Milton F. Kreif, 85, of West Bend, passed away on Thursday, March 27, 2008 at his home.
He was born on January 10, 1923 in the town of Auburn to the late Albert and Ella (nee Kirmse) Kreif. After graduating from the Fond du Lac School for the Deaf, he was employed for several years as a baker in Campbellsport where he met his wife, Mildred J. Johnson. They were united in marriage on May 6, 1944 at the Campbellsport Reformed Church.
Milton then he worked at the West Bend Woolen Mills until it burned down. For the next 38 years, until his retirement on February 28, 1985, he was employed at the West Bend Company. After his retirement he worked during the summers at the Boy Scouts of America Bay-Lakes Council Camp Gardner Dam, Langlade, Wis., as the Camp Cook for 15 years.
He was a member of Immanuel United Church of Christ in West Bend, Lakeland College Dad's Association, National Association of the Deaf, and the West Bend Company 25 Year Club. For the past 45 years Milton has been extremely active with Boy Scouts of America through the Troop 780 of West Bend and the Camp Gardner Dam Boy Scout Summer Camp Staff. For his service to youth he received numerous Scouting awards including: veteran awards, Wood Badge, Scouter Key, Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow, the George Meany Award (presented to union members of the AFL-CIO for outstanding service to Scouting), and the Silver Beaver Award for outstanding service to the Scouting youth in the Bay-Lakes Council.
Besides the organizations he belonged to, he enjoyed gardening, cooking, painting, home repairs, and model ship building. Retirement gave him the opportunity to do extensive traveling with his family throughout the United States along with cruising on the inland rivers of the United States and the Caribbean.
Survivors include his wife, Mildred; one son, Thomas Kreif of Sherwood; one brother, Harold (Rose) Kreif of Eden; three sisters-in-laws, Fern Kreif of West Bend, Joyce Kreif of Kewaskum and Lorinda Kreif of the town of Auburn; other relatives and many friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and four brothers: Edwin, Sr., Karl, Albert, Jr., and Jerome.
Visitation with family and friends will be held on Wednesday, April 2 at the Myrhum - Patten Funeral Home (1315 W. Washington St., West Bend, WI 53095) from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Visitation will also be held on Thursday at Immanuel United Church of Christ (501 Walnut St., West Bend, WI 53095) from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the funeral service at 11:30 a.m. Pastor Rich Vincent will officiate and interment will follow at the Washington County Memorial Park, West Bend. Following the services there will be a luncheon at the church for family and friends.
Memorials to Immanuel United Church of Christ are appreciated.
The Kreif family would like to formally thank the dedicated staff at St. Joseph's Hospital, West Bend General Clinic, Froedtert Hospital, and Cedar Community, who have cared for Milton over the past two years in his courageous battle against cancer.