Bruce Raymond Rhode

Bruce Rhode, 89, passed away on Feb. 16, 2026, at Milestone Senior Living in Rhinelander. Bruce was born on June 13, 1936, in Rhinelander to Floyd and Emroy Rhode. He was a 1954 graduate of Three Lakes High School, receiving awards for athletic and academic achievements. Bruce was formerly married to Raeburn Bretl and together they raised three daughters and two sons in Sugar Camp.

Bruce was employed by the Rhinelander Paper Co. for 30 years, lastly as Pulp Mill Superintendent. Following that he was the Wood Products Manager at Progress Enterprises, and then a supervisor at Headwaters Regional Achievement Center, both in Rhinelander. 

His community service in Sugar Camp included grade school athletic coaching, youth club member, volunteer fire department chief and member (40 years), Sugar Camp Snowmobile Club officer, and St. Kunegunda Catholic Church Parish Council member and usher. He was a recipient of the Sugar Camp Township Outstanding Citizen Award. He also served as an Oneida County Civil Service Commission committee member for many years. 

Bruce had a lifelong love for trapping, hunting, logging, snowmobiling, polkas and anything outdoors. With his dad’s urgings, he began purchasing his land in 1953 at the age of 17. The two of them began planting red pines that year, and in 1984 he assisted his kids and their spouses in building a hunting shack there using logs harvested from those trees. In younger years he played league softball and later on enjoyed horseshoes and bowling. His legacy of laughter, thriftiness, an exceptional work ethic, dedication to family, friends and community, and respect for nature will be carried forward by those who had the privilege of knowing him. 

Bruce was preceded in death by his former spouse, Raeburn Rhode; son, John Rhode; parents, Floyd and Emroy Rhode; and sister, Nancy Kortenhof.

He is survived by his children, Renae (Pete) Schoff of Three Lakes, Sherry (Tom) Dobbins, Jill Bauknecht and Chris (Anna) Rhode, all of Sugar Camp. Also surviving are grandsons, Ben (Aimee) Bauknecht (and great-granddaughters Emilee, Bailee and Lucee); Jordan (Katie) Bauknecht; Brad (Nicole) Maney; Mike (Hailey Sankey) Maney (and great-grandson Sonny Maney); Chris (Hannah) Dobbins (and great-grandsons Simon, Eddy and Linus); and Tim (Gretchen) Dobbins (and great-granddaughter Eliza); as well as brother-in-law Steve Kortenhof; nieces and nephews; and longtime partner, Leni Oas. 

The family extends a heartfelt thank you to the staff at Milestone Senior Living Rhinelander and Compassus hospice care, who handled his extremely feisty spirit with compassion, perseverance and humor. 

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 18, at 11 a.m. at the St. Kunegunda Catholic Church in Sugar Camp. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until the time of the service. A lunch gathering will follow at the Sugar Camp Town Hall.

Contributions in memory of Bruce will be donated to various Sugar Camp organizations.

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 leave an online condolence at www.hildebrandrussfh.com.