Harold J. Beine

Harold J. Beine, 94, joined his wife, Helen (nee Gehl), parents Alois and Orlinda, brothers Roland (Dorothy), Ervin, and Gerald, and sister Lucille Schaefer, in Heaven on November 28, 2022.

Those that will miss his stories of long ago include daughters Laura (Mark) Landvatter of West Bend, their children Ben and Gina, Karen (Jim) Lorrigan, their sons, Scott (Kristen), Brian (Erin) and Brad (Gabrielle); great grandchildren Clay, Eli and Owen Skrzypchak; Adrianne and Alayna Lorrigan; and Quinn and Rory Lorrigan. 

Harold’s brother, Donnie (Karen) Beine, sister Arlene (Arkie) Doll and sister-in-law Lorraine Beine, will help keep those stories and his memory alive.

After growing up on the family farm, he married his neighbor “across the fence”, Helen Gehl, and worked at Dari Kool as a welder. When that company left Hartford, he delivered feed for Schauer Farm Supply, and discovered a dairy farm for sale in Rubicon, which took him back to his first passion, farming.  Harold always appreciated the fact that Helen gave up a ranch home they had designed and built together in order to start a new life.  They went on to add outbuildings and remodel the 100-year-old farmhouse into their home for the next 14 years.

On the first day of the Big Ice Storm of 1976, he sold his milking herd and started to work for Riley Tank Service.  He later became a janitor/ maintenance man at Erin School, a job which he loved!

In 1977 they sold the farm and built a home in Hartford, but kept some wooded acreage.  Well into his 80’s he cut and sold many cords of firewood and enjoyed being an outdoorsman there.  

He loved his family and church and proudly served as an usher at St. Kilian Catholic Church, always wearing his Sunday best! 

During the 1980’s he owned a Model A Ford and drove it in local parades.  If his family ever had anything break, they just told Grandpa about it and he would find a way to fix it!  In his well-organized basement work-shop he made numerous bird houses and over 200 Christmas wreaths. 

Harold had two passions in life:  Farming and playing his accordion, which he learned to play from his brother Roland when they were teenagers.  He had his own polka band in his younger years, and after retiring he enjoyed playing his music in many nursing homes and assisted living facilities.  He chose to live out his last years at Majestic Heights Assisted Living because of the kindness and gratitude they always showed him.

The family sends their sincere and heartfelt thanks to everyone at Majestic Heights for all the loving and wonderful care given to Harold in the last 2 and a half years.

Visitation is Friday, December 2, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. at St. Kilian Catholic Church, 264 W. State St., Hartford, WI 53207.  Mass of Christian Burial will be at 1:00 p.m., with interment at St. Kilian Cemetery, Hartford (on the corner of State St. and Airport Dr.)

Memorials to St. Kilian School of the Past – School of the Future Fund in Harold’s name would be appreciated.  The Berndt-Ledesma Funeral Home-Hartford is serving the family. 

berndt-ledesmafuneralhome.com

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