Harold "Tubby" Flater

Harold “Tubby” Flater, 94, of Holcombe passed away on Monday, July 13, 2026 at Cornell Health Services.

Tubby was born on October 25, 1931 on the family farm in the Town of Birch Creek in Chippewa County.

He attended rural schools from 1st through 8th grade, walking uphill both ways to school, and graduated from Holcombe High School in 1949. From there, he attended Eau Claire Teacher’s College for 3 years.

He joined the Army on October 5, 1953. When his father died in a hunting accident, he received a hardship discharge from the Army in January of 1954 to assist his mother in running the family resort that was started in 1938.

On June 14, 1954, he married JoAnn Klund and took over running Flater’s Resort where they raised their three children. In the 1960’s Tubby and JoAnn started a mobile home park—long before RV’s existed!

He served as the Chairman for the Town of Washington for 3 years, served on the Rusk County Board for 20 years, and he was on the Chippewa Valley Electric Cooperative Board (CVEC) for 48 years. During his time on the CVEC Board, he also spent time representing the Cooperative on the Wisconsin Electric Cooperatives Association (WECA) Board and the RESCO Board. He was instrumental in starting the Lake Holcombe Resort Association, Indianhead ATV Club, Flambeau Area Trail Tenders, and developing recreational trails in Rusk and Chippewa Counties.

In retirement, Tubby and JoAnn enjoyed spending their winters in Port Isabel, Texas at their sea cottage and their summers at their home on the Chippewa River. If Tubby wasn’t maintaining the campground or hauling canoes, he was usually found playing cribbage down at the bar or golfing at one of the area golf courses.

He is survived by his loving children Jim (Paula) Flater of Holcombe, WI; Joe (fiancé Angie) Flater of Holcombe, WI; Jane (Dan) Joy of Pound, WI; honorary son, Steve Folgate of Byron, MN; 14 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great-grandchildren; his sister, Hilda Trudeau of Luck, WI; his brother-in-law, Monte (Char) Klund of Holcombe, WI; his sister-in-law, Deb Klund of Bruce, WI; his nieces and nephews and many other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in his death by his loving wife, JoAnn Klund; parents, Harry and Mary (Brainerd) Flater; 2 brothers, Ray and Earl Flater; and sister, Ardythe Buchholz.

The memorial service/celebration of life will be announced at a later date.

Complete obituaries will also be published in the Ladysmith News, Cornell Courier and Eau Claire Leader Telegram.