Elmer Homburg

Elmer Louis Homburg was born to Charles and Clara (Wolff) Homburg on September 29, 1921. With his quiet and slightly mischievous smile, he referred to it as a very good year. His family had hoped for an opportunity to wish him a happy 90th birthday this September, but he died Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at his home at Oakwood East, in Madison WI. He was an excellent husband and father and will be greatly missed, but we take comfort in the assurance that he has joined the loved ones he was looking forward to seeing in heaven. His family also wishes to express our sincere appreciation to the Oakwood East RCP staff, the entire Senior Helpers team (including his precious caregiver, Sheila), and the staff at HospiceCare Inc. who all worked together to provide the wonderfully compassionate care that allowed Elmer to spend his last days in the greatest peace and comfort possible.
Elmer grew up on the family farm on Vilas Hope Road in Cottage Grove, WI. His mother was very protective of her precious youngest child; so much so, that he was not even allowed to go to the mailbox for fear he would be kidnapped. He completed grades one through eight at Vilas, a one room school house in Cottage Grove. He found his ninth grade year in Cottage Grove to be a waste of time academically, but enjoyed being able to play softball in the fall, basketball in the winter, and baseball in the spring. He was able to transfer to the far more academically rigorous Madison East High School for his sophomore through senior years. Elmer's brother Leonard, ten years his senior and a Madison resident, stayed on the family farm during the work week---so he could drive Elmer into Madison each morning on his way to his job at Findorff as well as return him home when he got off work at the end of a full work day. Always thankful to his brother, Elmer said that it was Leonard's sacrifice that made it possible for him to achieve all that he did in life.
He attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison through his Junior year, before leaving for US Army Basic Training in New Orleans. Unimpressed with both the food and the water running under his tent, Elmer seized the opportunity to transfer from the Infantry into the Army Air Corps, which was looking for some recruits with some college experience. He then completed Basic (ground) Training in San Antonio, TX and Advanced (flight) Training in San Marcos, TX, before moving to Casper, Wyoming to begin training with his crew. When it was time to move to their duty station near Norwich, England, there were more men than there was room for on the planes, so some of the men had to go over by "trip ship". Unfortunately Elmer got quite seasick, and the skipper asked if he had a weak stomach. "Hell no," Elmer replied with his well-known sense of humor, "I can hurl them as far as anyone else can." He flew 23 missions as the navigator in a B-24 with a crew of nine. There were supposed to be ten, but the crew had no bombardier, so Elmer ably served as bombardier as well as navigator. (Always willing to do whatever was necessary to get the job done, he didn't complain about doing the job of two men, but he did mention that the Army didn't pay him double wages for doing double duty.) The planes in Elmer's squadron finished the war with plenty of holes, but no purple hearts, as not one crew member was hit by shrapnel. (Sadly one of the crews in Elmer's squadron was lost, but it happened when that crew was flying with a different squadron.) Once hostilities ceased, their 24th mission was to fly home. After the war, Elmer stayed in the Air Corps (which eventually became the Air Force) Reserve until he retired as a Major in 1981.
He earned both his Bachelors and Masters Degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. In one of his graduate level classes, he met Jean Rennebohm, who, like him, was scheduled to teach at East High School in the fall. Although he and Jean always teased each other about who asked whom, somehow within three months they were engaged to be married. They never did come to an agreement as to who proposed to whom, but both always agreed the important thing was that it happened. He, Jean, and their four children spent many happy years in the home that Elmer both drew up the plans for and built in northeast Madison. It was when their oldest child, Nancy, was ready for Sunday School that Elmer and Jean changed their membership from Hope Lutheran Church in Cottage Grove to Bethel Lutheran in Madison. Always seeking opportunities to help others, Elmer's volunteer duties at Bethel included helping in the kitchen and serving as an usher, including a stint as Head Usher. He was an active member of The Kiwanis Club of Madison East and spent many an enjoyable Saturday working the Wiener Wagon at Badger football games. His day job was always teaching math, but he spent many additional hours working as a drivers ed instructor, a traffic safety instructor, and a payroll clerk at Gardner Bakery on Saturday night watch, in order to provide for his family. Elmer also spent many hours in his huge garden and small but diverse orchard growing enough fruits and vegetables to keep not only his family but many others well fed. He and Jean preserved much of the bounty by freezing or canning it but generously shared with others as well. Perhaps it was his bountiful crops of raspberries for which he was most famous; he, as well as many others, certainly enjoyed eating them.
Elmer's Alma mater, Madison East High School played a very significant role in Elmer's life. Other than his first year of teaching in Poynette,WI, his entire 37 year teaching career was completed at East High School, and all four of his children graduated from there as well. Elmer's excellence as a teacher was testified to by his scrapbook which included the many thank you notes he received from appreciative former students and others whose lives he touched. He was named as an Outstanding Secondary Educator of America in 1974 in recognition of contributions to the advancement of secondary education and service to community. He served his profession as Chairman of both the Employee Trust Funds Board and the State Teachers Retirement Board. He was also appointed by the Governor to the State of Wisconsin Investment Board.
Following his retirement, Elmer and Jean traveled extensively with much of their traveling focused on visiting their children and grandchildren in all four time zones. Before they retired to their home at Oakwood East, they had visited 49 of the 50 states as well as the British Isles, Canada, China, Egypt, Germany, Israel and Mexico.
Elmer was preceded in death by his parents Charles and Clara (Wolff) Homburg, and his brothers Edwin, Archie, and Leonard Homburg. He is survived by his beloved wife of 63 years Jean Homburg, and their children: Dr. Nancy Homburg, of Appleton, WI, Dr. Robert (Judy) Homburg of Fort Collins, CO, Jane (Don) Moody of Spokane, WA, and Shirley (Charles) Miller of Leesville, SC, and their grandchildren: Emily Sportsman (David Schultz), Janelle, Kristen, and Matt Homburg, Sarah (Justin) Eldred, Abigail, Joy and David Moody, and Stephanie Miller, and their great grandson, Elijah Eldred and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Don't Grieve For Me For Now I'm Free
Elmer loved this poem, which he called, "Folded Wings"
(a term which refers to the honored dead of American aviation)
and he asked that it be shared here.

Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free
I'm following the path God laid for me.
I took His hand when I heard Him call;
I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day,
To laugh, to love, to work or play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way;
I found that place at the close of day.
If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared a laugh, a kiss;
Ah yes, these things, I too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life's been full, I savored much;
Good friends, good times, a loved ones touch.
Perhaps my time seems all too brief;
Don't lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your heart and share with me,
God wanted me now, He set me free.
Anon
The memorial service will be held this Sunday, August 21, 2011 at 2:00 pm in the Chapel at Oakwood East in Madison, WI. A visitation will be held from 1:00 - 2:00 pm In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to Oakwood Foundation, 6201 Mineral Point Road, Madison, WI 53705 or HospiceCare Inc., 5395 East Cheryl Road, Madison, WI 53711.