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Reinheart Elmer Zirbel, Mickey Navigator 834th, 11 May 2018
Reinheart E. Zirbel, 95, was born in Wausau WI, to Dr. Elmer and Isabel (Green) Zirbel where he grew up much influenced by the fascination of the 20's and 30's with aviation; building model airplanes and engaging successfully in many model competitions. Skiing also became an integral part of his life as he took full advantage of the then new facilities at Rib Hill in Wausau.
He graduated from Wausau High School in 1941 after which he attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison until interrupted by his military service in World War II. After training, he was assigned to the 486th. After a tour of 28 combat missions, as a radar
(Mickey) lead navigator/bombardier. He received 5 Air Medals and 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses.
Reinheart returned to the UW-Madison to graduate in 1948 from the Engineering School. He was employed by Monarch Iron Range Co. in Beaver Dam, WI, then by Parker Pen in Janesville, after which he founded Zirbel Precision Engineering, which later included Camtrol, Inc. and he operated from 1960-1996.
In 1949, he was united in marriage with Mary Arbuthnot in Janesville where they reared their family of seven children.
He was the navigator/facilitator for the family's many camping trips; the faithful attender of countless concerts and recitals in which his children were involved; the man to go to when a child's project needed support or fixing; the family's own ski instructor; the teacher of "the right way to do things"; and a grandpa with many stories. He was a member of St. Paul's Ev Lutheran Church.
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