Burton L. Ekern

Burton L. Ekern, 77, of Chaseburg died peacefully on Saturday, September 9, 2017, at Mayo Health System in La Crosse.

He was born on April 4, 1940 to Lawrence and Martha (Midtlien) Ekern. He graduated from Westby High School in 1958. He worked at G. Heileman Brewery for over 40 years and was a life-long member of Middle Coon Valley Lutheran Church.Burt was an avid sports fan, spending most of his life coaching baseball in Chaseburg and Coon Valley. He was a diehard fan of the Wisconsin Badgers and Chicago Cubs, and spent many nights at the bowling alley and days on the golf course. Burt also enjoyed raising tobacco, hunting ginseng, playing cards and traveling with his children.

He is survived by 3 children: Dawn (Tim) Shelton of Onalaska, Michelle of Onalaska and Brett (Kristina) of Rochester Hills, MI; two grandchildren: Addison and Amelia; two sisters: Eunice Goettel and Joan Anderson; two sisters-in-law: Carol Ekern and Eleanor Ekern.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers: Merlyn, Richard and Gordon; two brothers-in-law: Fritz Goettel and LeRoy Anderson; one sister-in-law: Ilene Ekern.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Middle Coon Valley Lutheran Church, rural Chaseburg. Rev. Meg Eiben Hoversten will officiate. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Seland Funeral Home in Coon Valley and 10 a.m. to service time Thursday at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Coon Valley Area Baseball Association or Middle Coon Valley Lutheran Church.