SHAWANO, WI – The man who brought SunDrop to Shawano passed away last week and a celebration of his life will take place this weekend.
Floyd “Twig” Hartwig was 92-years-old when he passed away on Friday.
The Gresham native fought for the US Army in the Korean War when an injury brought him back home.
“He was shot through both knees and decided to come back to Shawano and start this bottling company in 1951,” said Hartwig’s son and current Twig’s Beverage owner Dan Hartwig. “He did it with the help of his softball buddies who called him Twig and that is how Twig’s Beverage got its name.”
Hartwig’s first drinks that he bottled were Goody Orange and Bullseye Root Beer.
“It started in the old farmers brewery where he rented some space.”
Hartwig says a business connection made Twig’s Beverage what it is today.
“A guy came and asked him if he would bottle Sun Drop and he decided to and it became our fastest growing product and it is still the same today,” Hartwig explained. “He was the first bottler in the state of Wisconsin to bottle Sun Drop.”
The company is now in generation three with Dan Hartwig’s sons onboard.
Along with being a businessman, Hartwig is remembered for involvements in the VFW, DAV, American Legion, Rotary, and as the Beja Shrine Clown “Twig”.
Dan says he mostly thinks of his dad as a community man.
“He enjoyed being here and never left this area and that is why he built this place here was because of the area and all of the people here.”
Funeral mass for Floyd Hartwig will be on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Full military honors will be conducted.
Visitation will be Friday evening at Swedberg Funeral Home in Shawano and again at the church starting at 9:30 a.m.
LISTEN: Dan Hartwig explains the history of Shawano Sun Drop and Twig’s Beverage
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