Kenneth “Etz” Etzelmueller of Mequon, WI entered eternal life on Monday, December 9, 2024, peacefully at the Lawlis Family Hospice Center at St. Mary’s Ozaukee Hospital. Beloved husband of Bev (nee Meineke) Etzelmueller for 61 years. Loving father to Steve (Kris) Etzelmueller of Cedarburg, WI and Kristen Etzelmueller of Wauwatosa, WI. Proud grandfather of Jacob (Nicole) Etzelmueller of DeForest, WI; Mark Etzelmueller of Cambridge, MA and Cori Etzelmueller of Madison, WI. Ken recently welcomed his great grandson Carter James in June of 2024. Ken is also survived by sister Marilyn (John) Allis of Raleigh, NC, in addition to nieces and nephews. Ken was preceded in death by his parents Raymond and Ruth Etzelmueller.
Ken grew up in Kenosha, WI where he attended Mary Bradford High School and graduated in 1956. Ken went on to attend the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and graduated with a degree in Business in 1960. It was while returning to Whitewater for a visit that he met his future wife, Bev. Ken belonged to the National Guard and was called into active duty from 1961-1962 during the Berlin Crisis. He and Bev married in Two Rivers, WI on August 10, 1963. They resided and raised their children Steve and Kristen in Wauwatosa, WI for 31 years and then moved to Germantown for 21 years, before moving to Mequon in 2020. They have remained active members at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Wauwatosa.
Ken worked for Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance starting in 1960 as a computer systems analyst until his retirement in 1995. He was a member of the quarter century club and softball team. He soon found a part-time job at Park Bank as an auditor and retired from that position in the year 2000.
Ken and Bev enjoyed many years of travel throughout the states and internationally. Ken was fond of visiting baseball parks and state capitals. He truly enjoyed watching his children and grandchildren in their extracurricular activities whether it was as a coach, watching their sports activities and music concerts. He also was a huge sports fan supporting the Green Bay Packers, Wisconsin Badgers, UW-Whitewater Warhawks, Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers. Ken volunteered for Meals on Wheels and had a special loyalty to the Wednesday bible study group at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church.
Above all, Ken showed kindness and goodwill towards others, truly caring about everyone he met. To know Ken was to be his friend.
A visitation and memorial service will be held on Monday, December 23 at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, 1615 Wauwatosa Avenue, in Wauwatosa. Visitation will be held from 10:00AM to 11:30AM with a service held immediately following visitation. Refreshments will be provided after the service. The immediate family will proceed to a private ceremony at Wisconsin Memorial Park following the church service.
In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the American Diabetes Association in memory of Ken at https://diabetes.org/.