Robert John Kroenke, age 94, of Shawano, passed away on Tuesday, July 5, 2016 in Shawano. Robert was born November 22, 1921 in the Town of Richmond, the son of the late Henry and Margaret (Marohl) Kroenke. He enlisted in the United States Army serving from 1946-1947. On July 22, 1951, Robert was united in marriage to Lois Harriet Jank in Fairchild. He was a building contractor in the Shawano area for many years. Between 1965 and 1971, he was a lay missionary in Papua, New Guinea for the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. He built for the mission and trained nationals to build. When he returned to Shawano he continued building. Robert retired the end of 1985 and joined Laborers for Christ, a group of retirees in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, who went around helping build and remodel church facilities in our country. He worked with them for 15 years on 26 different projects. When Synod's insurance said he had to retire at the age of 80, he joined the local Habitat for Humanity group, where he worked for about eight years. He was a member of Shawano Archery Club and St. Jakobi Church and enjoyed painting, carving, and woodworking.
Robert is survived by: two brothers, Kenneth (Doris Mae) Kroenke of Clintonville and David Kroenke of Shawano as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by: his wife, Lois; two sons; one daughter; his parents; one sister and brother-in-law, Doris and August Gueths; and one brother and sister-in-law, Irvin and Dorothy Kroenke and one sister-in-law, Janet Kroenke.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at St. Jakobi Lutheran Church with Rev. Travis Kleinschmidt officiating. Military rites will be conducted by the American Legion Post #117. Burial will be in the St. Jakobi Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the church on Tuesday from 9:00 am until the time of the service. Memorial requests may be directed to the St. Jakobi Building Fund.
