Lawrence R. Spanheimer, age 84 of Prior Lake, formerly of Waukesha, Wisconsin, passed away Tuesday, July 11, 2017 at Unity Hospital of Fridley. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1PM on Friday, July 14, 2017 with a visitation 1-hr prior all at St. Michael Catholic Church, Prior Lake. Father Tom Walker will preside. The Prior Lake Honor Guard will provide full military honors at the church. Lawrence will be laid to rest at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
On January 7, 1934 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, parents Frank and Margaret (Telling) Spanheimer welcomed the birth of their son, Lawrence Richard Spanheimer. He was the second of three children. Later in life Lawrence often acted as the caretaker of his younger brother John, sister Joan, and his parents. This capacity for compassion and generosity extended into many aspects of Lawrence’s life—his marriage, fatherhood, career, and friendships.
Following his high school graduation, Lawrence served the United States Army and was stationed in post-war Japan. During this time, Lawrence’s sister encouraged her coworker, Elaine Rabeigo, to write letters to Lawrence—a man she had never met. Soon their correspondence blossomed into love. In each letter, Lawrence would mark down how many days remained until he returned to the United States and they would finally meet.
Lawrence and Elaine exchanged wedding vows on August 22, 1959 at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This began a new chapter in Lawrence’s life, that of being a husband and eventually a father and grandfather.
Lawrence was a true family man. Even when his children grew older and had families of their own, he always found special ways to keep in touch. Lawrence invested himself in his relationships with others, whether family or friends. For the past 82 years, Lawrence maintained his extraordinary friendship with his childhood best friend, Ralph Scheffler.
For over 40 years, Lawrence was employed at Sunlite Plastics of Germantown, Wisconsin. He started working as a custodian at age 16. After his discharge from the Army, he returned to Sunlite and through persistence and hard work, worked his way up through the company, ending his career as Vice President of Quality Control.
Lawrence enjoyed bowling, going to the movies every Friday, investing in the stock market, and cheering on the Green Bay Packers. He was a comical, fun-loving man whose positive and generous spirit will live on in his wife, Elaine Spanheimer; sons, Jeff (Michele) Spanheimer, Les (Michelle Reid) Spanheimer; daughter, Patti (Tom) Rein; grandchildren, Mitchell Spanheimer, Dylan Spanheimer, Rileigh Rein, Kelsie Rein, and Orion Rein.
The Spanheimer family is proudly served by the staff of Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation.
