Eldon J. Pluemer of Potosi, WI passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family on December 30, 2021.

A celebration of life will take place at a later date. An Eldon Pluemer Memorial Fund has been established. The Melby Funeral Home & Crematory, Platteville, is at the service of the family. Online condolences can be presented at www.melbyfh.com.

Eldon was born on June 12, 1929 in Tennyson, Wisconsin, to Alphonse and Angela (Meoska) Pluemer. He married his high school girlfriend, Elizabeth (Betty) Blindert on May 23, 1950 at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, Tennyson. In May 2021, they celebrated 71 years of marriage. Eldon and Betty raised eight children: Gail (Chuck) Steiner, Pam (Mark) Walsh, Anjie (Troy) Newell, Becky (Jim Hutchins), David, Brian (Stacey), Jerarda / Jody (Mark) Bartels and Jill (Dave ) Lynn.

Eldon graduated from the former St. Andrew’s Catholic School in 1947. After graduation Eldon began his career at John Deere Dubuque Works, retiring September 30, 1987. Eldon was a very innovative lathe operator and creative. In 1975 he received $ 18,675, the largest payment ever made by John Deere for a production improvement suggestion, followed by another prize of $ 10,000 in 1983. After Eldon’s first prize, John Deere has limited payments to a maximum of $ 10,000.

Eldon helped his father, Alphonse, run a bar at the Spot Tavern. He sold StarCraft campers and he and Betty loaded the family of eight into the station wagon for a summer vacation in South Dakota. The family often camped at Grant River Park in Potosi. Eldon was an early member of the local Mississippi Bluff Riders snowmobile club.

Eldon and Betty were avid card players and square dancers. They enjoyed camping, hunting, fishing, snowmobiling and boating. Eldon loved woodworking and made many clocks for the family and donated to auctions, jewelry boxes for his daughters, as well as trains for most of the great-grandchildren, spelling out their names, various cars, trucks and other projects. Eldon designed their home next to the Spot Tavern in Tennyson and shared his plan with others who went on to build similar homes in the area. He built chests of drawers, a wardrobe, and many other items throughout the house.

Eldon and Betty have volunteered countless hours at the Tennyson Ball Diamond, helping to set the stage and with concessions. Eldon and Betty have also volunteered at many church and school events.

Eldon, affectionately known as Eldie by friends, began playing golf after retirement and made every golfer’s dream come true, completing not one, but two holes in one, one in Wisconsin and Florida. For many years, Eldon and Betty traveled to the village of John Deere in central Florida, spending several weeks of winter in sunny Florida, rather than the cold and snowy Wisconsin. After the JD Village closed, they bought their own home at Sun Lake Retirement Village in Grand Island, Florida, where they spent about six months each year in their home on the Sun Lake Golf Course, spending time in playing golf, shuffleboard, biking and playing cards with friends from across the country.

Eldon was a dedicated Catholic member of St. Andrew-Thomas Parish and sang regularly with the choir, something he started when he was in the high school choir. Eldon was known for his dry wit and distinctive laugh. Eldon was an avid Badgers and Green Bay Packers fan. A lot of our fondest memories were watching games with Dad.

Later in life, Eldon learned the art of cooking and doing laundry to help Betty with her arthritis.

Eldon is also survived by 17 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, with another expected in January, his sister, Jan Duve, his brothers-in-law, Harry, Carl (Dorothea) and Doug Blindert, his sister-in-law. Ann Klein, and several nieces and nephews.

Eldon was predeceased by his young daughters, JeanAnn and Peggy, his parents, his stepmother Mae, his brother and sister-in-law George and Marie Pluemer, his sister and brother-in-law Joann and Bob Smith , her stepfather Harold Blindert, stepmother Bernadette Besler and her husband Herbert, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law Lucy and Harold Faherty, Bernard, Arnold and Ruth, and Vernon and Carol Blindert.

Betty and the children would like to especially thank David for his dedication and loving care of Eldon and Betty for many months before Eldon passed away.

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