Elvin Shimel

Elvin Lee Shimel of Merrill , Wisconsin passed away August 13, 2010, in the Palliative Care Unit of Ministry Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield , Wisconsin . His wife and daughter were at his side.

Lee, as he was affectionately known by his family and friends, was born on June 10, 1927, in the Town of Corning to Elvin A. and Dora (Lupton) Shimel. He graduated from Merrill High School in 1945. Lee then went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he graduated from the Farm Short Course in 1948.

On June 18, 1952, Lee married Ida Schuster at St. Paul ’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Town of Berlin , Marathon County , where he remained a member. The two went on to celebrate 58 wonderful years of marriage with one another. Lee worked for the Soil Conservation Service for nearly 18 years, while beginning to establish his dairy herd. However, anyone that knew Lee would contend that his passion for dairy farming was truly his life’s work. Lee took great pride in his herd of Guernsey Cattle, and was a member of the Wisconsin Guernsey Breeders Association. With his wife at his side, he farmed fulltime until 1993; afterwards he continued to raise crops for several more years. He would always reminisce that he never worked a day in his life, for farming truly was his hobby and his passion. Farming never was something he had to do, but rather something he wanted to do.

Lee was an avid outdoorsman; he loved going for walks in the woods and enjoyed going for car rides throughout North Central Wisconsin. Lee enjoyed being active around the house and yard as well, especially keeping the lawn tidy, gardening, and plowing snow during the winter months. Lee felt himself fortunate to be able to spend time and truly get to know his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and be an important part of their lives. Lee will be forever deemed the “eternal optimist” for his seeing the good in everything; this will live on in all who knew him.

Lee is survived by his wife, Ida, his daughter Patty (Jim) Roets, Merrill, and daughter-in-law Roxie (Mike) Hoffman, Rothschild. Lee was blessed with four grandchildren, Jenny Roets, Merrill, Jon (Kate) Shimel, Merrill, Andy (Tara) Shimel, Athens , and Jeremy Roets, Merrill. In addition, he also has four great-grandchildren, Hannah, Zachary, Mason, and Jacob Shimel. He is also survived by his sister Joan (Loyd) Kleinschmidt, Merrill; two brothers, William (Charlotte) Shimel, Salem, SC, and Richard (Carole) Shimel, Holcombe, WI; three sister-in-laws, Dela Kniess, Wausau, Selma Weber, Merrill, Enid Schuster, Wausau, and nieces and nephews.

Lee was preceded in death by his parents and his son Dale Shimel on November 3, 1984.

We would like to give our greatest thanks to the wonderful staff at Ministry St. Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield , WI especially the staff at the Palliative Care Unit for the wonderful care they gave Lee in his last days.