Eleanor M. Nipko, age 92, of Berlin, died peacefully on Sunday, April 15, 2012 at Omro Care Center.
Eleanor was born July 14, 1919 on the family farm north of Berlin in the Town of Aurora. She was the third of seven children born to Alfred and Amy Priest Evans. She attended Spoor School, and was a 1936 graduate of Berlin High School. On May 25, 1946, she was united in marriage to Harold “Cobb” Nipko. They lived and raised their three children in Berlin.
Eleanor worked for a time at Berlin Chapman, and later for Root & Associates as a bookkeeper. Most importantly, she was a homemaker
and enjoyed her family.
She was an excellent seamstress, and enjoyed traveling after she and her husband retired. She
was an active and very faithful member of the Berlin United Methodist Church, The Ruth Circle,
and volunteered for the “Meals on Wheels” program. For the past five years, Eleanor has resided
at Brown-Wilcox Home in Berlin.
She is survived by her three children, Thomas (Karen) Nipko of Delafield, Nancy (Ron) Gehrke of
rural Omro, and Clark (Stephanie) Nipko of Oshkosh; nine grandchildren, Steven Nipko of
Waukesha, Robert Nipko of Delafield, Christopher (Lynn) Gehrke of Chillicothe, IL, Ryan (Andrea)
Gehrke of Waukesha, Charles Gehrke of Omro, Richard (Kimberly) Gehrke of Rural Omro,
Shannon Boyko, Eric Nipko, and Trevor Nipko, all of Oshkosh; four and a half great-grandchildren,
William, Emily, & Maya Gehrke of Waukesha, Evan Gehrke of Chillicothe, IL, and a baby Gehrke,
(due in August 2012); a brother Leroy (Beverly) Evans of Berlin and a sister Nancy (John) Moriearty
of Berlin; two sisters-in-law, Eleanor Evans of Cudahy, and Ann Evans of Ripon; many nieces and
nephews.
Eleanor was preceded in death by her husband on May 15, 1988; two brothers, Warren and Rollin
Evans; two sisters, Gwen Brewer and Leola Evans; and a brother-in-law James Brewer.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, April 20 at 11:00 a.m.at the United Methodist Church in
Berlin, the Rev. Aaron Alfred officiating. Interment will be in Oakwood Cemetery. Friends and
relatives may call at the church on Friday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services. The family
requests that memorials be given to the Berlin United Methodist Church. Arrangements have been
entrusted to Barbola Funeral Chapel.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at barbolafc@yahoo.com