John D. Raab, Sr.

MONTELLO  -- John D. Raab, Sr., age 77, of  Montello, joined our Lord and Savior on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 surrounded by his family after a brave battle with cancer.

Mass of Christian burial will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, 2009 at St. Olaf Catholic Church, 623 Jefferson St., DeForest, with Fr. Gary Wankerl and Fr. Don Murray presiding. Burial will follow in St. Olaf Cemetery. Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at the church.

John was born on a dairy farm in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on June 6, 1931 the son of Carl and Viola (Somerfeldt) Raab and spent all his life in the farming community.  He has helped many farmers with their herds of pregnant cows, while working for the Curtis Candy Farms with artificial insemination breeding.  At that time he met the love of his life, an English/Spanish teacher in Shullsburg.  John started working for the University of Wisconsin in the Reproduction Research Program in 1953.  He continued his work for the UW for 23 years at the Arlington Research Station.

For the next 17 years he worked for Wisconsin Herd Management Co-operative.  This was a 4 man team that provided pregnancy checking service and preservice herd health exams for its member clients.  During this time he also worked extensively with the World Dairy Expo as a Breed Superintendent for 22 years.  John started his own business until he retired, Wisconsin Pregnancy Service, and was the first man to examine 1,000,000 cows. He was known as “The Man with the Golden Fingers.”

John had very strong faith and was a long-time member of St. Olaf’s Catholic Church in DeForest where he was a past council member and president, taught CCD, and was a Past Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus.

Besides being an expert cowman, John was first and foremost a loving husband, father, and grandfather.  He was a great teacher and a man with a wealth of knowledge.  He taught his children to have faith, work hard, and have a sense of humor.  John will never be forgotten and will live in our hearts.

He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Virginia “Ginny” Raab;  13 children, M. Katherine Eagan, Lake Mills, John Raab, Jr. (Jody), Mechanicsville, Virginia, Geri Nehls (David), Poynette, James Raab (Kathy), Madison, Peggy Martin (Steve), Marshall, Steve Raab (Mary-Anne), Pardeeville, Paul Raab, Reedsburg, Chris Clark (Mike), Briggsville, Richard Raab (Janette Waitekus), Sun Prairie, Philip Raab (Shari Esser), Dalton, Barbara Kearns (Bill), Montello, Larry Raab (Sheila), Madison, Julie Saalsaa (Jerry), Cambria; 34 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; a brother Robert Raab of Alabama; a sister-in-law, Dolores Raab, Fond du Lac; many other relatives and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents Carl and Viola Raab; brothers, Carl, Tom, and Howard; sisters, Geraldine, Catherine, Beverly, and great-grandson Bentley.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Cancer Society or the charity of your choice.

The family would like to extend thanks to Home Health United Hospice.

The Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage is assisting the family.   www.pmmfh.com