Bert A. Wieciech

He was born on May 27, 1920, in Perronville, Mich., son of Lawrence and Katherine (Syslo) Wieciech. Bert graduated from Harris High School in 1940 and attended Bay de Noc Community College.

Bert married Angeline Helen Moniowczak in Chicago in November 1948. She preceded him in death in 1996.

He owned and operated Bert Wieciech Logging and also was involved as a county commissioner, Harris Township Supervisor and assessor over the years.

Bert enjoyed hunting, fishing and picking mushrooms. He was a member of the Bark River American Legion.

Bert was a World War II veteran and was honored by the American Legion Post 438 of Bark River during a Veterans Day assembly in 2014 which was lead by Joseph Potvin. Only a year after graduation, in mid-1941, Wieciech was drafted into the U.S. Army and spent close to five years in the service. After his infantry training, he was assigned to a Regimental Army Band. He was also sent to bugler training and became the bugler which he stated was not the most popular job. He recalls a time after reveille when he returned to the barracks to find his alarm clock broken in pieces.

Wieciech always had his eyes set on the Army Air Corps, which is the U.S. Air Force today. After playing soldier in the infantry for a year and half, he succeeded in transferring to the Army Air Corp and began training as a flying crew chief for the B-24, which was a heavy long-range bomber. He was also sent to Detroit for specialized training where the B-24 engines were being built. The crew chief was responsible for the total maintenance of that aircraft, which included the four engines, armament, etc. He was based in Great Britain and assigned to a troop carrier group, which used C-46s and eventually C-47s. They transported airborne troops and supplies over various battles in France, Belgium. Holland, and Germany. His crew was fortunate to avoid being shot down.

After the war Wieciech married, raised a family, farmed, logged and served four terms as Harris Township supervisor and twice as a Menominee County commissioner. Under his direction, the old abandoned Perronville School was transformed into a convenient frequently used township hall. He also implemented a senior citizens program, which is still in use today.

Among survivors are his daughter, Tina (Michael) Dishaw of Crystal Falls; sons, Kenneth and Dale (Michelle), all of Whitney; three grandchildren, Christopher (Jill) Wieciech, Brooke (Alex) Dishaw-Katona and Dustin Dishaw; two great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Angeline; infant daughter, Sandra; brother, Walter; and sisters, Cecile Novak, Violet Henley and Frances Bohenek.

Visitation will be on Thursday, March 7, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Crawford Funeral Chapel in Bark River. The funeral service will take place at 6 p.m. at the funeral home with Rev. Darryl Pepin officiating.

Burial and military rites will take place in the spring in St. Michael’s Cemetery.

A message of condolence may be directed to the family by visiting crawfordfuneralhomes.net