Bob Bella Passes Away

Robert J. Bella, longtime Blue Lake area resident, passed away on Friday, October 23rd, at the age of 67, after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.  Funeral services were held on Friday, October 30th at All Saints Catholic Church in Berlin, Wisconsin.  Several years ago, Bob retired as the controller of West Bend Company and spent his retirement enjoying life in the Northwoods with his wife Bev, spending time with his children and grandchildren in southern Wisconsin and wintering in Arizona.  He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and neighbors around the Blue Lake area.

Below is Bob’s obituary, as published in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Bella, Robert Joseph Age 67, of Minoqua formerly of West Bend and Berlin, WI, died peacefully on Friday evening, October 23, 2009, after a brief battle with cancer. Bob was the former controller of the West Bend Company. Survivors include his beloved wife, Beverly (nee Jager) of Minocqua, son Bradley of Oconomowoc, and daughter Breanne (Martin) Tirado of Fox Point. Bob was preceded in death by his parents, mother and father-in-law Louise Wilke and Ardin Jager, step-father-in-law Edward Wilke, and granddaughter Courtney Bella. Memorials are appreciated and can be made to either the Courtney Bella Foundation and/or to Pancreatic Cancer Research and directed to Beverly Bella, 7777 Blue Lake Point Road, Minocqua, WI 54548. Funeral services with the Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, October 30, 2009, at 10:30 AM, at the All Saints Catholic Church of Berlin. Relatives and friends may call at the Wiecki-Skipchak Funeral Home of downtown Berlin on Thursday, October 29, 2009, from 4 to 8PM, and also at the Funeral Home on Friday from 9 to 10 AM, before we leave for the services at the church. WIECKI-SKIPCHAK FUNERAL HOME 116 S. ADAMS AVE. DOWNTOWN, BERLIN, WI. 54923 920-361-2050 Condolences can be sent to wieckiskipchakfuneralhome@ centurytel.net

As published in The Lakeland Times:

Robert Joseph Bella, 67, of Minocqua, formerly of Berlin, died peacefully Friday, Oct. 23, 2009, at Howard Young Medical Center in Woodruff after a brief battle with cancer. Funeral services with the Mass of Christian Burial will be held today, Friday, Oct. 30, 10:30 a.m., at the All Saints Catholic Church of Berlin.

The Rev. Jerome Maksvytis will officiate.

Burial will be in the Saint Stanislaus Cemetery of Berlin at a later date.

First Snowfall Pictures

Time to bundle up!  On October 12, Blue Lake saw its first substantial snowfall of the season:

First Snowfall on Blue Lake

Blue Lake Looking Snowy

Snowy Woods and Outhouse

Photographs by JCM, used with permission.

Snow and Blazing Colors

This morning, citizens around the Blue Lake Metropolitan area awoke to find snow dusting the ground and a below-freezing nip in the air.  Indeed, at 3:50 p.m., mid-thirties only felt like mid-twenties.  Luckily, a brief step outside reveals all the woods ablaze in a brilliant palette  as fall colors are peaking this weekend.

Favorite Pictures of Summer 2009

A gallery of favorite Blue Lake pictures from this past summer:

Blue Lake Beyond Trees

Two Sailboats

Woods beyond Shack

Beautiful Fern

Sun Shadows on Blue Lake Porch

Bench and Paddle Boat

Fishing by Seagull Island

Sunset Clouds on Blue Lake

Blue Lake Branch at Twilight

Branch over Blue Lake at Night

The best photographs were taken by EMM.

Rudy Hoppe Passes Away

Great Blue Lake luminary Rudy Hoppe passed away on October 7, 2009 at the age of 82.  His passing was peaceful, surrounded by family and shepherded by his minister.  Rudy spent 61 years enjoying Blue Lake and 82 years living life to its fullest.  He was a charter member of the board of the Blue Lake Preservation Association and was always willing to lend a hand to lake neighbors.  His family was his center and friends surrounded that circle.

As published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Rudolph T. Hoppe "Rudy"

Rudolph T. “Rudy” Wednesday, October 7, 2009, age 82 years. Preceded in death by his first wife, Audrey (nee Dietrich); his parents Otto and Frances (nee Phillips) and brother, Francis Hoppe. Beloved husband of Mary Wentland Hoppe. Dear father of Nan (William) Milkent. Jane (William) Nortman, Mary (Greg) Patzlaff and Kurt (fiancée Dee Dee Anderson) Wentland. Loving grandfather of Audra (fiancé Chad Watson) and Drew Milkent, Katie and Brad Nortman, Jordan (Elizabeth) and Mary Elizabeth Wentland, Kathy (Brian) Eggebrecht. Great-grandfather of Brett Milkent, Amanda and Rebecca Eggebrecht . Brother of Jerome Hoppe and Margaret Chuitch. Further survived by other family and friends. Rudy was a 1945 Bay View High School graduate, Spencerian College graduate, and U.S. Army veteran WWII. In 1948 he started in the accounting department of the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co. and eventually handled the accounting and investment for the Uihlein family with the Glenora Corporation. He served on the board of directors of the Plexus Corporation, St. Francis Bank, Metro Flow and Schroeder Manatee Ranch. Rudy was a “giver” of his time, treasure and talents as evidenced by serving as Council President, Endowment Plan, and Trustee of Camp Indian Sands, at Ascension Lutheran Church, St. Francis School Board for 27 years. Charter member and past president of St. Francis Lions Club, St. Francis Association of Commerce past president, St. Francis Civil Service Commission, founder and past president of St. Francis Public Library Foundation and charter member of Blue Lake Preservation Association. Rudy’s involvement in the community was recognized by being named St. Francis Citizen of the year and Armed Forces Week Citizen of the year. He enjoyed bowling, darts, biking, golfing and woodworking. Visitation at the Funeral Home SUN., OCT. 11, 4-7 PM. Funeral Services MONDAY 9:30 AM at ASCENSION LUTHERAN CHURCH, 1236 S. Layton Blvd. (please meet at church at 9:20 AM). Interment and military honors Arlington Park Cemetery. Special thanks to the VITAS Hospice nurses, family, friends and neighbors and Dr. Scott Jorgensen. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Friends of the St. Francis Public Library, Ascension Lutheran Church or a charity of your choice appreciated. PRASSER-KLECZKA BAY VIEW CHAPEL 3275 S. Howell Ave. 414-483-2322 Condolences and directions: www.pkfuneralhomes.com

Tasty Beef-a-Rama Pix

A gallery of delicious pictures from Beef-a-Rama 2009 featuring Blue Lake’s own Camp Agawak and their regal award-winning beef roast:

Beef-a-Rama Pumpkin

A Royal Beef Roasting

Beef a-roastin’

Camp Agawak’s Royal Beef Court

Two Cows on the Town

Photographs by TC, used with permission.

Ghost Squirrel

Skedaddle albino deer from Boulder Junction, Blue Lake has its own force of nature: the snow-white Ghost Squirrel haunting the woods by Blue Lake Road and Blue Lake Island Road.  This mythical beast – an albino red squirrel – was caught on camera while engaging in some typically squirrel-y behavior… filching food from a bird feeder.

Ghost Squirrel Strikes in Daylight

Photograph by MK, used with permission.

The Ghost Squirrel, seemingly unaware of its bright white vulnerable coat, enjoys frolicking in the woods during daytime hours, perhaps boldly waiting for winter, when it can turn its near-perfect disguise into all kinds of roguery.

Albino Red Squirrel, with Pine Pitch Facial

Photograph by TC, used with permission.

BLFP Remote In Session

Blue Lake Free Press Live is currently on hiatus and BLFP Remote is now in session. If you have news or a story to share about Blue Lake or the Blue Lake Metropolitan area (“the Northwoods TMZ,” the two mile zone around Blue Lake), please submit the information via the “Contact” Page on the top navigational tabs on this blog. All you’ll need is your name and email address for verification. If you have a photo, video or multimedia to share, please send it directly to bluelakefreepress@gmail.com.

For example, if you have a photograph of the mythical white squirrel living by Blue Lake Island Road and Blue Lake Road, send those snaps on over, baby. (To MK – hopefully you received my email… I’ve caught the little guy out of the corner of my eye and my brother has seen it too.) Or perhaps it’s spring and you witness the lake’s favorite handyman family attempt to drive a construction-material loaded trunk across the melting ice and fall through causing an 8-hour extraction operation (BTW, they got the truck out and no one was hurt last year), then send over your account.

As for recent news, lakeside families report ongoing cold, dark and rainy conditions, with fall colors at 50%. Here’s hoping for a sunny November… hey, with the wonky weather this year, it could happen!

P.S. Watch for the latest installment of the Blue Lake Quiz-Poll, coming soon!

Autumn, Now and Then

Last week:

And now:

Arctic Cold Skewers Blue Lake, Tender Beef Memories Remain

A wickedly cold mix of rain, hail, and high winds pounded the Blue Lake Metropolitan Area, Monday, ripping doors off of area businesses, producing power outages, whipping up rumors of snowfall, and creating an arctic havoc unseen in these parts since the summer of ‘09.  The warm days of autumn stuck around the Northwoods until a well-attended Beef-a-rama crowd fully gorged themselves on all sorts of roast delights, Saturday, and then slipped away to leave year-round residents warmed only by tender memories of another meaty bash.  Three cheers to Camp Agawak, representing upstanding young citizens and future world leaders, who again garnered official tasty accolades with their royal magic scepter-blessed King of Beef roast.  A fine roast it must have been, indeed; witnesses report the post-parade beef sandwich line spooling all the way from Torpy Park to the post office.  Juicy!