Ellis E. Eichmann, 80, of St. Nazianz died peacefully in his sleep at his home on Friday, August 13th, 2021 with his favorite TV channel tuned in to his Western Movies.
Ellis was born July 21, 1941 in Manitowoc, son of the late Norbert A. C. and Martha Weyer-Eichmann. Ellis attended George Washington Grade School in St. Nazianz and graduated from Valders High School in 1960.
After graduating, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and attended Boot Camp at Great Lakes, IL. He served on the USS Canberra CAG-2, a guided missile heavy cruiser between 1961-1962. While serving on the Canberra, he spent 7 months in the Mediterranean where he hit every port except Spain. In 1963 he served on the USS Basilone DD-824, a destroyer. He worked in the commissary as a baker, cook, and meat cutter. He left the Navy with a rating of Culinary Specialist Third Class Petty Officer (CS3).
After being honorably discharged from the Navy, he worked at Stegemann’s Supermarket in Two Rivers as a Baker. He later worked at Techumseh in New Holstein in The Salvage, Repair and Return Department where he retired after 41 years.
On May 15th, 1965, he married Jean C. Madson at Faith Lutheran Church in Valders. Together, along with his father, they ran Eichmann’s Bakery in St. Nazianz from the early to mid 1970’s.
Ellis had a special way of making friends wherever he went. He always wanted to make people happy and was there for everyone. He had the most giving heart. He enjoyed long talks with loved ones and dear friends on the phone, or as he would sometimes refer to it as “Airing out the Underwear”.
Ellis was a Die Hard Chicago Cubs fan and was ALWAYS seen in his Cubby attire. It was his dream to see his Cubbies win the World Series. In 2016 his dream came true, and he shared that magical evening with two of his grandsons that have his name as their middle name, the three “Ellises.” In addition to his favorite baseball team, he enjoyed watching the Indianapolis Colts, listening to Bluegrass and NPR Classical music and playing the spoons. Ellis went to many concerts at the Carlton West in Green Bay where he was a VIP member. He was always assured to get a front row seat and was known on a first name basis. He enjoyed time spent at the Glenmore Opera House where he listened to numerous bands.
He was an official Jack Daniels Tennessee Squire. He loved campfires and a good cigar – a full moon was an added bonus any evening. He spent many days fishing at local ponds with the worms he would collect near the grave of his grandson, Christopher. This was his way of spending time with the grandson he never had the chance to meet. He thoroughly enjoyed staying up late to watch Western and Horror movies. Other favorites were Blue Bloods, Two and a Half Men and the numerous home videos he created for his family to treasure. He was known as “Scoop” to the family because he never missed out on the opportunity to capture special moments in life with his cam-corder. He played dartball in the Manitowoc County Dartball League, coached his daughters T-Ball leagues and always loved sports that his grandsons participated in. He also followed Valders High School Boys Basketball.
Ellis was the home town favorite every Halloween (which was his favorite holiday). He dressed from head to toe in his Wolfman costume and sat on his front porch to hand out candy to the trick or treaters as they left the Opera House Magic Show. He had a love of wolves and always looked forward to doing this. Until recently, he could often be seen walking around town on his daily four mile treks. He appreciated getting out of the house every other day to drive to Festival to get his meals and visit with the workers.
He was a true family man. He loved doing things that would create wonderful memories for his daughters, their spouses and his grandsons. He invested in the special things like taking the family to Disney on vacation, purchasing elaborate fireworks displays, buying and collecting train sets for his grandsons. He liked to try out various restaurants, especially when the menu included crab legs and lobster. He was a loving grandfather who baked specialty birthday cakes for his grandsons and made special baked treats for their friends to enjoy after their sporting or school events. He was sentimental, and collected movie stubs from all the movies he attended with his grandsons.
Ellis appreciated nature and shared his passion with his family whether it was planting a tree, watching birds, chopping wood, walking and hunting in the family woods or vacationing up north with them in Minocqua.
He was always the favorite human in the presence of the family dogs. They were guaranteed to get the royal treatment when they sat on his lap. He never missed out on the opportunity to tell his family how much he loved them. He lived his life following the Serenity Prayer. His favorite saying was, “One day at a time, one moment at a time.”
Survivors include his two daughters and their spouses, Lori and Steve Dill of Green Bay, Amy and Rick Lorrigan of Reedsville; five grandsons: Kyle Lorrigan of New Holstein and his special friend, Hollie Stepien of Gurnee, IL, Kevin Lorrigan of Ashwaubenon, Kory Lorrigan of Reedsville, Adam and Alex Dill of Green Bay; mother of his daughters: Jean Madson, DePere. He was preceded in death by an infant grandson, Christopher Dill.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at 12:00 noon on Saturday, August 21, 2021 at the Christianson & Deja Funeral Home, Valders. Pastor David Roth will have a short service followed by the burial at Valders West Cemetery where full military honors will be accorded.
The family will greet relatives and friends on Saturday, August 21, 2021 at the funeral home from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service at 12:00 noon.
Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family by visiting www.pfefferfuneralhome.com
In Lieu of flowers, memorials in Ellis’ name may be sent to Autism Society of Greater Wisconsin, Wagner-Eberle-Sukowaty American Legion Post #477 or the American Cancer Society of Wisconsin
