Dr. John C. Wollwage

In Memoriam:
John Carl Wollwage passed away Thursday, February 28, 2002 at The Heritage in Appleton, Wisconsin. Born in Chicago, October 11, 1914, son of Walter E & Emma Urbach Wollwage, John excelled in education. He graduated from Lane Technical High School and at the age of 19, received his BS in chemistry from Northwestern University. While at Northwestern he played baseball, was member of Sigma Xi Fraternity, and spent summers teaching at Chicago’s YMCA boy’s camp.

John earned his MS in 1936 from Lawrence University and his PHD from The Institute of Paper Chemistry in 1938 at age 24. February 11, 1938, he married his sweetheart of eight years, Jeannette Chabot, at the Pilgrim Evangelical Lutheran Church of Chicago. 1938 was also the year John joined Kimberly-Clark as a research chemist in the technical department in Neenah, WI. He worked on the physical properties of paper, curl, stretch, and moisture content. He was superintendent of the technical department at the Lakeview mill, project leader in the technical department at Neenah and later, division head of K-C War Production board research-engineering unit.

He became assistant mill manager at Badger-Globe in 1945 and was named manager of Lakeview in 1946. In 1949 he was appointed technical director and later became manager and director of technical research. He was named manager of the corporation’s foreign operations in 1955 and took charge of K-C’s rapidly expanding subsidiaries in England, Australia, and South Africa. He helped start operations in Germany and Mexico and was appointed General Manager of Manufacturing Process, Consumer Products Division in 1959, retiring in 1973 as Vice President of Corporate Research & Engineering. He then served on the faculty and was VP of Research at the Institute of Paper Chemistry until 1978. John was a member of TAPPI since 1936 and served two terms as President of the Technical Association Pulp & Paper Industry.

John was an Appleton community leader and fundraiser for the City of Appleton YMCA, the Appleton High swimming facility, Trinity Lutheran Church, & many other civic organizations. His wife of 49 years, Jeannette, beloved mother of their three sons, Paul, David, & Mark, preceded him in death. His 2nd wife, Helen Dillon Wollwage, preceded him in death last year. Four grandchildren also survive him.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 13th at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Appleton.