Engelbert ‘Bert’ Bares

PAID OBITUARY

Engelbert “Bert” Bares passed away on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019, at the age of 81.  

He was born on Sept. 3, 1937, in the Town of Belgium, the fifth child of Margaret (Schueller) and Louis Bares.   

On Sept. 12, 1970, he married Regina M. Freytager at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Port Washington.  

Bert was a lifelong member of Holy Cross Parish, now Divine Savior. In the past, he served on the parish council and the buildings and grounds committee.

He was in the well drilling and water pump installation business, retiring in 2000 after 48 years in the family business that he ran for the final 30 of his working years.

His passion for his business led to a fascination with windmills. His backyard contained a hand pump together with a windmill structure, similar to water systems of the past.

After his parents passed away, Bert decided that the Holy Cross Cemetery needed water for the graves and installed a water line from the church to the cemetery, ending with the last faucet close to his parents’ grave.

Bert was a perfectionist in all that he did, and this is evident if you see anything that he worked on. He was especially interested in restoring antique tractors, restoring six in total that, when completed, appeared as though they just came off the assembly line. He tallied many regional and national awards.  In fact, his 1939 Allis Chalmers “B” Tractor was selected as part of the Milwaukee Art Museum’s three-month exhibit entitled “Industrial Strength Design: How Brooks Stevens Shaped Your World.”

He and his wife loved to travel in their motorhome, reaching every state but Hawaii, with the standing joke being if only he could put water skis on the motorhome.  His best trip was to Alaska with the Newmar Club Caravan, consisting of 14 motorhomes. It was an adventure resulting in many new friends.

He is survived by his wife Regina;  brother Donald (Julie) Bares; sisters Betty Gottsacker and Dorothy Harrington; aunt Janet Bares; and sisters–in-law Leona Bares, Kathleen Bares, Mary Bares and Barbara (Freytager) Bichler.  

He was preceded in death by his parents Margaret and Louis Bares; brothers Robert, Kenneth and Eugene; brothers-in-law Eugene Gottsacker, Michael Harrington and Francis Bichler; nephew Thomas Gottsacker; and mother and father-in-law Mary and Walter Freytager.

For Bert, who had no children, his nephews and nieces were a priority in his life, and he was always interested in projects that they would be working on and all of their accomplishments.

There are 14 nephews:  Gary (Pam) Bares, Bruce (Elizabeth) Bares, Jay (Lori) Bares, Bill (Kathy) Bares, Dean Bares, Dennis (Lynn) Bares, Brian (Tammy) Bares, Paul (Sue) Bares, Jeff (Amy) Bares, Kevin (Beth) Gottsacker, Dale (Anna) Gottsacker, Scott (Lori) Gottsacker, Jim (Jill) Gottsacker and Stephen (Uvalde) Bichler; and eight nieces: Lois (Richard) Husting, Nancy (George) Turenne, Linda (Kenneth) Watry, Rita (Tom) Theis, Sharon (Roger) VandeBoom, Karen (Chris) Scalone, Michelle (Robert) Mueller and Lynn Harrington-Dreier (Mike Dreier).  
Bert is also survived by many cousins, including Jim Bares and his wife Jan, who were frequent camping companions.

He was a proud member of the Wisconsin Water Well Association and the Luxembourg Society of America.   

A very special thank you to Father James Ernster for his many Masses and visits that lifted Bert’s spirits through his final months.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at Divine Savior Parish, Holy Cross Chapel, 5330 County Rd. B, Belgium, at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019. Father Gideon Buya will preside.  

Visitation will be held from 3 p.m.  until the service at 6 p.m.  

Online condolences may be left at www.eernissefuneralhome.com.