April 14, 2021 at 5:06 p.m.
Don E. Riemenschneider
Don E. Riemenschneider
Visitation will be held at the Hildebrand Funeral Home in Rhinelander, on Saturday, April 24, from noon until 2 p.m. Last Call and Celebration of Life Service will follow at 2:30 p.m., with Pastor Kari Vadis officiating. Military honors will follow the service. In addition, a Masonic service and dinner will follow at the Masonic Lodge.
Don was born in Brainerd, Minn., May 24, 1950 to George and Lucile (Anderson) Riemenschneider. He graduated from Aurora-Hoyt Lakes High School. Don received his BS in Forestry from the University of Minnesota in 1972. In June of that year, he married Deborah K. Martens. They lived and traveled in Germany for two years while Don served in the U.S. Army. Returning to the University of Minnesota, Don received both his MS and then his Ph.D. in forest genetics in 1978. He spent 30 years as a research geneticist and Project Leader at the USFS Forestry Sciences Laboratory in Rhinelander, beginning in 1978. He served two years as Director's Representative. After his retirement from the USFS in 2009 he joined the University of Minnesota Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) in Duluth as a research geneticist for the Hybrid Poplar Program and worked there until his passing. He was also an invited Adjunct Professor in the Forestry Department at Iowa State University for a period of his career, Dr. Riemenschneider was an internationally known and highly respected expert on quantitative forest genetics research. His research accomplishments included important findings on conifers (pines, spruces, firs) and hybrid poplars that materially advanced scientific knowledge and economic development based on wood fiber. Dr. Riemenschneider was known for his innovation, particularly on the mathematical basis for tree breeding and genetic improvement. A highlight for him outside his science was his selection of the National Christmas Tree for the Capitol in 1999, the first National Christmas Tree to come from a U.S. Forest Service research facility. He and his wife, Debi, and daughter Lindsey, accompanied the tree to Washington, D.C., and attended the unveiling ceremony.
In addition to his career. Don served on the Crescent Volunteer Fire Department. He served as Grand Master of the Rhinelander Masonic Lodge. He was a member and past Church Board Member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Rhinelander. He also enjoyed coaching various youth hockey teams while his kids were growing up, including Rhinelander's first women's hockey team.
Don was preceded in death by his parents, George and Lucile Riemenschneider.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Debi; their children: Mark (Delia) Riemenschneider, Fairbanks, Alaska; Lindsey (Gary, Jr.) Lagueux, Conover; 4 grandchildren, Delia Annabelle, Kaiden, Briley and Clayton; sister, Joyce (Jeff) Romans, Lewes, Del., father-in-law and mother-in-law, Carl and Dorothy Martens; sisters-in-law: Wendy (Tim) Schulz, Pamela Martens; brother-in-law Brian (Mary) Martens and many cherished nieces and nephews.
Through 48 years of marriage Don and Debi experienced many cherished friendships and adventures including traveling in Europe and especially the Southwest of the United States. Alaska too, held many memories for Don of fishing, hiking, snowmobiling, camping and travel. He also loved NASCAR and football afternoons with family and friends. In addition, Don's hobbies included his love of photography, assembling many photographs of his worldwide travels. He enjoyed woodworking and he also enjoyed participating in Civil War era reenactments.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Hildebrand Funeral Home & Cremation Specialists, 24 E. Davenport Street, Rhinelander, Wisconsin 54501, 715-365-4343. Everyone is invited to sign the guestbook or leave an online condolence at www.hildebrandrussfh.com.
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