Douglas Edward Proksch

Douglas Edward Proksch, age 70, of La Crosse, sailed away to the good ship heaven on Wednesday, November 25, 2015 at the Tomah VA Medical Center. He was born in La Crosse on June 19, 1945, to Lester and Winifred (Abraham) Proksch. On July 14, 1965, Doug married Shirley Sawyer in Bellflower, CA. They were married for 45 years until Shirley’s passing in 2010
Doug loved to go fishing and entering Pro Fishing Contests. He especially loved his time with his family at the cabin. He was a Packer backer and was a forever Nascar enthusiast and a special fan to Jimmie Johnson.
Doug enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1963 in Milwaukee. He served on many ships as a machinist mate 3, mostly with the Pacific fleet. One of his tours was on board the USS Delta in the Gulf of Tonkin during the Vietnam War. After his tour in Vietnam he was assigned to the US Naval Facility at Ramey AFB in Puerto Rico, where he was assigned a top secret status. After a final and brief European tour, Doug, Shirley and Tammy briefly resided in La Crosse and then moved to California. While in La Crosse, Doug was employed in the cabinet shop at Menards. He then went into his own business doing construction and remodeling.
While in California, Doug drove truck and was employed by Todd Shipyard. After living in California the family, with one more addition (Tania), moved back to the La Crosse area.
Doug and Shirley went in to the food and hospitality business operating the Viking Bar and Grill in Spring Grove, MN, and then the Whispering Pines Supper Club in Mabel, MN. Recently Doug retired from Truline Tool and Die shop where he meticulously maintained the equipment.
Doug is survived by his daughters, Tammy(Mike)Albert of Caledonia, MN and Tania Proksch(Terry Raway) of Cottage Grove, MN; grandchildren Arie Albert and Alyssa Albert of Caledonia and Lynzie Lamkin and Alexander Raway of Cottage Grove, MN. Brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Thomas (Margaret) Sawyer of Rochester, MN. Nieces and nephews Jill(Alan) Hanson of Brownsville, MN, Geri(Jeff) Farr of Hastings, MN, and Jan(Luke)Mahr of Dorchester, IA, Jennifer(Matthew) Lundberg of Lafayette, CA, Chris(Jennifer) Sawyer of Richfield, MN and Ben Sawyer of Rochester, MN, as well as several great nieces and nephews. Doug was preceded in death by his wife Shirley, parents Lester and Winnie Proksch, sister and brother-in-law Marilyn and Ervin Bankes, Niece Jackie Innerbichler, nephew Steve Bankes, and father-in-law and mother-in-law Gene and Milldred Sawyer.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, December 3, at 11:00 A.M. at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral & Cremation Services of La Crosse, with Pastor Curtis Miller officiating. Burial, with military honors, will follow in Oak Grove Cemetery, La Crosse. Friends and family may call at the funeral home on Wednesday, December 2, from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M., and again on Thursday from 10:00 A.M. until the time of service. Online guestbook is available at www.schumacher-kish.com.
The family would like to thank Doug’s caregivers for the past few months, especially the Mayo La Crosse Hospice workers and also the Tomah VA center for its dedication and service to the care of Doug and fellow veterans.