James G Harnisch

Jim was born on March 27, 1922, in La Crosse to Alfred M. and Ragna (Johnson) Harnisch. On June 21, 1947, he married Dorothy H. Michener and up until the day she died, after 66 years of marriage, always told her, Youre my girl, Dorothy, my only girl. Dorothy preceded him in death on July 18, 2013. He was a 1940 graduate of Logan High School. Then from 1942 to 1945 Jim served in the U.S. Army during World War II with the 40th Combat Engineers as a light machine gunner and a qualified SS w/rifle. He received 4 overseas service bars, a good conduct medal, World War II victory medal, bronze arrowhead, European-African-Middle Eastern theater ribbon, w/1 silver battle star during his service in Italy, France and Central Europe. Jim was a member of American Legion Post 336 of Onalaska. During his working career, he worked at the Electric AutoLite plant in La Crosse for 13 years, before its closing, and also for the City of La Crosse Water Department for 25 years before retiring in 1984.

Jim loved hunting, fishing and golfing and enjoyed many years of scouting the marshes for ducks with his nephews and friends, and golfing at the Coulee Golf Bowl into his 80s. Jim and Dorothy were long-time members of Trinity Lutheran Church in La Crosse. Jim is survived by sisters-in-law, Ione Roland of Mayer, Minn., Reca Harnish of Marshalltown, Iowa, Carol Michener of La Crosse, and Dorothy Michener of Black River Falls, Wis.; brothers-in-law, Clarence Bud Michener of Holmen and Roland Babe Rieber of La Crosse; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his wife, Dorothy, he was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Gloria (Roland) Rieber, and Farold Tookie (Ed) Norton, and two brothers, Alfred Babe Harnish and Boyd Harnish.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, October 2, 2013 at 2:00 p.m., at Schumacher-Kish Funeral and Cremation Services-La Crosse Chapel located at 200 West Ave. So. Rev. Ted Dewald will officiate. Entombment, with military honors, will follow at the Oak Grove Garden Mausoleum in La Crosse. Family and friends may call at the funeral home on Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. until the time of service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Bethany Lutheran Homes, Trinity Lutheran Church, the Sterling House of La Crosse, or Gundersen Lutheran Hospice.