Harvey G. Aschenbrenner

Harvey G. Aschenbrenner, Jr. went to Heaven in the loving arms of his wife Cathie on 6/27/06 after a short but courageous battle with lung cancer. He was born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, November 30th, 1941 to Harvey G. Sr and Emma (Glanz). He married Cathleen M. Collins, daughter of Dr. Frank and Edna Collins, on December 25,1962. Following graduation from Goodrich Senior High in 1960, Harvey worked for Robert M. Arthur as a surveyor and then, Gidding & Lewis as a machinist. Go-Kart racing became a passion in the early 1960's and he designed and built "formula kart experimental" machine's, which he named, Banchi's. He and his partner built and sold 12-13 over several year during which time his Banchi's won 8 national championships in that class of go-karts. Mercury Marine hired him specifically to work on their snowmobile program, and shortly after that, Kiekaefer Aeromarine hired him to design and run their snowmobile program. Kawasaki Motor's recruited Harv is 1971 to design and build a racecar that could used the Arctic Cat snowmobile engine during the off-season. The family moved to Southern California in 1973 when the Accessory Division was transferred there. Needing some wire harnesses for a motorcycle faring, he offered to do the harness himself and went on to start his own wire harness and cable assembly business, A.J. A. Enterprises. The business grew quickly and two moves later, the plant added numerous employees; Canon Business Machines in Irvine, California choose A.J.A. the vendor of the year in the late 1970's because of the quality of work his company produced for them. Harv loved fishing and being out on the Ocean. The family spent a lot of time cruising with friends to Catalina Island where the children were able to scuba dive, swim and just enjoy time together. He decided to "live aboard" his boat in1979 and moved to San Diego, California to live on Shelter Island in a marina. The electronics business was sold and he commercial fished; he fished red snapper, and crab until illness forced him off the water. He was a talented artist and choose projects where he could sit and made leaded-glass hangings, lamps, and jewelry. Returning "home" to Fond du Lac in 1990, he designed and built furniture and documented his love of racing in a book that he had published in 2004, "Running on the Edge." He created two more Banchi's from the original jig and prints. He loved spending time with his numerous friends and family. He had a remarkable sense of humor and enjoyed making people laugh and feeling at ease. Survivors include his father, Harvey Sr; wife, Cathie; son, Anthony Jay (A.J.) and wife, Kim of Costa Mesa, Ca., and daughter, Ann Michelle Hirsch and husband Stuart D. Hirsch of San Diego, Ca. Two brothers Gary (Joannie Franklin) Aschenbrenner of Little Elkart Lake, WI and Randy (Lauri) Aschenbrenner of Green Bay, WI. Grandchildren: Jeremy Jay Kekahuna and wife Gina, Jeannette (Kekahuna) Sanchez, and Harrison, Hunter, and Heather Hirsch. Great-grandchildren: Diego, Melia, and Camilla Kekahuna.



Visitation: Will be held on Saturday July 1, 2006 from 1:30 to 4:00 pm at Ascension Lutheran Church on the corner of Hwy V and Pioneer Rd. in Fond du Lac. Funeral: Will follow at 4:00 pm at the church with the Rev. Jeff Blain officiating. Cremation will follow services. The family loves flowers but to really make a difference in someone's life a donation to the Hospice Hope or Ascension Lutheran Church would be appreciated. Uecker-Witt Funeral Home is serving the family.