KAUKAUNA - A 29-year-old Appleton man — who, his obituary says, loved baking fresh chocolate chip cookies for his family — died at the Ahlstrom-Munksjö Thilmany Paper Mill last week.
Aaron M. Hobart, who is originally from Wisconsin Rapids, worked as a laborer in the boiler department at the Kaukauna mill. He died unexpectedly Aug. 16 "as the result of an accident at his workplace," according to his obituary.
Hobart leaves behind his wife and their 2-year-old son.
"Aaron was a hard-working and kind-hearted soul who would do anything for his family and friends. He loved riding his Harley, the color purple, and most of all, being a dad," according to a GoFundMe campaign created for his family.
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration is investigating Hobart's death at the mill, located at 600 Thilmany Road, and owned by Ahlstrom-Munksjö, a paper company based in Helsinki, Finland.
The investigation will take time, and the company is "not able to report those results until it is complete," spokesperson Addie Teeters said an email Monday.
"We are continuing to ask for respect and support for the family and colleagues of the individual," Teeters said.
Kaukauna Mayor Tony Penterman commented last week on Facebook about "the tragic accident" and said "our deepest sympathies go out to the family during this difficult time."
Hobart "was known for his dry sense of humor and his 'dad jokes,'" his obituary states.
He previously worked for Verso Corp. in Wisconsin Rapids. He was born in Wisconsin Rapids, graduated from Lincoln High School there and attended the nearby Mid-State Technical College, according to his obituary.
“We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for our family," Katie Meyer, who organized the GoFundMe page and said she is Hobart's sister-in-law, told The Post-Crescent in an email Monday. "We’d like to thank the members of the community who have reached out to express their condolences, as well as those who have generously contributed to the GoFundMe campaign.”
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Reach Becky Jacobs at bjacobs@gannett.com or 920-993-7117. Follow her on Twitter at @ruthyjacobs.