Full Obituary

     ROBERT J. MERTENS, age 86, of Thorp, WI recently residing in King, WI, passed away on Monday, October 18, 2021 at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center in Appleton, WI.  Funeral services will be held 11am on Friday, October 29, 2021 at Thorp Funeral Home. Rev. Baskaran Sandhiyagu will officiate, and burial will follow in St. Bernard Catholic Cemetery in Thorp, with military rites conducted by the Thorp Legion Post.  Visitation will be held at Thorp Funeral Home on Friday, October 29, 2021 from 9:30am until time of service.
     Robert Joseph Mertens was born on July 8, 1935 in Thorp, WI, the son of Oscar C. and Catherine (Heimann) Mertens.  He was raised on the family farm, and received his education in the Thorp area, graduating from Thorp High School in 1953.  He was a proud member of the basketball team in high school, and his team made it to Sectionals twice.  After high school, Bob worked on the family farm for a few years, and enlisted into the U.S. Army on March 7, 1958.  He received his basic training at Fort Collins, CO and was later stationed at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, TX.  Bob was then transferred to Fort Richardson, near Anchorage, AK, where he spent 18 months working in the medical supply unit.  After his honorable discharge on February 29, 1964, he returned to Thorp and worked for Hoffman Dairy.  Bob met the love of his life, Rosalie H. Kaminski, while participating in a bowling league in Thorp.  They enjoyed bowling and pool with friends.  They were united in marriage by his brother, Fr. Michael Mertens, on October 17, 1972 at Holy Family Catholic Church, in Willard, WI.  After Hoffman Dairy closed in 1981, Bob went to work at the Clark County Health Care Center, in Owen, WI, as a nursing assistant until his retirement in 2005.
     He had many interests, but especially enjoyed fishing with his family, deer hunting, vegetable gardening, and watching all Wisconsin sports, especially the Green Bay Packers.  He attended Packer games with friends in his single life, and attended his last one with family a few years ago.  After retirement, he enjoyed a yearly Brewer game with his family. He enjoyed hearing about his grandkids’ accomplishments and stories in person and on the phone with a smile and twinkle in his eye. 
     Bob is survived by his wife, Rosalie, of Thorp; his twin children: Dave (Donna) Mertens of Eldorado, WI, and Diane (Jerry) Leveille of Wauwatosa, WI; 4 grandchildren: Carter and Caleb Mertens, and Rachel and Marisa Leveille; Sister-in-law: MaryAnn Mertens of Neenah, WI; and Brothers-in-Law: Ed Kaminski of Townsend, MT, Ted Kaminski of Cheverly, MD, Sisters-in-Law: LouAnn Przesmicki of Wausau, WI, and Monica Kaminski of Stanley, WI; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
     He was preceded in death by his parents; 8 sisters: Catherine Hazuga, Marie Weix, Helen Koenig, Marcella Nye, Ruth Weix, Dolores Techmeier, Theresa Westberg, Margaret Slowiak; and 4 brothers: Hugo, Bernard, Francis, and Father Michael Mertens.
     In lieu of flowers,  please make a donation to The Wisconsin Veterans’ Home at King, WI (www.dva.wi.gov), or The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (michaeljfox.org).