Obituary of Elaine Margaret Pattow

Elaine Margaret Pattow passed away July 13, 2010, at Fort Memorial Hospital. �She was born August 14, 1923, the only child of John B. �Jack� and Margaret A. (Lemke) Smith, in Milwaukee. She was preceded in death by her parents, and her husband of 62 years, Kenneth J. Pattow. Surviving are three daughter: Ellen (Dale) Bogner and Laurie (Gary) Schimek, of Fort Atkinson, and Barbara (Anthony) Vigil of Sacramento, Calif.; four grandchildren: Heather Barnes of Lawton, Okla.; Andrew Barnes of Cottage Grove, Dustin Schimek of Milwaukee, and Amelia Byers of Sacramento; cousins, nieces, a nephew, and many good friends. As a child, Elaine enjoyed swimming in Lake Michigan, bike riding, ice skating, and music. She was in the first graduating class at Rufus King High School, Milw., where she played 1st chair cello in the Orchestra, She also held the 1st chair cello position in the Milwaukee Youth Symphony, her first paid job. Elaine attended business school for a year, and then worked for the War Dept., where she met her future husband. She attended North Central College, Naperville, Ill. She married Ken on Sept. 6, 1946, after he returned from WWII. They had 3 daughters, and moved to Fort Atkinson in 1954, living at 906 East Street until 2008. The family was active in St. Peter�s Episcopal Church, where Elaine served in a variety of ways: choir director (like her father), organist, cellist, and as the first woman elected to the Vestry. Elaine was a homemaker when her children were young, often sewing and knitting for them. She was a Girl Scout leader, and belonged to many groups: Sewing Circle, Book Club, Women�s Club (president,) Eastern Star, PTA, Dance Club, the Mounds, Bridge Club, String Trio, Milton Choral Union, and her beloved Supper Club, all of which included lifelong friends. She was a school volunteer. Elaine was a musician who also wrote poetry. In 1967, Elaine got her driver�s license and began working at UW-Whitewater, as secretary to the Dean of the College of Business and Economics. She retired at age 55 in order to travel with Ken, in connection with his job with the National Foundry Association. They traveled to both coasts. Elaine also toured Europe twice with her mother. Elaine visited her daughter Ellen�s family in Anchorage, Alaska, in 1972, and Barbara in Key West, Fla., and Berkeley, Calif. When Ken retired in 1983, the couple took many trips with Elderhostel: to Santa Fe, Sacramento, and Mexico. They also traveled to Hawaii, New Orleans, Lake Tahoe, and San Francisco with Elaine�s mother. They supported UW-W and attended performances there. They volunteered at the Hoard Historical Museum, Meals on Wheels, and Fort nursing homes. They loved sitting on their front porch and admiring their country view. To celebrate living in Fort for 50 years and Elaine�s birthday, they threw a party for neighbors and family at the Caf� Carpe. To celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary, their children rented a tour bus and took the family on a trip to their favorite places in Milwaukee, including lunch at Mader�s. A memorial service for Elaine will be held Saturday, July 17th at the Nitardy Funeral Home in Fort. Friends may call from 10 to 11 am, with a brief memorial service at 11 am. Burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetary. There will be a luncheon celebration of Elaine's life at Salamone's restaurant immediately following the burial. �"A special thank you to all of the wonderful, caring staff at Sienna Crest who became Elaine's extended family for the past two years and to Rainbow Hospice for their loving assistance in her last months of care. "