Robert J. ‘Bob’ Mertes

May 16, 1918 - Dec. 17, 2003

Robert J. ‘Bob’ Mertes, 85, originally of Wauwatosa, died Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2003, in Menomonie, after battling a rare brain disease called PSP. He was born May 16, 1918, in Milwaukee.

Bob was an Army veteran with the 32nd Division and served 4 1/2 years in the Pacific during World War II. A few years after retiring as a master optician he started his own business, In Home Optical. He married Grace Smock in 1993.

He is survived by his loving wife, Grace Smock Mertes of Menomonie; his daughters, Dianne (Chuck) Bub, Beverly (Lance) Westen, Mary (Jim) Scaife and Stacey (Frederick) Weiss; his sons, Michael (Helen) and James (Barbara) Mertes; his daughter-in-law, Geri Mertes; grandchildren, Andrew (Linda Denison) and Ryan Bub, Joshua and Amanda Scaife, Erin, Heather and Jennifer Westen, Emily Mertes, Ginny and Rebecca Mertes and Amelia, Ian and Abegail Weiss; great-grandchildren, Maggie and Henry Bub; and sisters, Marion (Ralph) Buchach of Menomonee Falls and Alice (Bob) Buchach of Oceanside, Calif. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Bob is preceded in death by his parents, Emil and Martha (nee Maikowski) Mertes; his loving wife, Virginia (nee Peters); his son, Robert Mertes; and his grandson, Timmy Bub.

Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. until 6 p.m. memorial Mass on Monday, Dec. 22, at St. John Vianney Church, 1755 N. Calhoun Road, Brookfield.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like memorials sent to the Society for PSP at www.psp.org, or PSP, Woodholme Medical Building, Suite 515, 1838 Greene Tree Road, Baltimore, MD 21208.