HenningErvin

(Knuth) and Edward Hennig. He was raised on the family farm in Ludington and attended Pine View School, where he took on the responsibility of starting the wood fire each morning; he earned 25 cents per day for his dedication! He graduated from Fall Creek High School in 1954. He played basketball and baseball for the Crickets and cheered for them in the decades that followed.

After graduation, he farmed with his father and worked for Milton

Jungerburg building houses. Later he worked in the shipping department

for 25 years at Pope & Talbot paper mill in Eau Claire, and after

retirement he was the custodian for St. James Trinity Lutheran Church in

Fall Creek. He performed that job at his home church for 22 years. He

was also the sexton for Ludington Cemetery for 25 years.

Erv married Doris Westphal on July 8, 1961 at St. James Trinity Lutheran

Church in Fall Creek. They resided in rural Fall Creek until moving to

rural Eau Claire in 2013.

In his free time, he enjoyed both bow and gun hunting, including trips

out west with his friends, fishing in Birchwood, playing in dart ball

leagues, collecting John Deere toy tractors and classic cars, and

playing cards with friends and family; he also built his own elaborate

HO scale train set. Erv was a very talented woodworker and in his shop

he handcrafted cherished and long-lasting home and office furniture for

many of his family members. He built many baptism chests for children

being baptized at his home church. He also helped his children and

grandchildren with many building construction, repair and remodeling

projects. He was a hard-working man who found simple satisfaction in a

job done right. He came from a generation and a community that found

happiness in helping others, and simply believed in being nice to

people. He was kind, he was generous and he was quick with a joke at

just the right moment.

He read the Bible daily, attended his home church or Trinity Lutheran

Church in Eau Claire regularly until it became too difficult for him,

and in his later years especially, looked forward to the day he would be

welcomed home by Jesus.

He had a sweet tooth that was legendary within his family. He also

enjoyed chicken wing night at several local restaurants and taverns,

all-you-can-eat shrimp on his birthday, and every once in a while, a

cold beer - but just one!

Erv is survived by his wife, Doris, and three children: Linda Strauch of

Fall Creek, Rodney Hennig (Sharon) of Leawood, KS, and Jennifer Hughes (Scott) of rural Fall Creek; grandchildren Kyle Strauch (Melanie),

Ashley Olson (Chris), Alex Strauch (special friend Mackenzie

Arganbright), Zach Hennig, Makila Hennig, Logan Hughes, Marley Hughes, Cait Sojka (Ben), Kylie Newberry (Van) and Piper Bold (fiancé Mark Hafter); great-grandchildren Landon Strauch, Austin Buss, Elijah

Strauch, McKenzi Olson, Teagan Olson and Logan Olson.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister Irene Warner (Don),

brother Laverne Hennig (Rosetta), father- and mother-in-law Frank and

Marion Westphal, brother-in-law Larry Westphal, and three nieces.

Erv’s celebration of life will be held on Friday, August 23, 2019 at St.

James Trinity Lutheran Church in Fall Creek at 11 a.m. Visitation will

be from 9 a.m. to 11a.m. prior to the service.

In lieu of gifts and flowers, the family asks that memorials be given in

Erv’s name to either the St. James Trinity Lutheran Church Furnace Fund

or the L.E. Phillips Senior Center, where Erv spent many years

exercising and socializing to counter the effects of Parkinson’s disease.

Online condolences can be left at www.andersonfhaugusta.com