A TRIBUTE TO OUR DAD EDWIN "JUNIOR" SPRECHER
A.k.a. Junie, Junese, June Bug, JR, the Mayor of Leland, drew his last draft of beer on April 1. Leave it to Dad to go out on April Fool's Day. He enjoyed his life till the last day and greeted guests in his kitchen instead of behind the bar these past 3 months. He was born on November 7, 1926 (age 88), to Edwin and Anna (Giese) in the very home he peacefully passed away in. He was the youngest of six all who are gone.
Dad has welcomed and entertained nine generations of patrons that have walked through the Sprecher's Tavern doors in the little hamlet of Leland. He started bar tending at age 7 when his dad converted the general store he purchased in 1901 into a tavern after prohibition ended in 1934. Dad took over the bar in 1950 from his father. He ran the bar with the love of his life of 56 years, Dona (Strmiska). He holds title to having the fourth longest continually held tavern license in the state.

Mom and Dad were married in 1949 after he swept her off her feet at a New Year's Eve dance. They raised three children Ann Jensen Baraboo, Mark (Colleen Frey) Stevens Point, and Amy Leland, who has been helping her parents run the bar since 2003 and will continue running it. The family has grown to include Ann's children Todd (Shelia Konichek) of DeForest, Becky, Cassandra, and Lindsy Wiatrok all of Baraboo and six great-grandchildren.
Dad has become a celebrity over the years being featured in newspapers (Wisconsin State Journal, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Portage Register, Sauk Prairie Eagle & Star, Baraboo News Republic - http://www.wiscnews.com/news/local/article_0685a5ae-64a6-11e1-9178-0019bb2963f4.html); magazines (Wisconsin Trails, numerous motorcycle magazines); books (For Love and Money and the next edition of the Badger Bars); videos (Sauk Prairie Area Historical Society link https://vimeo.com /40615750); and Public Television In Wisconsin (April 2006 http://video.wpt.org/video/1891114062).

If you never visited the bar you missed out on a unique experience with Dad. He always greeted you with a warm welcome when you walked through the door. He would serve you his famous summer sausage and cheese sandwich with a frosted mug of Sprecher's rootbeer or beer to wash it down. Then he would entertain you with his turkey calls and show you how to use a plastic drink straw to call them in. To top the visit off he'd pour a shot or two of Polish Blackberry for medicinal purposes you know – "the first sip has a bite but it's smooth after that!"
He loved to tell about his childhood boxing days fighting for an ice cream cone or malt. Or his fights with the kids after Sunday school because he was wearing knickerbockers. Or maybe you heard about his golden glove boxing days in high school and the scholarship offer at UW Madison he didn't get to take because of his Dad's health. Or about being born at home and put in the oven to warm him and that's the reason he's half baked. Or losing his mom at age 7 and baching it with his dad. Or about the dances held in the dancehall on Sunday nights and his falling asleep in class the next day. Or his hunting stories about bunnies, coons, pheasants, deer, and turkeys. Or when he broke his back falling out of a tree stand. Or discussions about the political gangsters holding public office.
Twenty-three years ago twelve grad students from UW Madison were out for a motorcycle ride on their old European racer bikes and happened upon the tavern. They enjoyed Mom and Dad so much they kept bringing more people. The Slimey Crud Café Racer Run has taken on a life of its own bringing up to 4000 people to our little hamlet twice a year. Dad was featured in a documentary movie about the club "American Café" (http://2soc.net) – DVDs available at the bar too. The Slimey Crud Club is planning a memorial in honor of Dad at the May 3rd event.
The family will be having a private celebration of his life later in May. We know you would all love to pay your respects and we appreciate that so much. Grab your friends, pick your own date and come to the bar and celebrate where his spirit will surround you. Remember Dad in your own way and keep the memories close in your heart.
Dad loved children, had so much respect for veterans, and appreciated our local Sauk Prairie Hospital. So it would only be fitting for memorials to go to the following: Saint Jude's Children's Hospital ; Wisconsin's Honor Flight or Vet's Roll; or the Sauk Prairie Hospital for their new beds (Dad was the first to experience the new bed when the hospital opened and loved it). Cards may be sent to the family at E7425 County Road C, North Freedom, WI 53951.

We want to thank Doctors John McAuliffe and Sandhay Shah for keeping him with us over these years. And thank you to the caring health care professionals at the hospital, clinic and his Home Health nurses. He always commented on how great everyone was.
We hope you enjoyed Dad's stories as much as he enjoyed telling them to you. We hope he put a silver lining in your bad day and encouraged you along the way. Thank you for sharing in Dad's life and making it special for him.
He always had some words of wisdom to share and a positive outlook on life. With that said we wanted to leave you with some of his favorites – "Live each day to its fullest." "Thank God for giving me another day to bitch." "When you're feeling down pick yourself up off the mat, go back to your corner, and come out swinging." "And never climb up in a tree stand!!!"
Dad now you and Mom can have your dance for the rest of your lives. We love and miss you both with all of our hearts – Ann, Mark & Amy