Earl was born to Earl and Jane (Monahan) Findlay on November 22, 1932. Earl was a dairy farmer in Cold Spring. He was called home to the farm at the age of 15, upon the death of his father, Earl Sr. Earl farmed full-time from 1947 until 1997. His farm was very special to him. The Findlay Farm is a homestead farm, established in 1840, by Thomas Findlay, Earl’s great grandfather.
Earl married Mary Ellen Merrill of Darien on October 10, 1964. Earl and Mary Ellen worked side-by-side for their entire time on the farm. They were blessed with a daughter, Karen and son, James. Upon retirement in 1997, Earl and Mary Ellen continued to live on the farm until 2008 when they moved to Fort Atkinson. From 2008 and until his passing, he was well known to drive to the farm, always wanting to keep an eye on things!
Earl’s greatest joy was his family and his farm. He was always pleased to know that the farm would continue through his daughter, Karen, her husband and their five children.
Earl was a long-time member of the First United Methodist Church of Fort Atkinson, Fort Rural Life Association, various farm organizations and was active in the Watertown Roller Skating Club.
Earl enjoyed anything farming, travel, and outings with his wife, reading, polka dancing and music, roller skating and his daughter and grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Ellen; daughter, Karen and husband, Tim; their children, Thomas, Sarah, Michael, Mark and Kathleen; sister, Doris Findlay of Whitewater and sister, Joan (Jerry) Olson, of Osakis, MN and their children, Julie, Jane, Jon and their families.
Earl was preceded in death by his son, James; father, Earl Sr.; mother, Jane; brother, James; sister, Betty and in-laws, James and Lovida Merrill.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, October 13, at The First United Methodist Church, 320 South Main Street, Fort Atkinson, WI. Visitation will be held on Saturday, October 13, from 9 a.m. until time of service.
Dunlap Memorial Home in Fort Atkinson is assisting the family. | www.DunlapMemorialHome.com
