Obituary for Harold Frederick Ibach MD
Harold Frederick Ibach, veteran of World War II where he served as a first lieutenant with the U.S. Army’s occupational forces in Japan after that country’s surrender and went on to graduate from the University of Wisconsin’s School of Medicine and practiced radiology in Milwaukee for 33 years, died peacefully on September 30, 2022. He was 96 and lived in Austin, Texas.
Harold was the beloved oldest son of his late parents, Belva (Rohrer) and Herbert Ibach, of Madison, WI; and brother of the late Paul E. Ibach, of Green Bay, WI, and brother-in-law of his surviving wife, Ruth Ann (Gay) of Rochester, MN. He was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Martha Joyce Ibach who passed in 2008.
Harold was the devoted and cherished father of his survivors, son Howard F. Ibach, of Austin; and daughters Mary Jo Ibach of Phoenix and Linda M. Shaunessy and her husband, Michael, both of Austin. He was also a great grandfather of Sophia and Shayden Sarkis. Harold was a very devoted grandfather to Jennifer and her husband Steve Sarkis, of Pagosa Springs, CO; and Paul Shaunessy and his wife Sarabeth of Dallas; and Daniel Shaunessy, Martha Shaunessy and Catherine Shaunessy, all of Austin.
Harold was always enthusiastic and supportive of any interest his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren wished to pursue. He was the ultimate cheering squad for Mary Jo when she competed in swimming, and he never missed a meet. When Linda and Mary Jo expressed an interest in horseback riding, Martha and Harold bought horses and always encouraged both daughters at numerous horse shows. Harold encouraged Howard to pursue water skiing in Wisconsin and Florida. He was very proud of his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, and received great joy and happiness from their successes. His positive attitude transcended throughout his family.
Alma, Wisconsin was Harold’s birthplace, a small Mississippi River town in northwest Wisconsin, where he was born on February 5, 1926, above the Ibach Hardware store founded by his grandfather, Peter Ibach, who emigrated to St. Louis in 1878 at the age of 16. Peter soon traveled north to Alma where he settled and married Matilda Laue, daughter of one of Alma’s leading families.
Herb and Belva Ibach moved to Madison, WI, when Harold was three years old. He graduated from Madison West High in 1944 and had already acquired two years of college credits from his concurrent studies at the University of Wisconsin when he was inducted into the Army in June.
Upon his return from Japan in August 1946, Harold immediately resumed his undergraduate studies at the University of Wisconsin, graduating summa cum laude in the spring of 1948. He was also invited to join Phi Beta Kappa. In September 1947, he was accepted into the University of Wisconsin Medical School while he was still a senior at the University. He was awarded his M.D. in 1951.
Harold married Martha Joyce Mendenhall on December 18, 1949, at the Whitefish Bay Community Methodist Church. Martha was a senior at the University majoring in bacteriology and Harold was a third-year medical student. After Harold’s residency in Kansas City, KS, the couple moved to Milwaukee. Harold began his radiology practice after forming North Shore Radiologists, S.C., at St. Michael Hospital. From 1967 to 1970, he served as the hospital’s chief of staff, and from 1970-71, he was president of the Wisconsin Radiological Society. He retired from the practice of medicine in 1988.
Harold’s remarkable longevity meant that he enjoyed a retirement of 34 years, a year longer than he worked at St. Michael Hospital.
When daughter Linda married Mike and they settled in Austin, Harold and Martha decided to purchase a home in the Texas capital not far from the young couple. They commuted between Oconomowoc Lake and Austin as the seasons changed, until a few years later when they sold their lake home and settled permanently in Austin.
Grandparenting, continuing education, attending lectures, world-wide travel, reading and cheering on every imaginable Wisconsin and Milwaukee sporting team became Harold and Martha’s preoccupations. They loved their Green Bay Packers and University of Wisconsin at Madison teams. Harold’s collection of tee-shirts included his Packers and Badgers.
All five of his grandchildren are blessed to have had such a wonderful and loving grandfather, who was given the fondly named “Poppop”, which he cherished. Harold’s granddaughter Jennifer is filled with so many memories of her beloved grandfather, she recalls that growing up, and she enjoyed traveling to Wisconsin and Austin to spend time with her grandparents. From a young age, Jennifer has memories of being at Oconomowoc Lake where Poppop and Grandma taught Jennifer how to water ski and bake sugar cookies with Grandma are some of my favorites. Poppop and grandma also enjoyed swinging in the huge hammock, playing the piano, eating corn on the cob on the back deck, looking out at grandma's beautiful garden and the lake, and playing dress up to name a few.
Pop-pop and grandma enjoyed taking family vacations with all the children and grandchildren. The family went to Disneyworld numerous times and the whole family enjoyed taking a cruise together. Harold and Martha even took the inaugural cruise on the Queen Elizabeth 2. Harold and Martha toured the world together learning about people and places. Their shared love was evident every day and they cherished their time together.
Pop-pop and Grandma attended every sporting event, school activity and event for Paul, Martha, Daniel and Cate. Poppop always arrived early, and he was car number one in the school pick up line so that the Paul, Martha, Daniel and Cate never had to wait. Poppop passed his love of the Packers and the Badgers on to his grandchildren, which explains why they are now Packer shareholders.
At 96, he lived a long and wonderful life full of love and achievement. The family was blessed to have had such a wonderful role model and loving man in all our lives. We will miss you so much Poppop but we're so happy you're reunited with grandma, Michael, Suzanne, Grandma and Grandpa Mendenhall and Grandma and Grandpa Ibach in heaven. We are blessed to have another an angel watching over us and will see you again one day, but until then, thank you for your endless love and support here on this Earth. We love and miss you deeply.
Harold will be laid to rest next to Martha and their nearby late son, Michael John and Martha’s late parents, Edna and Ernest Mendenhall, at Wisconsin Memorial Cemetery. Their late daughter, Suzanne Esther, who lived for two days and was buried in 1960, will be re-interred with Harold on October 29, 2022.
Harold’s visitation will be held at Wisconsin Memorial Park - Chapel of the Flowers, located at 13235 W Capitol Dr., Brookfield, WI 53005. The services will be held on October 29, 2022 with the visitation at 1:00 pm, a memorial service at 2:00 pm in the chapel followed by a graveside service.
Harold was the beloved oldest son of his late parents, Belva (Rohrer) and Herbert Ibach, of Madison, WI; and brother of the late Paul E. Ibach, of Green Bay, WI, and brother-in-law of his surviving wife, Ruth Ann (Gay) of Rochester, MN. He was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Martha Joyce Ibach who passed in 2008.
Harold was the devoted and cherished father of his survivors, son Howard F. Ibach, of Austin; and daughters Mary Jo Ibach of Phoenix and Linda M. Shaunessy and her husband, Michael, both of Austin. He was also a great grandfather of Sophia and Shayden Sarkis. Harold was a very devoted grandfather to Jennifer and her husband Steve Sarkis, of Pagosa Springs, CO; and Paul Shaunessy and his wife Sarabeth of Dallas; and Daniel Shaunessy, Martha Shaunessy and Catherine Shaunessy, all of Austin.
Harold was always enthusiastic and supportive of any interest his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren wished to pursue. He was the ultimate cheering squad for Mary Jo when she competed in swimming, and he never missed a meet. When Linda and Mary Jo expressed an interest in horseback riding, Martha and Harold bought horses and always encouraged both daughters at numerous horse shows. Harold encouraged Howard to pursue water skiing in Wisconsin and Florida. He was very proud of his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, and received great joy and happiness from their successes. His positive attitude transcended throughout his family.
Alma, Wisconsin was Harold’s birthplace, a small Mississippi River town in northwest Wisconsin, where he was born on February 5, 1926, above the Ibach Hardware store founded by his grandfather, Peter Ibach, who emigrated to St. Louis in 1878 at the age of 16. Peter soon traveled north to Alma where he settled and married Matilda Laue, daughter of one of Alma’s leading families.
Herb and Belva Ibach moved to Madison, WI, when Harold was three years old. He graduated from Madison West High in 1944 and had already acquired two years of college credits from his concurrent studies at the University of Wisconsin when he was inducted into the Army in June.
Upon his return from Japan in August 1946, Harold immediately resumed his undergraduate studies at the University of Wisconsin, graduating summa cum laude in the spring of 1948. He was also invited to join Phi Beta Kappa. In September 1947, he was accepted into the University of Wisconsin Medical School while he was still a senior at the University. He was awarded his M.D. in 1951.
Harold married Martha Joyce Mendenhall on December 18, 1949, at the Whitefish Bay Community Methodist Church. Martha was a senior at the University majoring in bacteriology and Harold was a third-year medical student. After Harold’s residency in Kansas City, KS, the couple moved to Milwaukee. Harold began his radiology practice after forming North Shore Radiologists, S.C., at St. Michael Hospital. From 1967 to 1970, he served as the hospital’s chief of staff, and from 1970-71, he was president of the Wisconsin Radiological Society. He retired from the practice of medicine in 1988.
Harold’s remarkable longevity meant that he enjoyed a retirement of 34 years, a year longer than he worked at St. Michael Hospital.
When daughter Linda married Mike and they settled in Austin, Harold and Martha decided to purchase a home in the Texas capital not far from the young couple. They commuted between Oconomowoc Lake and Austin as the seasons changed, until a few years later when they sold their lake home and settled permanently in Austin.
Grandparenting, continuing education, attending lectures, world-wide travel, reading and cheering on every imaginable Wisconsin and Milwaukee sporting team became Harold and Martha’s preoccupations. They loved their Green Bay Packers and University of Wisconsin at Madison teams. Harold’s collection of tee-shirts included his Packers and Badgers.
All five of his grandchildren are blessed to have had such a wonderful and loving grandfather, who was given the fondly named “Poppop”, which he cherished. Harold’s granddaughter Jennifer is filled with so many memories of her beloved grandfather, she recalls that growing up, and she enjoyed traveling to Wisconsin and Austin to spend time with her grandparents. From a young age, Jennifer has memories of being at Oconomowoc Lake where Poppop and Grandma taught Jennifer how to water ski and bake sugar cookies with Grandma are some of my favorites. Poppop and grandma also enjoyed swinging in the huge hammock, playing the piano, eating corn on the cob on the back deck, looking out at grandma's beautiful garden and the lake, and playing dress up to name a few.
Pop-pop and grandma enjoyed taking family vacations with all the children and grandchildren. The family went to Disneyworld numerous times and the whole family enjoyed taking a cruise together. Harold and Martha even took the inaugural cruise on the Queen Elizabeth 2. Harold and Martha toured the world together learning about people and places. Their shared love was evident every day and they cherished their time together.
Pop-pop and Grandma attended every sporting event, school activity and event for Paul, Martha, Daniel and Cate. Poppop always arrived early, and he was car number one in the school pick up line so that the Paul, Martha, Daniel and Cate never had to wait. Poppop passed his love of the Packers and the Badgers on to his grandchildren, which explains why they are now Packer shareholders.
At 96, he lived a long and wonderful life full of love and achievement. The family was blessed to have had such a wonderful role model and loving man in all our lives. We will miss you so much Poppop but we're so happy you're reunited with grandma, Michael, Suzanne, Grandma and Grandpa Mendenhall and Grandma and Grandpa Ibach in heaven. We are blessed to have another an angel watching over us and will see you again one day, but until then, thank you for your endless love and support here on this Earth. We love and miss you deeply.
Harold will be laid to rest next to Martha and their nearby late son, Michael John and Martha’s late parents, Edna and Ernest Mendenhall, at Wisconsin Memorial Cemetery. Their late daughter, Suzanne Esther, who lived for two days and was buried in 1960, will be re-interred with Harold on October 29, 2022.
Harold’s visitation will be held at Wisconsin Memorial Park - Chapel of the Flowers, located at 13235 W Capitol Dr., Brookfield, WI 53005. The services will be held on October 29, 2022 with the visitation at 1:00 pm, a memorial service at 2:00 pm in the chapel followed by a graveside service.