Mary Ellen Gillingham

Mary Ellen Gillingham, age 83 of Pardeeville, passed away unexpectedly Saturday, June 17, 2017 at Sauk Prairie Health Care in Prairie Du Sac.  She was loved by many and will be missed by all.

She was born March 29, 1934 in Richland Center.  After marriage to Norman Gillingham, they lived in Madison where she was employed by Gaylord’s Catering for many years. After having four daughters, they moved to a farm near Wyocena where she resided until her passing. In 1978, she met her soul mate Richard Krause and helped him with his tile business. Her love of flowers led her to start her own business selling perennials at the Dane County Farmer’s Market with her daughters Sheree and Cindy for 20 years. This enabled Mary Ellen to enjoy her winters on South Padre Island with numerous winter Texan friends for the past 38 years. She went backpacking for the American Lung Association and one of her favorite trips was to the Porcupine Mountains. She also was a member of the Prevention Walking Club. In her later years, she was an avid volunteer for many church functions and started the prayer shawl ministry with her daughter Dawn.

Survivors include her children; Sheree (Tom) Vande Brink, Dawn Gillingham (Charlie Little), Peggy (Don) Anthony, their father Norman E. Gillingham, James (Donna) Krause, and Thomas (Page) Krause; eight grandchildren; Danielle (Terry) Ritter, Michele Santiago, Brandon (Kendra) Corning, Mary Rose (Brad) Van Schoyck, Jacob Krause, Thomas Krause, and Emily Krause; son-in-law Frank Krause; seven great grandchildren; Thomas Van Schoyck, RJ Santiago, Alex Ritter, Reese Santiago, Anabel Ritter, Tamber Corning and Reegan Corning; two siblings Wava (Ken) Grinde, Dale (Joyce) Bangert; one sister-in-law Charlotte Bangert; and many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by parents Glenn and Ava Bangert, daughter Cynthia Krause, granddaughter Jolina Hintz, soul mate Richard Krause, siblings Maxine McNurlin, Robert Bangert and Phyllis Fryar, and brother in law Jack McNurlin.

Memorial services will be held Sunday, June 25 at 2 PM at the United Methodist Church at 101 Wisconsin Street, Pardeeville, with Rev. Kerry Wilson officiating. Visitation will be held from noon until the time of services at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Mary Ellen’s memory may be made to The Pardeeville United Methodist Church or the Audubon Society.

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