Obituary of Elson John Wolfram

Elson John Wolfram of Fort Atkinson and Jefferson, Wisconsin, passed away March 4, 2011 after a short illness at the Alden Estates of Countryside in Jefferson, Wisconsin. He was 95 years of age. Elson was born October 27, 1915 in Ladysmith, Wisconsin, to Reinhardt and Barbara (nee Brandt) Wolfram and was part of a large and close family including three brothers, Ray, Oliver, and Percy and two sisters, Myrtle and Dorothy. He attended Elementary School in Whitewater, and received an award for exquisite penmanship; an ability he maintained throughout his life. Also, he was actively involved in basketball and football at Whitewater College High School from 1930 to 1934. After high school he worked at several canning factories including the Whitewater Canning Co., Johannes Canning Co., and the Fort Atkinson Co. were he was a maintenance man. He enlisted in the Army on October 22, 1942, went to navigation school in Hondo, Texas, and then served at the ATC Air Base in Marrakech, North Africa. Elson received his honorable discharge from active duty December 25, 1945 at the Chanute AFB, Illinois. While in the service he proved his versatility by being an engineer in base utilities, building runways, air control towers, warehouses and doing interior work and remodeling. Lastly, he was also recognized for the specialty of being a parachute packer and an expert with the M-1 carbine. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, WWII Victory medal, American Theatre Ribbon, and European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon. Though proud of his Army service and someone who would tell many tales of his time in the Army to family, Elson did not want to appear boastful about his time in service. He wanted everyone else to know he served in North Africa and felt that was good enough. Between work periods in the service he spent as much time as he could flying with the various pilots in their planes. Flying was one of the largest passions in his life. He started flying in 1937 and graduated from the flight school at the Mickalson Air Service February 14, 1948. He owned several airplanes during his lifetime and was at one time the manager of the Fort Atkinson Municipal Airport. Later he worked for Amphenol-Borg, Broadview, Illinois and retired from Schweiger Industries, Inc., Jefferson, Wisconsin in 1981. Elson spent most of his life living in Fort Atkinson or Jefferson, Wisocnsin and was known to be very creative by building his own speedboat, canoes, ship models, and various other craft items using arrowheads, coins, and rifles. He love flying, hunting, fishing, and often wrote poems about them. He was a devoted member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and a frequent contributor to their programs. Throughout his entire life, he lived with a strong spirit of true adventure and independence. Surviving are: Nephews: Gary (Vickie Schroeder) Wolfram, Fort Atkinson, John (Deborah) Wolfram, Georgia, Paul (Julie) Wolfram, Hustisford, WI, Tom Wolfram, Milton, WI, Bill (Marilyn) Wolfram, Robbinsville, NC, Robert (Sandy) Wolfram, Fort Atkinson, Kerry (Carolyn) White, Sugar Grove, IL, and James (Karen) White, Randolph, WI, Nieces: Pam (Terry) Badura, Fort Atkinson and Barb (Mike) Griffin, Necedah, WI, Seventeen grand-nieces and grand-nephews, and Sister-in-law: Gladys Wolfram. Elson was preceded in death by his parents Reinhardt and Barbara and his siblings: Ray, Oliver, and Percy Wolfram, Myrtle Bode and Dorothy White and a nephew Jeff Wolfram. A Mass of Chrisitan Burial will be held on Thursday, March 10, 2011, at 12:00PM at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Fort Atkinson with Father Jay Poster celebrating. Burial with be in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. Friends may call 4-7:30PM on Wednesday at the Nitardy Funeral Home, Fort Atkinson and after 11AM on Thursday at the church until the services. www.nitardyfuneralhome.com