Obituaries

 

Rodger J. Ellis

WYOCENA/DEFOREST –  Rodger J. Ellis, age 80, died on Thursday, November 1, 2012 at Columbia Healthcare Center in Wyocena. 

Rodger was born on November 4, 1931, in Lewiston Township, the son of Claude and Rose (Brickwell) Ellis.  He married Mary Ellen Sturdevant on October 21, 1961 at Newport Lutheran Church in Wisconsin Dells.  Mary Ellen preceded him in death on January 19, 2012.  Rodger served his country in the United States Army.  He loved the outdoors, hunting, fishing, and especially camping.  Rodger also loved playing cards and bingo with his friends at Wyocena. 

He is survived by his children, Sheila (Jeff) Anderson, Lodi, and Phil Ellis, Arlington; his grandchildren, Nicole (Matt) McKearn, and Austin(Amber) Anderson, all of Lodi; his foster-daughter, Lisa (Kevin) Smith and their children, Gabe and Rowan Smith; his sister, Velma Gaffney, Baraboo, many nieces and nephews, other relatives and close friends.  Rodger was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Mary Ellen, his brothers, Willard, Stanley and Jon Ellis, and his sisters, Delilah Koch, Betty Schwellenbach, Josephine Lapp and Sarah Morse.             

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, November 5, 2012 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Arlington, with Pastor Marion Hendrickson officiating.  Burial will take place in Newport Church Cemetery with graveside military honors by Portage area veterans. Visitation will be held on Monday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service at the church.  The Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Poynette is assisting the family.

The family would like to thank the staff of Columbia Health Care Center for their care of Rodger, and all of the family and friends who came to visit him.

 

Obituaries
For information please call 608 742-2126 (Portage, WI) or 608 635-2763 (Poynette, WI)