Carl Federspiel

Carl J. Federspiel was a handy man who, along with his brother George and sister Margaret, ran the family business Federspiel Hardware in downtown Port Washington for decades.

In addition to selling the tools needed by residents and businesses in the community, Mr. Federspiel also did a significant amount of work on furnaces in the area.

“I remember once he got called out to Weiler’s (now Memories) at night and he came home like an iceberg,” his wife Loretta said. “He did a lot of repair work.”

Mr. Federspiel got his start in the business, which was started by his father and uncle on a storefront on Franklin Street currently occupied by Twisted Willow restaurant, in his youth.

He worked at Huettmann/Federspiel Hardware while in school, then served during World War II as a private in the U.S. Army with the 25th Division, 3rd Regiment, from 1955 to 1946.

After he returned home, he completed his studies at Port Washington High School, graduating with the Class of 1947, and returned to the business.

In 1952, he became a partner in the business with his siblings. They changed the name to Federspiel Hardware and ran the business until 1989.

Mr. Federspiel was also active in the community, serving as a volunteer with the Port Washington Parks and Recreation Department, where he screened Sunday movies, and then serving as a city alderman during the 1970s.

“When you’re in business in a town, you get involved,” his wife said.

Mr. Federspiel died Thursday, Feb. 21, at Aurora Medical Center in Grafton. He was 92.

He was a native of Port Washington, born on Oct. 6, 1926, to John and Oliva Ackermann Federspiel.

He met Loretta Feider of Port Washington when she and a friend were out walking one day in 1951.

It was love at first sight for him, his wife said, and the couple married at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Port Washington on Aug. 23, 1952.

The couple lived in the Federspiel family home on Wisconsin Street until moving to a house on Lakeview Avenue in 2004.

Mr. Federspiel had a green thumb and enjoyed vegetable and flower gardening as well as tending the many fruit trees at his family home.

He was a member of the Port Washington Garden Club who was recognized for his gardens.

He also enjoyed woodworking and photography.

In retirement, he took up pool and was an active member of the Port Washington Senior Center’s Green Felt Club.

A long-standing member of the Van Ells-Schanen American Legion Post 82 in Port Washington, Mr. Federspiel was thrilled to take part in an Honor Flight in 2009.

He was also inducted into the Port Washington High School Wall of Honor in 2018.

Although he was active in the community and enjoyed the interaction with customers in his business, he was “a very quiet person,” his wife said. “I was the noisy one. I think that’s why we got along so well.

“He had a lot of patience,” she added. “He was a very nice person, very loving and caring.”

Mr. Federspiel is survived by his wife Loretta of Port Washington; children Patrice (Keanu Bruner) Federspiel of Honolulu, Mary Beth (Tom Brunka) Federspiel of Port Washington, Robert (Tammy) Federspiel of Random Lake, Paul Federspiel of West Bend and David (Michelle) Federspiel of Waldo;  grandchildren Jason (Kerry) Mueller, Mandy (Justin) Pupp, John, Christopher, Isaac (Stevie Steiro), Anastassia, Samantha, Melinda, Emily and Olivia Federspiel; and seven great-grandchildren.

He is further survived by sister-in-law Mary Federspiel of Port Washington and brothers-in-law Edward (Audrey) Feider of Sheboygan, Clarence Feider of Lakeland, Fla., and LeRoy Feider of Castle Rock, Colo.

Mr. Federspiel was preceded in death by his son Richard; sisters Rita and Margaret Federspiel; brothers George, Wilfred (also known as Brother Conrad CP), Joseph and Norbert; sisters-in-law Angie Federspiel, Hiltrude Federspiel, Nina Feider and Lilliana Feider.

A Mass of Christian burial for Mr. Federspiel will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, at St. John XXIII Catholic Parish, St. Peter of Alcantara Church, in Port Washington. Father Patrick Wendt will officiate.

Visitation will be held at the church from 4 p.m. Thursday until the service.

Military honors will follow the service.

Interment will be in St.Mary’s Cemetery, Port Washington.

Funeral arrangements are being handled through Poole Funeral Home/Crematory in Port Washington.