William J. Ubbink

Mr. William Ubbink of Sherwood, formerly of Random Lake, Saukville and Port Washington, passed away at Theda Care Regional Medical Center in Neenah on Wednesday, December 26, 2018. He was 76 years old. Bill was born in Milwaukee on May 4, 1942 and was raised in Port Washington, son of Arnold and Marjorie "Marge" (Hoff) Ubbink. He attended local schools and graduated from Port Washington High School, Class of 1961; Bill was listed on the school’s Wall of Honor in 2017 for his military service. Mr. Ubbink proudly served as an aircraft mechanic with the United States Marine Corps from 1963 through 1967 before returning to school and earning his Associates Degree in Respiratory Care from MATC, Milwaukee. On July 14, 1973 Bill was united in marriage with Donna Stephan at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Port Washington. The couple lived in Saukville before moving to Random Lake. Bill worked as a Respiratory Care practitioner at St. Joseph Hospital in West Bend until his retirement. They moved to Sherwood, just outside High Cliff State Park, in 2017. Bronco, as he was called by family and friends, was a cowboy at heart with the soul of a poet. He was a gun aficionado and had an extremely artistic side; painting, drawing, metal work and leather work were some of his many talents, as well as writing poetry and love letters to his wife. Bill was a member of the stumpfiddle band “ The Fun Stumpers”, enjoyed watching movies, walks in the woods and motorcycles. He loved to tell jokes and in recent years had begun to write them down so he wouldn’t forget the good ones. Above all, he loved spending time and going on adventures with his favorite grandson and best friend, Brennen. Mr. Ubbink was a member of Portview Church, the Landt-Theil American Legion Post 470 and the Sheboygan Marine Corps League. Survivors include his loving wife Donna, their daughter Jodi Ubbink (fiancé Brian Athey) of Kaukauna, grandson Brennen Athey, also of Kaukauna, and sister Andrea “Sandy” (the late Don) Meyer of Graham, WA. He is further survived by brothers- and sisters-in-law Donald & Barbara Stephan, Jr. of Saukville, Diane & Larry Block of Port Washington and Buck Stephan (partner Audrey Emerson) of Batavia, nieces, nephews, other family and many friends. He is preceded in death by his parents Arnold and Marjorie Ubbink, parents-in-law Donald Sr. and Connie Stephan and sister-in-law Darlene Schmit Faust. Funeral Services will be held at 5PM on Sunday, December 30th at the Eernisse Funeral Home, 1600 W. Grand Ave., Port Washington. Pastor Mark Larson will preside. The family will receive visitors at the Funeral Home on Sunday from 2-5PM. A legion walk-through will take place at 5PM, followed by Military Honors just prior to the service. He will be inurned at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Union Grove.