Junior W. Menting

Junior Wilbert Menting, age 87, of Modena, passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 13, 2024, in the arms of his beloved wife and surrounded by his daughters at his home while under the care of St. Croix Hospice.

He was born on December 27, 1936 at the home of his parents, Wilbert and Rose (Baader)  Menting, in the Town of Nelson.

Junior attended grade school and high school in Nelson and was in the last graduating class of the Nelson High School in 1955.  Junior, and his high school sweetheart, Veronica Ristow, were voted Nelson High School prom king and queen.

On December 21, 1957, Junior took the hand of his high school sweetheart, Veronica, as they exchanged vows at Lyster Lutheran Church.  To this beloved union, four daughters were born.

Junior held several different jobs in his early married years including driving semi-truck for the Lake Pepin Fisheries in Pepin and would do long hauls to the northern east coast of New York and Boston.  He would soon take on a new path of employment as a union laborer and would spend much of his career at Market & Johnson in Eau Claire.  He would proudly take his family past some of the structures he helped build, such as Luther Hospital, the former K-Mart building, the Eau Claire County Jail, and Dairyland Power. After several years as a union laborer, Junior began a career with the Buffalo County Highway Department which spanned over 20 years, until his retirement.

Junior, his wife and family were longtime and devout members of Lyster Lutheran Church in the Town of Nelson. 

Junior loved to spend time outdoors cutting wood.  Junior would tell his daughters, while helping cut wood, that making wood will warm you twice, once while making it and then by burning it.  He also enjoyed tinkering in his garage, fishing, especially spearing carp, taking rides on his motorcycle, casino trips, and taking his entire family on vacations.  Junior had a humane soul towards animals, especially his cats.

Junior will be remembered as an honest, hard-working and ethical man that put the needs of his family before his own. These three attributes were among the most important values that Junior would instill in his daughters as they were growing up.  Junior always expressed appreciation and heartfelt thanks to all of those that helped him along the way.  He will forever be remembered as the true definition of a husband, dad and grandpa.  Junior was dearly loved and will truly be missed by his family. 

Junior will be sadly missed by his beloved wife of the past 66 years, Veronica; daughters, Julie (Bill) Schwennsen, Sue Burr (Gary Aron), Holly (Gary) Wieland and Sheila (Colin) Severson; grandchildren, Kristopher (Hiedi) Schwennsen, Amanda Schwennsen, Jessica (Jonathan) Holt, Becky (Chris) Carpenter, Stacey Burr (Mikey Fornicoia), Heidi (Ryan) Barthels, Sam Wieland (Shelby Conway), Justine (Greg) Schultz and Danica Larsen; 13 great grandchildren; brothers, Darrell (Christine) Menting and Roger (MaryLou) Menting, and his sister, Joanne Orne.

Besides his parents, Junior was preceded in death by his brother in law, Donald Orne, and by Veronica’s parents, Harvey and Olga Ristow and step mother in law, Selma Ristow.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, April 19, 2024 at 11:00AM at Lyster Lutheran Church with Pastor Mike Vetsch and Chaplain Steve Hay officiating.  Burial will follow at the Church Cemetery.  A visitation will be held on Thursday, April 18, 2024, from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM at the Talbot Family Funeral Home, Mondovi Chapel, and again on Friday at the church from 10:00 AM until the hour of the service.