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Linus “Lini” Stoll graduated from Aquinas High School in LaCrosse, Wis., as Valedictorian of his class and received a scholarship to Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. After one year at Loras, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy on November 7, 1943, and was sent to the University of Wisconsin-Madison in March 1944 for Navy V-12 Program Training.
In November 1945, he was commissioned an Ensign in the Navy and was then sent to serve aboard the USS Major DE-796 in the Pacific theater. In August of 1946, he was released from active duty as the Major’s Communications Officer and he returned to University of Wisconsin to complete his college education and graduated from University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering. He was employed by Wisconsin Public Service Corporation in February 1947 as a Gas Distribution Engineer in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and continued his association with the U.S. Navy by joining the Sheboygan Naval Reserve Unit.
On December 2, 1950, Lini was recalled to active naval duty for service in the Korean War. He was assigned to the destroyer USS Vogelgesang DD-862 as Communications Officer. The Vogelgesang was sent to the Mediterranean Sea for assignment to the Sixth Fleet. In September 1951, he was transferred to the amphibious navy as Communications Officer for Transport Central Division 23 aboard the USS Bowers APD-40.
In December 1952, he was released to inactive status and he returned to his civilian job at WPS and the Sheboygan Naval Reserve Unit. His naval service ribbons included WWII Victory Medal, Korean Service Medal and Naval Reserve Medal.
In 1953, WPS, transferred Lini to Oshkosh to work in the company’s Gas Engineering Department. In 1966, he was promoted to Division Manager of the WPS Sheboygan Division, and in 1971, to Lakeshore Manager, moving the family to Two Rivers.
In 1974, he was named Marketing Manager for the corporation and moved to Green Bay. He was named VP of Administration in 1974 and President and CEO in 1988. He retired as the CEO of WPS, Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, on February 28, 1991.
Linus was the Commanding Officer of the Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Naval Reserve Unit from June 1962 to June 1965, and retired from the Navy on January 30, 1986, with the rank of Commander after serving 42 years.
Other Comments:
Lini was involved in many organizations in the four communities he worked in including the Armed Forces YMCA (ASYMCA) and the United States Navy Memorial. He was President of the Sheboygan Jaycees and Commanding Officer of the Oshkosh Naval Reserve Unit. In Two Rivers, he was Chairman and President of the United Way and a member of Kiwanis Club. He served as President of the Green Bay Chamber of Commerce, President of the Fox Valley Chapter of the Wisconsin Professional Engineers Society and President of Friends of St. Vincent Hospital. He also served on the Board of Directors of Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, the Wisconsin State Board of Technical College, the Associated Bank Board of Directors, and Chairman of WPS Board of Directors. Linus was active in the Catholic parishes he was a member of plus the Serra Club and Bellin Hospital Meals on Wheels
