Raymond L. Thill

Raymond L. Thill, 78, of 111 Putnam Street, Oakfield, died unexpectedly on Friday, April 18, 2008, at home.He was born on March 6, 1930, in Oakfield, a son of Harvey A. and Edna Knoll Thill. Ray served with the United States Army, as a sergeant, in the artillery division, during the Korean War from 1951-1953.On April 14, 1951, he married Mary Jane Bowe at United Methodist Church, Lamartine. They lived on the family farm on Highway Y in Oakfield for 13 years and Lamartine for 40 years before moving to Oakfield in 2004.He was employed with the Lamartine Creamery, CW Transport, Hawthorn Melody Dairy, and Tractor-Trailer Leasing before joining Mercury Marine, where he retired in 1995.Ray was a member of United Methodist Church and the Lamartine Volunteer Fire Department. He was also a member of the Oakfield VFW Post 8092, the Teamsters Union Local 200 for 16 years, and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Winnebago Lodge 1947. He is survived by his wife, Mary Jane; nine children: Jane (Rocky) Bates, Kathy (Gary) Zielicke, Ervin “Buck” (Lynn) Thill, Sheila Baublit (special friend Paul Thorpe), John (Heidi) Ness-Thill, Jim (Dorene) Thill, Cindy (Chuck) Dineen, Karen (Jim) Kopf, Heidi (Mark) Kopf; 23 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; two sisters: Dorothy Franke, Judy (Ray) Ballwanz; three brothers: Bob (Lorraine) Thill, Eugene (Barb) Thill, Larry Thill; two sisters-in-law: Ona Mae (Bill) Thill, Ella Mae (Marvin) Yanke; many nieces and nephews; and special friends: Al and Shirley Dinse and Mary Schmidt.He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Bill Thill; two sisters: Rosie Pixley, Ruth Rausch; two brothers-in-law: Forest Pixley, Oscar Franke; his father and mother-in-law, Ervin and Esther Bowe; two sisters-in-law: Ruth Ann Zimmerman, Dorothy Soles; a brother-in-law, Clarence Bowe; and a special friend, Milton Schmidt.The visitation will be from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Monday, April 21, 2008, at Mach Funeral Chapel, 31 East Division Street, Fond du Lac, and on Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service.The funeral service will be at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 22, 2008, at Mach Funeral Chapel with Rev. Nancy Green officiating. Burial will follow at Ledgeview Memorial Park with military rites conducted by the Oakfield VFW Post 8092.

Raymond L. Thill

March 6, 1930 - April 18, 2008