Claude Albert Peaslee, 97, 321 13th Ave. S., Wisconsin Rapids, died Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012, at his residence with his family at his side.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church, Wisconsin Rapids. The Rev. Vicki Natzke will officiate. Burial in Restlawn Memorial Park with military rites provided by VFW Post 2534 of Wisconsin Rapids.
Visitation will be held at Ritchay Funeral Home from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, and from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sunday at the church.
Claude was born Oct. 9, 1914, in Pittsville, to William and Anna (Gotz) Peaslee. He was educated in Wood County schools and worked in area cranberry marshes until he was drafted into the service in August of 1941. He was at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. After World War II started, he was a radar operator in the Aleutian Islands. He achieved the rank of T-5 in the U.S. Army Signal Corps.
He married Myrtle Ruth Snyder on Aug. 19, 1944, at St. Joachim’s Catholic Church in Pittsville.
He was mustered out of service in October of 1945 at Truax Field.
In December of 1945, he was hired at Paperboard Division of Consolidated Papers Inc. He was a slitter operator for 31 years, retiring in 1976.
After retirement, winters were spent in Dewey, Ariz., where he built a house. Summers were spent in Milladore. They continued wintering in Dewey until 1999 when they sold their house down there and bought another house in Wisconsin Rapids.
Claude and Myrtle belonged to St. John’s Episcopal Church where he served on the vestry and as treasurer. He was a member of the Brotherhood of St. Andrews. Claude and Myrtle were charter members of the Heart of Wisconsin Gem & Mineral Society.
He was a past member of Union Local 93, Pulp & Sulfite Workers of America, and served as recording secretary. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 2534.
Claude started his carpentry career in February of 1954, building a house on First Street in Wisconsin Rapids. Over the years, he helped numerous friends build houses also. He also, of course, helped his children with many and varied remodeling projects over the years.
As part of his hobby of rock hunting, he and his wife traveled to Canada, Oregon, Alaska, Arizona, New York, Arkansas, Washington, and Idaho. He made jewelry, tables, and clocks.
Then he moved on to woodworking and made tables, lamps, and clocks. He made a grandmother and grandfather clock from oak boards that he planed.
In 1984, a friend got him interested in stained glass. Claude’s interest far surpassed his friend’s teachings. He signed up for stained-glass classes through a local college in Prescott, Ariz. The rest is history, as Claude continued to indulge his family and friends with gifts of his stained-glass creations from sun catchers to lamps to windows. His creations grace numerous homes and churches throughout the country.
He is survived by his wife; four children, James (Sherieda Bender) Peaslee of Prior Lake, Minn.; Susan (William) Schulte of Minocqua, Robert (Beverly) Peaslee of Milladore, and William (JoAnn) Peaslee of Oostburg; nine grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; two sisters, Irene Rasmussen of Cranmoor, and Regina Floyd of South Carolina; two brothers, Willis of Nekoosa, and John of City Point.
He was predeceased by his parents, one infant daughter, Mary Louise; and one infant great-granddaughter, three brothers, Francis, Fred, and Roy, and five sisters, Joyce Schilter, Bernice Lilley, Pearl Larson, Julie Weiss, and Vera Peaslee.
