Biography :

Allen Gregory Lanke was born 14 August 1935 at Prairie du Chien, Crawford County, Wisconsin, the son of Lawrence Charles and Helen Vivian (Allen) Lanke.

He married Mary Alice Diederich 24 October 1959 at St. Ann's Roman Catholic Church at 2474 North 37th Street, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Reverend _________________ presided. Witnesses were Richard Eugene Lanke and Mary Steinmetz Miller.

She was born 6 March 1936 at Bloomer, Chippewa County, Wisconsin, the daughter of Joseph Charles and Alice Florence (Yost) Diederich.

Al enlisted in the United States Navy at Prairie du Chien at the age of 18 and served for four years, from October 1953 to October 1957.

He attended boot camp at the United States Naval Training Center at San Diego, San Diego County, California. He was then transferred to flight school at Norman, Oklahoma, for six weeks. After flight training, he was sent to the Naval Aviation Electrician's School at Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida, for about 16 weeks. He was then assigned to a Navy fighter squadron, VF-152, aboard the U.S.S Antietam, which he joined in the Philippines. After completing a cruise to the far east, the Antietam returned to the Naval Station at Alameda, California, and the squadron returned to Moffitt Field.

The squadron was then ordered aboard the U.S.S. Yorktown for 14 months, during which it cruised to Hawaii, Wake Island, Guam, the Philipines, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Australia. The squadron returned to Moffitt Field for about a month and was then ordered aboard the U.S.S. Wasp for about a 12-month deployment, which took it to the same places in the far east.

Allen was discharged in October 1957 as an electricians' mate Second Class. He had been promoted to First Class but did not have sufficient time in grade and reverted.

After he was discharged from the Navy, he joined the Ladish Company at Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, in the apprentice training program. He worked at Ladish until July 1964. Then he went to work for A. Behling Company at 6734 West Wells Street, Wauwatosa, Milwaukee County. He took over the electrical department at Behling in 1969, when Armand Behling died. He left the A. Behling Company in 1974 to set up his own business, Lanke Electric Company. He is now an electrical contractor in Plover, Wisconsin.

Mary Alice Diederich was graduated from McDonnell Memorial High School at Chippewa Falls, Chippewa County, in June 1954. She then attended Eau Claire Vocational School, where she received secretarial training from September 1954 to February 1955.

Her first job was as secretary with National Farm Loan at Chippewa Falls from March 1955 till February 1957.

She moved to Milwaukee in February 1957 to work for Marquette Cement Manufacturing Company at 2040 West Wisconsin Avenue. She started as a secretary but became bookkeeper in May 1957. She left Marquette Cement Manufacturing Company in March 1960, shortly before Robert's birth. Thereafter, she was a housewife, until Allen started his own business, and then she kept the books. After moving to Plover in 1984, she went back to work at the Maryvonne Clothing Store.

After their marriage, the Lanke's resided at 2416 South 52nd Street in West Allis for six months and at 2646 South 69th Street in Milwaukee for four years. They rented a home at 160 North 70th Street in Milwaukee in June 1964 and bought it in the fall of 1967. In March 1984, they decided to move from Milwaukee to Plover, Portage County, Wisconsin, and they purchased a home at 2441 River Bend Road.

The Lankes have four children:

Robert Allen Lanke married Michelle Marie Warner. (now divorced)
Stephanie Jane Lanke married Mark Walter Milles. (now divorced)
Janice Marie Lanke is married to Kurt Edward Achterkirch.
Kevin James Lanke.

City : Plover
State : WI