John Paul Kriesel

John Paul Kriesel, age 82, passed away peacefully at his home, surrounded by his family, on May 17, 2024. He was born in Rhinelander on May 13, 1942 to Edwin and Margaret (Blakely) Kriesel.

As a young man he began a career in carpentry working for Johnson’s Builders, Dietz Construction and Nicolet College. He retired early after 24 years to run his own carpentry business. He excelled at building furniture, homes and teaching special interest carpentry at Nicolet College.

John’s passion beyond carpentry was singing. He joined the Rhinelander Male Chorus as a tenor in the early 1960s. He was a member of the Chorus for the rest of his life. He passed on his love of music to his family. Many of his loved ones learned to play instruments and sing and some even found careers in the music industry. This blossomed into a yearly Christmas sing-along that was the pinnacle of the year to many.

John also sang in his church choir where he enjoyed exercising his faith and love for God. He was a lifelong member of the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church. He was a Green Bay Packers fan, Hodag fan, a golfer and an excellent polka dancer. He loved his family, and his children and grandchildren were his pride and joy.

John was fond of family camping, fishing and hunting trips. As an avid outdoorsman, he caught fish in many places around the area, but he also enjoyed fishing trips to Canada, Texas and Florida. He enjoyed hunting whitetail deer and many species of waterfowl, but his favorite were mallard ducks. He and his family took a number of hunting trips to Canada, the Horicon Marsh in Wisconsin and South Dakota for Canadian geese and pheasant. These trips were a special highlight, successful or not.

John is survived by his wife of 43 years Maggie, his sons Phil (Amy) Kriesel, Jake (Dawn) Kriesel, and David Kriesel, his siblings Richard Kriesel, Phil (Jean) Kriesel, Joyce (Dale) Schreiber, June (Jim) Vandenberg, Cindy (Rick) Uecker, Dan (Trudy) Netzer, Elaine (Pete) Kirsling, Janine (Mark) Struve, and Chris Zimmer, his grandchildren Lauren, Krystal, Taylor, and Nick, his many nieces and nephews, other family and friends. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, his son James Kriesel, his sister Jean Taylor, his in-laws Adam and Marion Netzer, and his sisters-in-law Dena Kriesel and Kay Zimmer.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Compassus Home Health and Hospice for the care that they provided to John.

There will be a visitation for John on Thursday, May 23, 2024, from 9 to 11 a.m. with a funeral service following at 11 a.m., all at the Carlson Funeral Home. Pastor Karl Schultz will be officiating. Interment will follow in the Newbold Memorial Cemetery. In lieu of flowers a memorial is being established in John’s name and any gifts may be directed to his family. You may leave your private condolences for the Kriesel family at www.carlsonfh.com. 

The Carlson Funeral Home (715-369-1414) is serving the Kriesel family.