Neil E. Huwatschek

Neil Earl Huwatschek, age 80, of Brentwood, Calif., passed away of heart disease at his home on Sunday, Jan. 31.

He was born on June 18, 1940, to Dr. Earl G. and Hope (Smith) Huwatschek at Sheboygan Memorial Hospital in Sheboygan, Wis.

Neil grew up in Port Washington, Wis. He graduated from Port Washington High School with the Class of 1958. He was especially proud to have earned a letter in football as a member of the 1957 Braveland Conference champions. Neil persevered through his struggles with asthma to be a part of the team.

At the age of 17, Neil joined the U.S. Navy. When his three-year military obligation was completed, he returned to Port Washington and operated the local Dairy Queen with his brother Ned and sister Lenys.

As a young lad, Neil was always fascinated by cars and especially trucks. He became friends with Neil Noesen, a truck driver and heavy equipment operator. Mr. Noesen later became Port Washington’s fire chief. Neil joined the Port Washington Fire Department under his friend’s guidance. This was the start of an admirable 30-year career in fire fighting.

In 1962, Neil moved to California where the climate was better suited for his health. ​He joined the fire department in Palos Verdes, Calif., and then transferred to Campbell, Calif. Neil then worked 20 plus years at the Fremont, Calif., Fire Department, where he retired in 1992.

He and wife Susan moved to Arnold, Calif. Neil continued his years of public safety service by becoming the quartermaster for the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue, a position he held for over 10 years.

One of Neil’s greatest loves was visiting the Keweenaw County of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.    

Smith Bros. owned and operated a fishery in Bete Gris, Mich., that drew Neil’s parents to purchase a cottage in Lac La Belle, Mich. Every summer since Neil was a baby, Earl and Hope would take their family to the U.P. to spend the whole month of August in “God’s Country.”

Neil was very handy. He could fix or build almost anything and enjoyed working on projects in and around the cottage.

After planting roots in California, Neil would still return to Wisconsin annually to visit family and also to travel to Keweenaw. (And as his high school classmates know, he never missed a class reunion.)

Neil is survived by his wife Susan; daughter Kristi Huwatschek of Antioch, Calif.; two stepsons; a stepdaughter; brother Ned Huwatschek (Stella Mottonen) of Lac La Belle, Mich.; sister Lenys Walden (Dennis Condon) of Port Washington; 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He will be deeply missed by all.

A private family memorial service in California will be held.