Robert Fred Wrase

When reflecting on the life of Robert Wrase it is clear to see that his warm heart and acts of service toward those around him brightened the lives of many. He was a man of great resilience, strength, and honor who will be deeply missed.

The thirties are most often recalled as a decade that was cloaked in hardship due to the unrelenting grip of the Great Depression. It was as this new decade dawned that a young couple from LaPorte, Indiana, was excited to learn that they were expecting a baby. It was in the heat of the summer that they were thrilled to announce the birth of the baby boy they named Robert Fred on August 19, 1930. Robert was the older of two children born to his parents, Fred and Mary (Wray) Wrase. When he was two years old, Bob moved with his family to West Allis, Wisconsin. Raised alongside his sister, Barbara, Bob again moved with his family to the East Side of Milwaukee in 1942. He attended local schools and graduated from Lincoln High School in Milwaukee in June of 1949. It was during his formative years that Bob developed a love for photography, model cars and trains.

With a desire to serve his country, Bob enlisted in the Air Force in 1950. He honorably served in Korea during his initial six years of service. After his discharge, Bob returned to life as a civilian, but not for long as he re-enlisted just one year later. He had always hoped to see Germany during his time in the service but as fate would have it, this dream never came to fruition. By the time Bob retired from the service on February 1, 1971, he had attained the rank of staff sergeant.

After retiring from the military, Bob returned to Milwaukee where he helped his sister care for their ailing mother. Their mother died on March 6, 1971, but Bob and Barbara continued to live together. With his free time, Bob enjoyed keeping up on the news and current events, and he also had an insatiable thirst for learning more about science and electronics.

Life became more difficult for Bob when he was diagnosed with diabetes in 1996. It was diabetes that eventually led to the amputation of both legs to the knee. Bob entered the Milwaukee Catholic Home in 2003 where he endeared the staff who cared for him over the eight years that followed.

Our lives will never be the same without Robert Wrase here, but we find comfort in knowing that he is enjoying perfect health in his eternal home. He was a true gift in the lives of those within his path and will be fondly remembered.

Robert Wrase died on September 14, 2011. Bob’s family includes his sister, Barbara M. Wrase, as well as other relatives and friends. Visit with Bob’s family and friends on Tuesday, September 20 at Three Holy Women Parish – St. Hedwig Church 1702 N. Humboldt Ave from 11:00 a.m. until time of the Funeral Mass at 12:00 p.m. Interment Southern Wisconsin Veteran Memorial Cemetery Union Grove, WI. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a memory or sign the online guestbook.