Earl John Mayer, 98, of Sheboygan, WI passed away peacefully on June 8, 2022, surrounded by his family.
Earl was born in Kiel, WI on August 11, 1923, to Ernst H. and Anna (Kramer) Mayer. He graduated in 1941 from Elkhart Lake High School. On October 1, 1942, Earl enlisted in the U.S. Navy to serve his country in WWII. He attended basic training at Great Lakes Naval Station and diesel engine education at the University of Missouri at Columbia. After training, Earl was assigned to a new destroyer escort ship, the USS Stewart, DE238, which was active in convoy duty and anti-submarine warfare service on the Atlantic coast. Later, Earl was then assigned to the west coast to serve with U.S. naval hospital units in preparation for marine invasions. Following his discharge from the service after the end of the war, Earl attended the Sheboygan Business College and was employed in the accounting office of the C. Reiss Coal Company for 37 years, retiring in 1985.
On August 2, 1947, Earl was united in marriage to Mary Ann Laack. Over the course of their 74-year marriage, Earl and Mary Ann enjoyed spending time with family and friends, traveling, playing golf, listening to big band music and dancing. Their travels, which often included playing golf, took them to Europe, Canada and many interesting US destinations, including Galveston, Texas where Earl was surprised to see the destroyer escort ship he served on displayed in Seawolf Park for public tours.
In later years, Earl was a member of the Northern Illinois Destroyer Escort Sailors Association and American Legion Post 83 of Sheboygan. Earl was also proud to have participated with fellow WWII veterans in September 2010 with the Stars and Stripes Honor flight to Washington DC. Golf was a passion of Earl’s throughout his entire life and on his 51st birthday, he made a hole-in-one at Quit Qui Oc Golf Club in Elkhart Lake.
Earl is survived by his wife, Mary Ann (Laack), nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Evelyn (Mayer) Steinhardt, sisters-in-law Jeanette (Laack) Menke and Betty Jane (Laack) Puls, brothers-in-law, Frederick Menke, John Puls, and Roy Steinhardt, and nephew, Mark Menke.
A memorial service for Earl will take place at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, June 24, 2022, at the Olson Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 1132 Superior Avenue. Family and friends are welcome at the funeral home from 11:00 a.m. until the time of service. Full Military Honors will take place after the service.
In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to Our Home Christian Ministries.
The Olson Funeral Home & Cremation Service has been entrusted with Earl’s arrangements.
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