Kenneth Ramminger

PORTAGE – Kenneth Ramminger, 92, passed away peacefully at Hamilton Park Place in Portage on Wednesday, November 7, 2018.

Ken was born on December 4, 1925, in Manitowoc County, the son of Mark Ramminger and Ida (Henning) (Clarence) Herman. Ken achieved the distinction of Eagle Scout. He served his country in the US Army Air Corp in the European theater during WWII. He was united in marriage to Joyce Marie Yecke on November 23, 1946, in Sheboygan. Kenneth was a prominent member of the Wisconsin Welfare Association and worked for the Wisconsin Department of Public Welfare, setting up the Children and Youth Division throughout Wisconsin until 1966, at which time he became Assistant and Acting Director of the Milwaukee County Public Welfare Dept. In 1983, he became the Director of Department of Human Services in Marquette County until he retired in 1998. Kenneth achieved a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and a Master’s Degree in Human Services from the University of Wisconsin Madison and Master’s Degree in Business Administration UW Milwaukee. During his lifetime, he was a Boy Scout leader, a member of the Montello Rotary Club, participated in Circles of Support and other community coalitions. He was also an active member of Lake Edge Lutheran Church in Madison, Trinity Lutheran Church in West Allis and Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Portage.

He is survived by his children, Valerie (Bernie) Watts, of Evergreen, Colorado, Kim (Shwumei) Ramminger, of Lodi, Mary (Robert) Cunningham, of Houston, Texas, and Lisa (Jim) Ramminger-Sutheimer, of Amherst; grandchildren, Leslie (Ernest) Cunningham-Wenske, Chelsea Watts, Kyle Ramminger, Amy Sutheimer, Ryan Ramminger, Ben Ramminger, Jada Sutheimer and Shane Sutheimer; great-grandchildren, Brooke Lauren Cunningham and Nikola “Niko” Wenske; step-grandchildren, Robert Humphrey, Randy Humphrey, Mitch Sutheimer, and Jenna Sutheimer; other relatives and many friends. He was preceded in death by his mother, Ida (Henning) Herman, stepfather, Clarence Herman and his wife Joyce Marie Ramminger.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, November 16, 2018, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Portage, with Pastor Jen Johnson and Chaplain Mark Teslik officiating. Military honors will be provided by the Portage Area Veterans Honor Guard following the service. Burial will be on Friday, November 16 at 3:00 p.m. at Wildwood Cemetery in Sheboygan. Visitation will be held at the church on Friday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of service.

The family would like to thank the Director Kelly Greenheck and staff at Hamilton Park Place and the Visiting Angels of Wisconsin (Elysia and Desiray) for their care and support.

For memorial contributions, the family has designated The American Macular Degeneration Foundation, P.O. Box 515, Northampton, Massachusetts 01061-0515.

Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home is assisting the family.