JOHN J. "JACK" BERTZ, age 87, of Loyal, WI, passed away on Monday, July 18, 2022 at the Abbotsford Healthcare Center in Abbotsford, WI.  Funeral services will be held at 1pm on Friday, July 22, 2022 at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Loyal, with Rev. Emmanuel Famiyeh officiating.  Visitation will be held at the church, on Friday, from 12pm until time of service.  Burial will take place in St. Anthony Catholic Cemetery at a later date.

     John Joseph Bertz was born on May 11, 1935 in Greenwood, WI, the son of John E. and Cecelia A. (Schmitz) Bertz.  He was raised on the family farm and received his education in Greenwood area schools, graduating from Greenwood High School in 1953, where he was an exceptional athlete.  After high school, Jack hauled milk for Wuethrich's before being drafted into the U.S. Army on January 4, 1956, where he played baseball and football for the Army.  He was honorably discharged on November 13, 1957.  Jack returned to Greenwood and worked for his father whitewashing and tending bar at his parents' bar in Loyal.  He was united in marriage to Elayne M. Earll on April 30, 1960 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Marshfield, WI.  Jack worked for Williams Pipeline until moving to Loyal in 1962, where he started a logging business with his father.  In 1967, while still logging, Jack began working part-time for the Clark County Sheriff's Department in Neillsville.  He later worked for the Loyal Police Department and remained there until becoming employed at Land O' Lakes in Spencer in 1979.  Jack worked at Land O' Lakes until a back injury forced him to stop working in 1984.

     He had many interests, but especially enjoyed deer hunting, fishing, watching baseball, NASCAR and the Packers, doing word search puzzles, playing sheepshead, pinochle and cribbage.

     Jack will be dearly missed by his wife, Elayne, of Loyal; his five children: Rhonda (Robert) Lynes of Wausau, Mona Bertz of Daytona Beach, FL, Ranee Bertz (Joe Schultz) of Chili, Shawn Bertz of Loyal, Rolanda Bertz of Lakeland, FL; one step-grandson: Jonathon Schultz; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

     He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother: Kenneth Bertz, and one sister: Roberta "Bobbie" Warmuth.