William James Nadiger

Service Details

A celebration of Bill’s life will be held on Friday, October 20, 2017, 3:00pm, at Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home and Crematory, 4600 County Line Road.  Visitation will be from 1:00pm until the time of the service.  Private burial will take place at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

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Sturtevant – William J. Nadiger, 86, passed away at his home on October 13, 2017.  He was born on January 5, 1931, in Manistee, Michigan, the only child of loving parents Ed and Myrtle Nadiger.

The family moved to Aurora, WI, in 1942 where he had quite an adventurous childhood and created lifelong friendships.

He enlisted in the Navy in 1951 and served during the Korean War aboard USS Princeton where he fixed aircraft.  He was a member of Air Group 15, Fighter Squadron 154 the Black Knights and USAAC Flying Tigers.  He received several commendations including one for his role in Task Force Seventy-Seven which lead to cessation of hostilities with North Korea and the Chinese Communist Forces.  He spent his final year of service on the USS Yorktown where he received another commendation for his unit’s role in evacuation of the Tachen Islands.

In 1955, his friend Cliff brought him with on a date he had with Charlotte, Charlotte brought her sister Connie, Charlotte married Cliff and he married the love of his life Connie on August 22, 1959.  The bond of these four remained strong throughout his lifetime.

Bill and Connie moved to Sturtevant in 1960 when Bill started working for AMC in Kenosha the maker of his favorite cars, the Nash and Rambler.  He remained in Sturtevant where he raised his children for the remainder of his life.

He loved working on his own cars which were always AMC. He cared for animals and throughout the years rescued many.  He was an avid reader, always having something to read in his hand.  His favorite times were always his trips back up to Aurora where he and Cliff would always be on an adventure of one sort or another, whether it was finding old maps and going deep in the woods where no man ever was, hunting for wild ginseng, making maple syrup, fishing, or working on cars.

He retired from AMC in 1995.  He and Connie spent this time together helping to raise their grandchildren, junk shopping, and sharing many stories with his kids and grandkids.  His door was always open and his home was theirs.  There was hardly a day where one or several of them weren’t found hanging out there.

He lived his life always with the thought that if you run across someone in need and you have the capacity to help, do it. It was this philosophy that led him to acquiring several extra children, which he loved and was proud of all of them. He taught his children to stand up for their beliefs, and was not a man who backed down. He was hero to his children and grandchildren and his happiest times were spent in their company.

He will be missed by his wife of 58 years, Connie (Hughes); children, Jim Nadiger (Cathy) of Kenosha, WI, Jean Escamilla (Roy) of Sturtevant, WI, Julie Nadiger of Racine, WI, Jill Schlenz (Tom Hall) of Mount Pleasant, WI, John Nadiger of Sturtevant, Rae Nadiger; grandchildren, Nicole Johnson, Tyler Nadiger, Garrit Schlenz, Dalanie Schlenz; brother-in-law, Garit (Buck) Hughes; sister-in-law, Deanna Hughes; many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his beautiful daughter, June Marie Nadiger (1968); his parents, Ed and Myrtle Nadiger; brothers-in-law, Clifford Church, Lloyd Hughes, Bill Pietrantonio, Joe Neuens, Jerry Paul (Punk) Hughes; sisters-in-law, Charlotte Church, Jane Hughes, Geraldine Hughes, and Karen Hughes.

A celebration of Bill’s life will be held on Friday, October 20, 2017, 3:00pm, at Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home and Crematory, 4600 County Line Road.  Visitation will be from 1:00pm until the time of the service.  Private burial will take place at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

The family would like to thank Dr. Short and Dr. Choi for their exceptional care over the years, and thank you to Dr. Pothen, Kimberly Wayach APNP, and Dr. Kraklow, all of whom are responsible for keeping our dad with us as long as he was.