Obituaries

Herbert Paul “Herb” Kritz Herbert Paul Kritz, age 88, was born on March 31, 1934. He was the son of Reuben and Aurelia Kritz and born and raised on the Kritz century dairy farm in Wyoming Township, Iowa County. He passed away on January 11, 2023, in Bonham, Texas, with his wife Patricia Dorner at his side. Herb did his grade school studies at the Knob’s one-room country school and graduated from Dodgeville High School in 1950. Afterwards, he continued to work on the family farm and started working at Oscar Mayer plant and Rach’s Bar and Grill. In 1955, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy (1955-57) and then enrolled in the Business School, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Business studies perked his interest in sales and led to jobs selling heavy equipment for Allis Chalmers, Rolls Royce and Lockheed. His ability to engage with strangers, tell stories, and make friends made him an ideal salesman.  In 1970, he moved to San Francisco and established his own business, HK Discount Doors. Owning his business gave him scheduling flexibility and allowed him to pursue other interests, particularly travel to other countries. He started traveling the world while stationed on the USS Moale and continued doing so whenever he could get away. To cover costs, he often worked on cruise ships and on one trip, he was the social director on the Queen Elizabeth 2 ship. As his business grew, jet travel made it easier and quicker for him to travel and twice he made “Round the World” trips. Although San Francisco, California, was his home for 40 plus years, he never forgot his Wyoming Township farm roots and visited Wisconsin regularly. He never missed a family reunion or weddings of nieces and nephews or funerals of aunts, uncles and other relatives. He loved Wisconsin’s southwest and at one point he planned to retire there because he owned several properties in Spring Green and Wyoming Township. But friends he had worked with at Lockheed in Dallas lured him back to Texas. After moving to Cooper, Texas, in 2015, Herb met and fell in love with Patricia Dorner. In 2018, he left his 84 years as a bachelor behind and married Patricia in Sulphur Bluff, Texas. The marriage gave Herb another family that he loved and that loved and cared for him. He is survived by his stepdaughter, Karen Powers (Don), stepsons Brian (Dana) and Timmy (Veronica) Dorner; his mother-in-law Marie Chester; and eight grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. His Kritz survivors include three sisters, Kathryn Peterson of Middleton, Mary Kritz (Doug Gurak) of Wyoming Township, and Marge Hottmann (Robert) of Spring Green; brother Fred of Bella Vista, Arizona; 12 nieces and nephews: Scott and Jeff (Adrian) Shabaz; Greg (Tammy), Perry, Dan (Kelly Meyers), Rob, and Rodney (Kelly) Kritz, Stacie Kritz Peterson (Rob); Julie Hottmann Sawchuk (Kevin), Carl Hottmann (Angie), Renee Hottmann Roan (Matt): and many grandnieces, grandnephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, Reuben and Aurelia (Schoenmann) Kritz; his brother-in-law, Jack Peterson; his sister-in-law Carol (Fred) Kritz; his niece Jamie Kritz;  his grandparents, Paul and Elizabeth (Starry) Kritz and Herbert and Lucy (Hutter) Schoenmann; and his good friend, Elizabeth Woodall. A visitation will be held at St. John the Evangelist, Spring Green, on June 9, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at which a light brunch will be available, followed by a Mass at 11 a.m. Father Garrett Kau will officiate. Herb will be buried in the Kritz family plot at St. John Cemetery, Spring Green, following the Mass. The Spring Green American Legion Post # 253 will do military gravesite rites at the cemetery. The family requests that donations be made to St. John the Evangelist or to a charity of your choice.