David Harvey “Feedbag” Papcke
June 14, 1933~November 3, 2023
David H. Papcke “Feedbag,” 90, passed away Friday, November 3, 2023 at Vintage on the Ponds in Delavan, WI. He was born June 14, 1933 to Fred and Martha (Arndt) Papcke, in Whitewater, WI. the 4th of 11 children. Dave attended South Heart Prairie School, across the road from the family’s home farm where Dave would carry a bucket of water every day to school for 10 cents. The story is that his mother Martha spent more time in school than Dave did!
In the early 1950’s Dave would work for Earl Cook, owner of the Millard Feed Mill, Elkhorn. Dave’s neighbor Evelyn Schultz-Schultz would sit in her front porch and watch Dave go to work and come home. Dave acquired the nickname of “Feedbag” from Evelyn Schultz-Schultz as Dave’s job was hauling bags of feed to farmers in the area. In 1953 Dave was drafted in the United States Army Signal Corp. serving from 1953-1955, returning to the family farm. Dave would farm days and work nights at the Amphenol Borg Pile Fabric Division, Delavan, WI as a machine knitter. In 1972, the plant would close; Dave was asked to transfer to Georgia, and his reply was no! He would return to the family farm becoming a cash crop farmer, raising Black Angus Beef Cattle. Dave’s deer hunting career started at the age of 16 hunting with his oldest sister Marion. Dave enjoyed ice fishing, hunting turkeys, spending hours shooting gophers, cutting and splitting wood for the stove in his big red shed and his house and lots of “windshield farming.” “The code of the Prairie is you never go to town and come back home on the same road!” (Ask Craig, his partner in crime!)
Dave was one of the founding members of the Lauderdale-LaGrange Fire Department in 1959, was a member of the Millard Church, served on the board of the Millard Church, member of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau, and a member of the NRA. On September 12, 2015, he enjoyed his Stars and Stripes Wisconsin Honor Flight with his nephew Jeff Papcke.
Dave is survived by his wife of 64 years, Barb of Elkhorn, WI. He is also survived by his daughter, Cindy of Elkhorn, WI; his grandchildren Angiejo (Chad) Fay of Ava, MO; Kristeen (Andrew) Jones of Janesville, WI; Alan (Danielle) Salzwedel of New Lisbon, WI; his great-grandsons Tavvin & Kore Dorsey of Ava, MO; step- granddaughter Leigh (Justin) Gulas of Lyndon Station, WI; great-great-grandsons, Castile & Axel Gulas of Lyndon Station, WI. He is also survived by his siblings Marjorie Roloff, Norman (Anita) Papcke, Doris (LeRoy) DeVries, Darvon (Betty) Papcke, Diane (Floyd Finney) Papcke; sister-in-law Janet Papcke; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Martha Papcke; his stepfather George Sherman; and his siblings Allen Papcke, Marion (Jerry) Harris, Arlene (Robert/Bud) Rowley, Carol (David/Dub) Agen, Jack Papcke; and brother-in-law Eric Roloff.
A Memorial Service will take place on Friday, November 17, 2023, at Millard Community Covenant Church, N6713 County Road O, Elkhorn, WI, at 11:00 a.m. with Pastors Chris and Sharon Nelson officiating. Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. until the time of service. Burial will take place at the South Heart Prairie Cemetery with Military Honors. A celebration of life luncheon will follow in the church Fellowship Hall. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Dave’s name to Agrace Hospice Care: 5395 E. Cheryl Parkway, Madison, WI 53711 or Stars and Stripes Honor Flight, P. O. Box 867, Menomonee Falls, WI 53052, or Millard Community Covenant Church, N6713 County Road O, Elkhorn, WI 53121. Arrangements are under the direction of Haase-Lockwood & Associates Funeral Homes and Crematory of Elkhorn, WI. An online guestbook can be found at www.haaselockwoodfhs.com.
