Samuel “Sam” L. Eley, 82, died Wednesday, June 14, 2017, at Aspirus Wausau Hospital.
He was born Dec. 19, 1934, in Williams, MN, the son of the late Charles and Lucille (Cheney) Eley. He married Linda Thulen on March 7, 1970, in Beloit. She survives.
Sam was a Tooling Engineer at Woodward Governor for over 30 years until his retirement in 1995. He worked at the Rockford, Fort Collins, and Stevens Point locations. He was an avid trap shooter and never saw a gun he did not want in his collection. He enjoyed mowing the lawn on his John Deere. When his lung cancer progressed to where he could no longer do those things, he still enjoyed looking out at Lake Dubay and “his” birds.
Survivors besides his wife, Linda, include three daughters, Lynn (Russell) Willoughby, Ashland, Debra (Dick Mazur) Raboin, Plover, and Teri (John) Chernetski, Porterfield; a son, Robert (Kristi) Collings, Fort Collins, CO; 11 Grandchildren and 30 Great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two sons, Brian and Michael Eley, a daughter, Lori Brod, three brothers, Hiram, Ernie and George, and two sisters, Dorothy Whitesell and Estella Gunn.
Private family services will be held. Online condolences can be made at www.bestefh.com
In lieu of flowers, because of his love for animals, donations in Sam’s name, may be directed to your local animal shelter or Portage County Humane Society.