Kenneth "Ken" J. Rhines

Kenneth “Ken” J. Rhines, age 93, of Iron River, MI, passed away Thursday, September 21, 2017 at the Aspirus Wausau Hospital in Wisconsin. He was born July 6, 1924 in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, the son of the late James and Martha (Kachur) Rhines. He attended and graduated from the Sheboygan Falls High School, with the Class of 1942. He served in the United States Army as a P.F.C. from July 1943 through January 1946. While he was stateside, he served at Camp Grant, Camp McCoy and Indian Gap in Pennsylvania. He was then shipped overseas, and served in Ciney, Belgium, Aacher, Germany and Rheims, France. Ken was fortunate to be able to go on the 2015 Escanaba, Michigan Group “Honor Flight”, with his daughter Kathy, as his sponsor. Ken married Irene Dickman on July 6, 1948 at the Holy name of Jesus Church in Sheboygan, WI and the couple celebrated 69 wonderful years together this summer. He was employed at Bemis Manufacturing Company for over 42 years and was a member of the Bemis 25 Year Club. He was also one of the founding members to organize the Bemis Credit Union, now known as the Meadowlark Credit Union, with the help of credit directors, Curt Joa, Raymond Kuehn and John Strum. He served the Credit Union as Treasurer and on the Board of Directors for 27 years. Ken is very proud of having been part of the beginning of the organization. During his life, he enjoyed raising pigeons, archery, snowmobiling, deer hunting and woodworking. After retirement, he and his wife, Irene, moved to Iron River, to fulfill their dream. Ken was a member of the Blessed Trinity Parish of Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, before moving to Iron River, where he then became an active member of the St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Caspian, Michigan. He was also a member of the Winooski Archery Club and an honorary member of the Sheboygan Falls Snowmobile Club. Ken is survived by his wife, Irene; sons, James (Patricia) Rhines of Kiel, WI and Leslie (Mary) Rhines of Plymouth, WI; daughter, Kathleen (Richard) Spreiser of Tucson, AZ; grandchildren, James, Jr. (Amy), Ashley (Jessica), Marshall (Amy), Aaron (Perri), Erika (special friend, Kurt), Elan (fiancé, Koren), Neil (special friend, Jennifer), Megan (Brian); great grandchildren, James IV, Kyle, Malina, Everett, Rowan, Benjamin, Kennedy and Harrison, as well as extended family and friends.   In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Constance Selke; sisters, Shirley Rhines, Irene Meyer, Clara Hobbs and Vivian Lawrence; half-brother, Herbert Rhines and half-sister, Violet Zemke. Visitation will be held on Thursday, September 28, 2017 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Jacobs Funeral Home of Iron River. Funeral services will follow at 12:00 p.m. at the St. Cecilia Catholic Church, with Rev. Gregory Veneklase to offer the Mass of Christian Burial. The West Side Veterans will accord Military Rites at the service. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date in Plymouth, Wisconsin. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Kenneth "Ken" J. Rhines, please visit our flower store.