Eldon William Audiss

WYOCENA  -- Eldon William Audiss, age 90, passed away on Monday, May 31, 2010, at Columbia Health Care Center, in Wyocena.

Eldon was born on October 23, 1919, in the Township of Moundville, Marquette County, the son of William and Anna (Hansen) Audiss.  He graduated from the Endeavor Academy and Portage High School, participating in basketball and track.  Eldon served his country in the United States Army Air Corp, 8th Air Force, 303rd Bomb Group, known as “Hells Angels”, 359th Squadron during World War II.  Eldon served as a top turret gunner and engineer on the B-17 named the “Duchess”.  Eldon was stationed at Molesworth, England and participated in the first bombing raids across the English Channel to Europe, to open the way for land invasion.  After accomplishing his 19 missions, and upon returning to the United States, Permanent Master Sergeant Audiss trained other Air Corp cadets in gunnery school at Avon Park Army Air Field in Florida.  Eldon married Norma Elaine Clark, on January 1, 1944.  They lived in Avon Park, Florida until his discharge from service.  Among his service medals, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and four Oak Leaf Clusters.

After discharge, Eldon and Norma lived in Madison where he worked for Oscar Mayer as a meat cutter, a trade he learned from his Uncle Ray.  He returned and worked the family farm in Moundville with his father, and later as a shift supervisor of ball powder for Olin Chemical at Badger Ordnance during the Korean Conflict and Vietnam.  During the interim of these conflicts he worked for Koenig Masonry of Endeavor, and for Valda Plastering of Madison.  He also constructed fire engines at Fall River.  Eldon was an avid outdoorsman, trapper, fisherman, hunter, and crack shot, and his family thinks of him as one of the last frontiersmen.     

Eldon is survived by two daughters, Nancy (Richard) Meyer, Stoughton, and Sally (George) Frye, Buchanan, Michigan;  one son, Jeffrey Audiss, Endeavor; six grandchildren, Andrea (Michael) Thomas nee Meyer, Stoughton, Derek Meyer, Madison, Joshua (Samatha Dustin) Audiss, Broadhead, Brian (Julie) Terry, South Bend, IN, Steven (Theresa Mitchell) Terry, South Bend, IN, and Rebekah (Ricky) Martin nee Terry, Ft. Campbell, KY;  two great-grandchildren, Zachary and Mikayla Thomas;  his sister, Lola (Donald) Richardson, Ridgefield, WA, a brother Eugene, along with many nieces and nephews.  Eldon was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Norma, his sister, Ila (Marshall) Otis, a son-in-law, Gary Terry, two grandchildren, Todd Audiss, and Jason Terry, and one great-granddaughter, Emma Thomas.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 5, 2010, at Moundville United Methodist Church, with Rev. Barbara Bolz officiating.  Burial will follow, with Military Graveside Services, in Moundville Cemetery.  Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. until the time of the service, at the church.  Lunch for family and friends will be available following interment.  The Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage is assisting the family.

A memorial fund has been established in Eldon’s name. 

The family would like to extend a special thank you to all the wonderful staff at the Columbia Health Care Center, and Dr. Paul Slavik, who cared for Eldon.