Robert E. Squires

86, Manawa, passed away at his home Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008. He was born May 8, 1922 in the Town of Alma near Black River Falls to George and Odanah (Brown) Squires. He graduated from Black River Falls High School and attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In 1942, he entered the U.S. Air Force and was trained in electronics. During World War II, he was stationed in England, where he was a radio technician on B-17 bombers. After the war, he returned to Black River Falls and in January of 1947, moved to Manawa to manage the new Manawa Theatre and also worked at Manawa Telephone Company. It was here that he met the love of his life and on July 7, 1951, he married Nancy Lamkins. Mr. Squires was in business in Manawa for more than 60 years. He was very proud to say he was the oldest business man in Manawa, not only in number of years but also in age. He was the telephone company's president for nearly 40 years. During that time, he served as a member of the Wisconsin State Telephone Association Board of Directors and as its president from 1988-89, on the Wisconsin Locally Owned Telephone Association Board of Directors and was a member of Independent Telephone Pioneers Association-Badger State Chapter. He was past president and a long-time member of the Manawa Area Chamber of Commerce and served on Manawa Industries' Board of Directors. He was elected to several terms on the Manawa Common Council. He was also a Scoutmaster, for which he earned the Silver Beaver Award, and a member of many Masonic and Shrine organizations, including the Beja Shrine Temple, Green Bay, of which he was Potentate in 1993, and the Scottish Rites. He was an honorary member of the Moslem Temple, Detroit; the Mocha Temple, London, Canada; the Al Koran Temple, Cleveland, Ohio; the Tripoli Temple, Milwaukee, and the Zor Temple, Madison. He was also a charter member of the Royal Order of Jesters, Green Bay Court No. 197. He was a Mason for 57 years and a member and Past Master of the Manawa Masonic Lodge. He was also a member of the American Legion Post 226 and of the United Methodist Church. He belonged to the Manawa Lions Club for more than 50 years. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Gaylord (Bill). He is survived by Nancy, his wife of 57 years; his three sons: Tom (Karen), Manawa; Brian (Susan), Waupaca; and Jim, Green Bay; one sister sister, Mary Ann Koeller, Green Bay; one sister-in-law, Marie (Chris) Squires, Manawa; and many nephews and nieces. Visitation for Mr. Squires will be held Tuesday, October 28, 2008 at Cline-Hansen-Dahlke Funeral Home, 176 N. Bridge St., Manawa from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. with a Masonic Service at 7 p.m. Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008 at the United Methodist Church, 655 Depot St., Manawa. Friends may call at the church on Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service. Burial will be in the Little Wolf Cemetery, Manawa with Graveside Military Honors. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the United Methodist Church in Manawa, or to Shriners Hospitals for Children, or the Beja Shrine Temple in Green Bay, or the American Diabetes Association or the American Heart Association. "A father is someone we can look up to no matter how tall we get."