Fond du Lac tattoo enthusiasts share stories behind their ink, from honoring loved ones to commemorating military service

Daphne Lemke, Fond du Lac Reporter
·4 min read

FOND DU LAC – Tattoos aren't just works of art; they're conversation starters.

We asked readers to send their tattoo photos and stories for National Tattoo Day July 17, and responses ranged from tattoos that honor loved ones to ink that commemorates time in the military or police department, all celebrating the ancient tattooing process.

Many of these tattoos came from local artists at studios like In Your Face Tattooz, 270 S. Main St.; Underground Ink, 193 S. Main St.; and Gallery 83 Tattoo Co., 83 N. Pioneer Road.

Local tattoo artist Glenn Vsk also opened his new studio "...this is permanent" at 25 N. Main St. in May, and books months in advance by phone or email at 920-979-5868 and glennvsk@gmail.com.

Here are seven local tattoo enthusiasts and the stories behind their ink.

Peyton Kemnitz has a tattoo honoring each of her grandparents.

Peyton Kemnitz's tattoo represents her grandparents: one grandfather is symbolized with a hummingbird, while the other and her grandmothers are depicted with hearts in their respective handwriting.
Peyton Kemnitz's tattoo represents her grandparents: one grandfather is symbolized with a hummingbird, while the other and her grandmothers are depicted with hearts in their respective handwriting.

Peyton Kemnitz's arm tattoo represents each of her grandparents, with three hearts in their respective handwriting and a hummingbird for her grandfather, a symbol the family has always used for him.

Since her grandfather died while she was very young, she didn't have handwriting for him.

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Kemnitz has another tattoo, which uses the math "greater than" symbol and arrows to depict the message "God is greater than the highs and lows," which is a matching tattoo with her aunt.

Peyton Kemnitz's tattoo represents the message "God is greater than the highs and lows" using the math "greater than" symbol and arrows.
Peyton Kemnitz's tattoo represents the message "God is greater than the highs and lows" using the math "greater than" symbol and arrows.

Cheryl Cook has a tattoo memorializing her late husband.

Cheryl Cook used her tattoo to memorialize her late husband, combining a feather to represent his Native heritage, a heart to represent their love, a bird for his passing and the letter M for his name — Mick.

Tattoo artist Chris James, now of Chris James Tattoos in Oshkosh, did the ink for her.

Cheryl Cook's tattoo represents her late husband Mick using a feather, heart, bird and his initial.
Cheryl Cook's tattoo represents her late husband Mick using a feather, heart, bird and his initial.

Bret Pasiuk's tattoo is a reminder of his shipmates and service in the U.S. Navy.

Bret Pasiuk has the Submarine Warfare insignia tattooed on his ankle, which signifies being qualified in the U.S. Navy to operate nearly every system in a submarine emergency, and also fight fires, flooding and respond appropriately to other casualties.

Pasiuk earned his insignia — unofficially called "dolphins" or "fish" — in 1991 after qualifying as Engineering Officer of the Watch, running the submarine's nuclear reactor, and Officer of the Deck, driving the submarine, aboard the USS Parche (SSN-683). He had the symbol tattooed before his retirement in 2013.

Bret Pasiuk has the Submarine Warfare insignia for qualifying in submarines in the US Navy tattooed on his ankle. He earned his insignia in 1991 and had it tattooed in 2013.
Bret Pasiuk has the Submarine Warfare insignia for qualifying in submarines in the US Navy tattooed on his ankle. He earned his insignia in 1991 and had it tattooed in 2013.

"Daily, it serves as a reminder of my shipmates, my service, and spurs me to always strive for excellence," he said.

Amanda Petermann's tattoo is in her mother's handwriting.

Amanda Petermann has a shoulder tattoo with the words "love you xoxo" in her mother's handwriting, as well as the "I love you" sign language symbol, with a heart as the hand.

Amanda Petermann's tattoo is the words "Love you xoxo" in her mother's handwriting, next to the sign language for "I love you"
Amanda Petermann's tattoo is the words "Love you xoxo" in her mother's handwriting, next to the sign language for "I love you"

She got her tattoo at Big Guns Tattoo from Danon Watson, who now operates as Pain & Patience inside Gallery 83 Tattoo Co.

Vicky Suprenand's tattoos recognize her time in the Navy and honor her parents.

Vicky Suprenand got her first two tattoos while she was in the Navy and is now up to 10, with most of them done by Gavin Bowe at In Your Face Tattooz, including permanent eyeliner.

Some of the tattoos that mean the most to her include the lilies on her back, drawn by a close friend, and a fish hook heart in memory of her dad, as fishing together was one of their favorite pastimes.

Vicky Suprenand's back tattoo is lilies, drawn by a close friend and inked by Gavin Bowe at In Your Face Tattooz in Fond du Lac.
Vicky Suprenand's back tattoo is lilies, drawn by a close friend and inked by Gavin Bowe at In Your Face Tattooz in Fond du Lac.
A fish hook heart tattoo represents Vicky Suprenand's late father and their memories of fishing together.
A fish hook heart tattoo represents Vicky Suprenand's late father and their memories of fishing together.

A third tattoo is a tea cup and chickadee bird Suprenand got while in England. It represents her mom, who is British and loves birds, and the design includes her initial on the tea spoon.

Vicky Suprenand's chickadee and teacup tattoo represents her mother, who is British and loves birds. She had this tattoo done in England.
Vicky Suprenand's chickadee and teacup tattoo represents her mother, who is British and loves birds. She had this tattoo done in England.

Mick Burroughs' tattoos remember lost loved ones.

Mick Burroughs also has several tattoos, with many of them representing lost loved ones, including an Arkansas Razorbacks tattoo to memorialize his daughter, who was born in Arkansas while he was in the Air Force and died at age 18 in 1998.

Mick Burroughs's Arkansas Razorbacks tattoo memorializes his daughter Ann, who died in 1998.
Mick Burroughs's Arkansas Razorbacks tattoo memorializes his daughter Ann, who died in 1998.

He also has a tattoo from his time at the Fond du Lac Police Department, when the police motor unit started in 2000, as well as a family of pandas to represent his wife and her three kids.

Bowe at In Your Face Tattooz also did all the ink.

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Former police officer Mick Burroughs has a tattoo from when the Fond du Lac Police Department developed the police mobile unit in 2000.
Former police officer Mick Burroughs has a tattoo from when the Fond du Lac Police Department developed the police mobile unit in 2000.
The pandas tattooed on Mick Burroughs's arm represent his wife and her three kids.
The pandas tattooed on Mick Burroughs's arm represent his wife and her three kids.

Dawn Mumper's ink was done by her son and memorializes her late first son.

Dawn Mumper got her first tattoo from her son Adam, who owns Underground Ink and designed a memorial for Mumper's late first son.

He used the birth certificate to recreate the footprints of her pre-term baby around a colorful dandelion.

Dawn Mumper's son Adam designed and inked her tattoo at Underground Ink, memorializing her late first son by recreating his baby footprints.
Dawn Mumper's son Adam designed and inked her tattoo at Underground Ink, memorializing her late first son by recreating his baby footprints.

She said Adam Mumper has grown in many ways since he started tattooing about eight years ago, and her tattoo is something she will cherish forever.

Daphne Lemke is the Streetwise reporter for the Fond du Lac Reporter. Contact her at dlemke@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: Fond du Lac shares tattoo stories honoring loved ones and life events