AMHERST, Don W. Elleman, age 79, died at his home in Amherst on December 8, 2013. Don was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Tom and Hope Elleman; he was the first of two siblings, now deceased—Peter Elleman and Melissa Elleman Paterson. Don received his Bachelor’s degree as well as his Master’s Degree in Business Administration at Marquette University. Following positions in the internal audit departments of Exxon Corporation, Enjay Chemical, Johnson Controls, and Clark Oil, Don was named Director of Internal Audit at W. W. Grainger Inc. of Lake Forest.

In 1970, Don married Barbara Koplein and in following Don’s career, the two lived in Denver, New York, Milwaukee, Baton Rouge, St. Louis, and Chicago. Don retired in 1999 and three years later the two moved to the Pioneer Valley. Don became a devoted member of the South Congregational Church in Amherst. Their passion for opera, theater, ballet, museums, and books often took them to New York City where they owned a time-share at the Manhattan Club. During their 43 years of marriage, travel was an important part of their lives both here in the United States as well as abroad. A 40-day cruise to Hawaii, the South Seas islands, New Zealand, and Australia in 2007 came to be called “our trip of a lifetime.”

The two supported education at both ends of the spectrum, resulting in the founding of the Don and Barbara Elleman Student Aid Endowment at Marquette University and in the advice and funding he provided to The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art from its beginning—especially the establishment of the Barbara Elleman Research Library and its annual lecture series.

Don’s warm personality radiated extemporaneously throughout a room; his laughter, stories, joyous spirit, and love of repartee drew friends easily. He will be missed by so many. In addition to his wife, Don is survived by his niece Merri Millard and her son Danny, as well as by nephew Scott Elleman and niece Ada Elleman Gray and their children.

A Memorial Service honoring Don’s life will be held at the South Congregational Church, 1066 South East Street, Amherst on Saturday, January 25 at 2:00 P.M. In lieu of flowers, Memorials to the Don and Barbara Elleman Student Aid Fund at Marquette University, P.O. Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI 53201 or to The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, 125 W. Bay Rd. Amherst, MA 01002. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

Service details, Social networking, Memorial Guestbook and Slideshow are available here.

AMHERST, Don W. Elleman, age 79, died at his home in Amherst on December 8, 2013. Don was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Tom and Hope Elleman; he was the first of two siblings, now deceased—Peter Elleman and Melissa Elleman Paterson. Don received his Bachelor’s degree as well as his Master’s Degree in Business Administration at Marquette University. Following positions in the internal audit departments of Exxon Corporation, Enjay Chemical, Johnson Controls, and Clark Oil, Don was named Director of Internal Audit at W. W. Grainger Inc. of Lake Forest.

In 1970, Don married Barbara Koplein and in following Don’s career, the two lived in Denver, New York, Milwaukee, Baton Rouge, St. Louis, and Chicago. Don retired in 1999 and three years later the two moved to the Pioneer Valley. Don became a devoted member of the South Congregational Church in Amherst. Their passion for opera, theater, ballet, museums, and books often took them to New York City where they owned a time-share at the Manhattan Club. During their 43 years of marriage, travel was an important part of their lives both here in the United States as well as abroad. A 40-day cruise to Hawaii, the South Seas islands, New Zealand, and Australia in 2007 came to be called “our trip of a lifetime.”

The two supported education at both ends of the spectrum, resulting in the founding of the Don and Barbara Elleman Student Aid Endowment at Marquette University and in the advice and funding he provided to The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art from its beginning—especially the establishment of the Barbara Elleman Research Library and its annual lecture series.

Don’s warm personality radiated extemporaneously throughout a room; his laughter, stories, joyous spirit, and love of repartee drew friends easily. He will be missed by so many. In addition to his wife, Don is survived by his niece Merri Millard and her son Danny, as well as by nephew Scott Elleman and niece Ada Elleman Gray and their children.

A Memorial Service honoring Don’s life will be held at the South Congregational Church, 1066 South East Street, Amherst on Saturday, January 25 at 2:00 P.M. In lieu of flowers, Memorials to the Don and Barbara Elleman Student Aid Fund at Marquette University, P.O. Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI 53201 or to The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, 125 W. Bay Rd. Amherst, MA 01002. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

Service details, Social networking, Memorial Guestbook and Slideshow are available here.