Donald H. Picha, age 52 years, of Portage and formerly of the Hillsboro/Elroy areas, passed away on Monday, April 28, 2014 at his residence in Portage, Wisconsin.
He was born on Aug. 8, 1961 to Emil and Doris (Knutson) Picha in Hillsboro, where he grew to adulthood and graduated from the Hillsboro School in 1980. He took an early interest in emergency medical services and served with the Hillsboro Fire Department and also did ambulance work. In 1984, Don graduated from mortuary school at MATC in Milwaukee and has worked in funeral service ever since. For 20 years he also operated the Picha Furniture Store in Elroy, along with the funeral home there.
In 2009, a new venture took him to Portage to operate a funeral home in that community. He became an active member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, a member of the Portage Rotary and also helped as a crossing guard. And one thing that truly became a highlight for him was his friendship with the group stopping for breakfast at McDonald’s in Portage.
So many things can be thought of for a person that dies at an early age, but one thing he truly loved was his family. Don is survived by his son, Jacob (Jessica) Picha and his recently born grandson, Jase Morgan of Virginia Beach, Virginia; his daughter, Jenna Picha of Madison, and the mother of their children, Doreen. Further survived by his parents, Emil and Doris Picha of Hillsboro and siblings, Gary (Helen) Picha of Wisconsin Dells, Mara Jo (Ron) Johnson of Mount Horeb and Alan (Nancy) Picha of Hillsboro; and several nieces and nephews, whom he also enjoyed.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 2, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church at 850 Armstrong Street in Portage, with his friends, Rev. Alan Boeck and Rev. Blake Overlien officiating. Burial will be in the Mount Vernon Cemetery in Hillsboro. Friends may call at the Picha Funeral Home in Elroy on Thursday, May 1, 2014 from 2 to 8 p.m. and at the church in Portage on Friday from 12-1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given for the St. John’s Lutheran Church.
