet Metal Journeyman having worked at Muza, Bassett, and Azco Sheet Metal all of his working years. He was a greeter at St. Mary Catholic Church, Winneconne where he also assisted with church office jobs and at funeral dinners when extra hands were needed. Mike was the Winneconne Auxiliary Police Chief for many years and on the Winneconne Volunteer Fire Department for 25 years. He loved to joke and make people laugh and cause trouble, hence the nick name "Trouble".
Mike is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Kathleen; two daughters: Michelle "Missy", Central WI Center for the Developmentally Disabled, Madison, WI; Debra "Deb" and her husband Andrew "Andy" Gross, Auroraville, WI; two sons: Michael "Mike" and his wife Mary, Midlothian IL; and Richard "Rick" and his wife Jazmin, Appleton, WI; grandchildren: Megan Kennedy and her husband Ben Axt, Seattle WA; Amanda Kennedy, Greenville, SC; Steve Gross and his wife Dylan, Ripon, WI; Jaimie Gross and her husband Jarred Beranich, Ripon, WI; Katie and Sophie Hartzheim, Midlothian IL; Nora Hartzheim, Aly and Max West, Appleton, WI; great-grandchildren: Teagan and Quinlyn Gross, Vivishion Beranich, Ripon, WI. He is further survived by six sisters: Irene (Floyd) Van Asten, Appleton, WI; Kathleen "Toots" Van Deraa, Kaukauna, WI; Dorothy "Dot" Kons, Cottage Grove, MN; Liz Downey, Hillsboro, OR; Lucille Kosten, Delafield, WI; Rose (RD) Birdsong, Pulaski, TN; two brothers: James (Margie) Hartzheim, Corpus Christi, TX; Thomas (Penny) Hartzheim, Lafayette, CO; one brother-in-law, James "Jim" Dellemann, Oshkosh, WI; two sisters-in-law, Bobbye Hartzheim, Appleton, WI and Marie Hughes, Appleton, WI; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and one very special aunt, Marcella Dellemann.
He was preceded in death by his parents; bothers Ken and John Hartzheim; one sister, Mary Hartzheim; and two brothers-in-law, Marvin "Otts" Van Deraa and Tom Downey.
A visitation will be held on Friday, August 31, 2018, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Mueller Funeral Home 904 E. Main St. Winneconne, where a Rosary will be prayed at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will continue on Saturday, September 1 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church 210 Pleasant Dr. Winneconne. A funeral Mass will be held on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at the church with Fr. Matthew Rappl and Sr. Pam Biehl officiating. Burial will follow in the Winneconne Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial will be established in Mike's name.
A very special thanks to the ICU staff at Aurora Medical Center.
If you wish please submit online condolences to muellerfuneralhomeinc.com.