Barbola Funeral Chapel

Lee Allen Erdmann

I have flown off into the sunset for new horizons on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 (my mother’s birthday). As I go I leave a few reminders of our time together.

I was born in Milwaukee, WI, on March 26, 1936, to Wilfred W.C. and Evelyn Ruth Muellner Erdmann. After four years as an only child, my brother, Roger Dean, joined our little family. He and I ended up doing a lot of activities together.

While in school my mother dragged us into the Scouting program which I found I really enjoyed. One year for Scout Jamboree mom crafted full headdresses, costumes and accessories such as a ‘bone rattle’ and a bell belt. I can proudly say the headdress is still part of our family possessions. I also participated in the Civil Air Patrol.

After graduating from Rufus King High School in Milwaukee, in 1954, a couple of my buddies and I put together a race car but because none of us were old enough to drive we ‘hired’ George Scharmer to drive for us and we were his pit crew attending races around the Milwaukee area circuit. Speaking of cars, my first car was a 1936 – 2 dr. Ford that I bought for $50 from a dealer. I drove it home sitting on a 5 gallon bucket because it had no front seat. My interest in cars started in high school working for a local garage detailing cars and doing oil changes. I was 16 years old. After high school I worked for P. J. Kaufman’s as a mechanic’s apprentice through the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

I was introduced to boat racing in 1954/55 and began a 7 year love affair with runabouts and hydroplanes. This is another activity that my brother, Roger, did with me. We raced the Wisconsin/Illinois circuit with trips to Seattle, Washington and Gunderville, Alabama for the Nationals.

In 1955, I met my future wife, Roberta ‘Bobbie’ Beyer and being the ‘tomboy’ she was, she joined the racing circuit with us doing pitcrew and officiating at the races. During this time I met Les Hahn and began learning my other passion – flying. Les took me on as a student and I got the opportunity to fly a number of different aircraft as we ferried planes he sold around the U.S. or picked up aircraft he bought.

In 1962 our family decided to leave Milwaukee and buy our own business. We found the perfect one for our family in Berlin, Wisconsin, Berlin Plumbing and Heating (Dad was a master plumber and Roger studied at Boys Tech to become a journeymen plumber). I took on the ‘heating’ part of the business (tried learning plumbing – no thanks).

With the move to Berlin, Bobbie & I decided to make things permanent and we married in Milwaukee, Sept. 29, 1962. The day before we got married I took my final flight check to get my pilot’s license. Our honeymoon was delivering a plane to Hammond, Louisiana, and picking up another in St. Charles, TX, to bring back to WI.

Berlin afforded both of us a number of opportunities to get involved and ‘give back.’ I had the privilege (as did my father and brother) to serve as President of the Berlin Lions Club. By this time our family started to grow with the birth of our daughter, Monica Leigh, and soon after our son, Tyler Lee. Seven years later – surprise – Terry Lee made his appearance and our family was complete.

The years flew by and soon Dad left us and Roger’s life was evolving, so we sold Berlin Plumbing & Heating and I formed a partnership with Jim Colburn to continue the Heating and Air Conditioning business. That too had to go by the wayside and I was hired by the City of Oshkosh in code enforcement as their Heating Inspector. A few years into the job the City Sealer of Weights & Measures retired and my boss asked if I’d take on these duties too. As Oshkosh grew the job got too big for one person and I just took over the City Sealer position. I was only the 4th Sealer for the city since the program began. After twenty six years with the City of Oshkosh, I retired.

During my time in Oshkosh I met Jim Dallman and we became canoeing buddies, paddling several of Wisconsin’s rivers until we found the Boundary Waters and made that trip every year taking sons, nephews, brothers-in-law and friends along. Our most memorable canoeing adventure was paddling 170 miles of the Yukon River.

In 1984 I became grandpa for the first time with the birth of our first grandchild, Morgan Ariel, and Monica married Michael Monohan. Tyler met Peggy Gray and they added Cody Gray and Lindy Jean to our family. Grandchildren, Kristin Alexis, Aaron Michael and stepdaughter, Monica Mae came to Terry’s family. He and his wife, Jennifer Van Sistine, now enjoy their grandchildren, Emery and Luna Crosby and Monie’s 3, Mariah, Elijah and Zoey. Our newest great-grandchild, Sonny James, is the son of Lindy and her husband, Marc Kadish, making Tyler a grandpa for the first time.

While still in school, Terry got us involved in BMX racing and after having our own track for 3 years, “Berlin Wings & Wheels”, we began traveling the Nationals circuit. I served as the National Bicycle League’s State Commissioner for Wisconsin. In 1994 Bobbie and I meet Lee Tritt and joined his race team with first a Modified and later a Late Model race car, competing at WIR in Kaukauna. Seven years later we retired.

The Berlin Historical Society received our full attention for a number of years as I served as a director and officer including President. Another of my favorite pastimes was the 9 a.m. coffee breaks at McDonalds with my brother-in-law, Dan Beyer, and a motley crew of ‘world’s problems solvers.’ Looking forward to hooking up with Ollie Disotell, Dr. Bill Bush, Mel Werch, Bob Chikowski and the others who all have gone before me.

Those I’m leaving behind are my beloved wife, Bobbie Erdmann; daughter, Monica Erdmann Monohan; son-in law, Mike; granddaughter, Morgan; son, Tyler (Peggy Gray) Erdmann; grandson, Cody and granddaughter, Lindy (Marc Kadish) and their son, Sonny; son, Terry (Jennifer Van Sistine); his daughter, Kristin (Sean Crosby) and their children, Emery and Luna; son, Aaron Michael and his stepdaughter, Monica Mae and her children, Mariah, Elijah and Zoey. Also brother-in-law, Dan (LuAnn Drover) Beyer; sisters-in-law, Sandra Schneck and Elizabeth Foster; and a large number of nieces, nephews and other relatives.

I look forward to re-meeting my dad, Bill, and mom, Evie; brother, Roger; sister-in-law, Carol Harthun; brothers-in-law, David Beyer, Joe Foster, Jim Schneck, Harvey Harthun and others who have all gone before me.

A gathering of family and friends will be held on Saturday, March 5, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., at Barbola Funeral Chapel in Berlin, with a time of sharing at 11:00 a.m. Inurnment will be in Oakwood Cemetery at a later date. Memorials may be directed to Friends of the Boundary Waters. Anyone wishing to send a sympathy card to the family, please mail to Lee Erdmann, c/o Barbola Funeral Chapel, PO Box 201, Berlin, WI 54923.