Obituary of Arnold F. Fuerstenberg

Arnold was born on March 6, 1921 in Boscobel, Wisconsin and passed away in the early morning of June 15, 2023 in Waukesha, Wisconsin. At the time of his passing he was exactly 102 years and 100 days old. He was preceded in death by his wife of almost 65 years: Madelyn Ruth (Graetz) Fuerstenberg. Arnie is survived by his daughter, Jeanne Lynne (Charles) Wellhausen of Waukesha, WI and son, Richard Fuerstenberg of Clearwater, FL. He was the cherished "Pa" of grandchildren: Kimberly (Rick), Kari (Lisa), Jason (Emily), Brian (Emily), and great grandchildren: Lauren, Andrea, Finn, Stella, Tyler, Sophia, Tovah, and Peter.

Arnie was the youngest of eight children born to parents August & Emma in Boscobel, Wisconsin. Not wanting to continue farming like his dad, Arnie moved to the big city to find employment at Milwaukee Gear Company where he worked his way up the ranks until becoming a Master Machinist. Because his job involved producing wartime products and supplies, he had a job deferment during the early part of the WW II. Finally, he was drafted into the US Army early in 1944.

Arnie served with honor in the 3rd Armored Division as they trudged through France, Belgium and Germany. He was awarded a Purple Heart for an injury that kept him hospitalized while his unit was plundered in the Battle of the Bulge. When discharged in 1946, he returned to his job at Milwaukee Gear. In total, he worked there for a total of 20 years. But now he had become a member of the “Quiet Generation” and he never talked about the horrors he had witnessed overseas.

Arnie married Madelyn Graetz on September 30, 1950 and moved from the City of Milwaukee to the suburbs in Wauwatosa. After working indoors for so many years, Arnie yearned for a new job in the open air. So, he applied the truck driving skills he acquired while in Europe to begin driving 18-wheelers. He advanced from local home fuel delivery to the specialized hauling of oversized/overweight loads. His cargo ranged from large mining equipment to bulky beams & construction materials to huge engines and all types of heavy machinery with deliveries throughout all of the 48 continental United States.

Arnie spent much of his time at home on weekends methodically remodeling his 110 year-old Tosa farmhouse from top to bottom. He would visit new housing job sites and learn the basics of home construction. By talking to carpenters, plumbers and electricians he was able to enhance this new found knowledge enough to apply these principles to his own three-bedroom home including a one-bedroom apartment on the second floor. He totally demolished and reconstructed one room each year until the whole interior of the house was brand spanking new.

Arnie and Maddie retired to Clearwater, Florida in 1972. But Arnie continued driving on a part-time basis for another 20 years delivering floral arrangements to homes and businesses throughout the Clearwater-St Petersburg area. He finally stopped trucking when they returned to Wisconsin in 2012 and moved into Avalon Square Senior Living. Maddie died there on February 9, 2015 while Arnie continued his residency until his own passing on June 15, 2023.

Celebration of Life services for Arnie will be held at Avalon Square 222 Park Place, Waukesha on June 24th with visitation at 10AM, a military sendoff at 10:45 followed by a memorial service at 11AM.

In August of 2012, Arnie and his daughter, Lynne, travelled to Washington DC with the Wisconsin Honor Flight to visit the new World War II Memorial and several other wartime monuments. Consequently, his family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to Wisconsin Honor Flight.

Donate To The Wisconsin Stars & Stripes Honor Flight Here