MADISON, Wis. – Surrounded by loved ones, Winfred Colbert watched and waited on the shore of Lake Monona for search teams to help him bring his brother home.
The Dane County Sheriff’s Office found the 74-year-old Milwaukee man Sunday, identified by family as Willie Gene Colbert, after he was accidentally thrown overboard while fishing with friends the day before.
“To lose someone as unfortunate as we did, you know it’s hurt,” Winfred said. “It’s sadness in our heart, it’s sadness to my family.”
Winfred first made the trip to Madison Saturday but returned to Milwaukee the same day when officials called off the search due to severe weather, but he wasn’t away for long.
He returned the following morning when dive teams resumed on Lake Monona, to be there for his older brother Willie like he always was.
Winfred said the two had been close since their childhood growing up in Georgia in a little town called Butler. He said in over 70 years the only time they really spent apart was when Willie served in Vietnam.
“He’s always been there for me and I’ve always been there for him,” Winfred said. “When he got out of the military and came to Milwaukee, he sent for me to come to Milwaukee.”
That was more than 50 years ago, around the same time Willie met his best friend and long-time fishing buddy Henry Jackson.
Jackson said he met the 74-year-old best known as ‘Chilly Willie’ working a 3rd shift at a Milwaukee brewing company, and at the time Willie was also running his own business.
During a work break, Jackson said he came to find Willie asleep in the lunch room on the former’s designated ‘nap bench.’
“I asked, ‘who is this guy on my bench?’ They said ‘his name is Willie.’ So I reached down and shook him. “I said, ‘hey guy.’ He opened his eyes up at me and they were blood red. I said, ‘go back to sleep young man,” Jackson recalled with a laugh.
Since then, they remained friends, traveling across the country on numerous fishing trips and sharing a lifetime of moments together, including Willie’s last.
Jackson was one of two passengers with Willie when their boat hit a swell and turned sharply, throwing the 74-year-old overboard.
“It was bam instantaneous– not knowing not seeing it coming,” Jackson recounted. “I took as much pause as I could and done everything I could to save him…I’m going to miss him.”
Willie’s family and friends are finding some comfort knowing that he died doing what he loved, fishing.
“I just want to let him know that I love you. I’ve always loved you,” Winfred said. “I miss you, God knows I do and I will be there for your family long as God got me here on earth, they can count on me.”
Winfred said Willie got his nickname because he was always a happy-go-lucky guy people wanted to be around who loved to party, barbecue and cook fish.
He was also grandfather, remembered by loved ones as someone who took care of his family and was always willing to share what he had with others.
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