Roger Daul, 84, passed away quietly, at home, on September 13, 2022, surrounded by loved ones.
Born Raymond Roger Daul to Raymond and Senorita Daul on August 2, 1938 in Depere, WI. The parents could not care for their children and Roger and his siblings spent their entire childhood in an orphanage in Green Bay, WI. After 8th grade, boys entering high school were let out to area farmers as work hands doing chores & sleeping in the barn with the cows. The day he graduated from Wrightstown High in 1956 he jumped a freight train, alone and penniless, and joined a traveling circus. He married his first wife, Harriet, in 1962, and was finally part of a real family. He earned his business degree from UW- Milwaukee. He was an energetic and hardworking employee and quickly rose up the corporate ladder at Allis Chalmers. Later, he started his own company in Muscoda & Berlin, WI. Daul Industries fabricated structural steel & sent it out to be erected at job sites all over the midwest. His steel contributed to many public buildings, libraries, schools, courthouses, churches & opera houses. He worked tirelessly everyday, always up early doing the New York Times crossword with a pen to paper at a local Berlin cafe.
Always on time, he was a dynamic salesman who would not let lost business get him down. In fact, it made him work harder. He built a large shop for fabricating steel in Berlin’s Industrial Park, and employed many people for over 35 years. His company flourished. Even working 60+ hours a week, his energy allowed him to own other businesses as well; Miller Trailer, Elaine’s Antiques, The Whiting Bar all in Berlin. He loved buying and selling antiques and had antique stores in Princeton and Waupaca. In fact, he had so much collected he was asked to be on the history channel show American Pickers in 2010. You can see the episode on YouTube, Episode 86 “The Doctor is in”. Roger loved to travel, he was sent around the world for business when he worked for Allis Chalmers. He caught the travel bug and never stopped. He traveled to Japan, Europe, South America, Central America and North Africa to buy antiques and ship them back to the Wisconsin stores.
He met his future wife, Mara “Kay” Pozorski, in 1996, and they spent his last 26 wonderful years together. Diagnosed with dementia in 2012, he left Daul Industries to his sons Richard & Scott and retired to enjoy the time he had left. He bought a farm in Pine River, WI and filled it with 20 horses, chickens, rabbits, ducks, sheep and goats. For Roger and Kay’s children and grandchildren to enjoy. Dementia led to other health problems, but Kay always took care of him at home just to make sure he would never be alone like he was at the orphanage.
Roger is survived by his first wife, Harriet, and their 3 sons. Dr. Randy Daul (Jean) and their three children, Jordan (Bridgette), expecting a baby girl, Becky (Issac), also expecting a baby girl, Katie Daul. Richard Daul (Mary-deceased) and their two children, Justin (Sara), children Nora and Lucas, Haley (Kayden) and their four foster children: Deforest, Dakota, Easton, and John.
Generous to a fault, he shared his success with those around him. Taking everyone to lunch, dinner or a night on the town where he always picked up the tab. He loved to treat his family, friends and colleagues. He quietly donated to several local charities, always anonymously. Loved and respected by those around him, one could not help but to be impressed by his constant energy, business finesse, and charming social skills. Everyone in town knew his name. He never sat still, never gave up on his work; selling, building, buying and growing. He encouraged everyone around him to work as hard as he did, much to our chagrin and exhaustion. No one could keep up with him. Being alone his whole childhood without parents and absolutely nothing to his name, became the impetus behind his drive to succeed. He always said “Don’t ever slow down, but really live”.
He will be greatly missed. Roger lived a big, beautiful, eventful, productive life, one that we all can aspire to.