Russell Mckellep

Russell McKellep, Weston, went to his eternal home on September 10, 2009 at the Aspirus Hospice House Wausau. Son of Harry and Edna (Follett) McKellep, he was born on September 24, 1917 in the Town of Plover.Russell married Carol Davis of Birnamwood on November 2, 1938. Together they had a son, Gary. Carol preceded him in death on May 10, 1954. He married Ruth Duescher of Birnamwood on February, 19th 1955 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Birnamwood. Together they made Birnamwood their home before moving to Antigo in 1990. They were former members of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Birnamwood and upon moving to Antigo, they joined Calvary Lutheran Church. Since 2006, they resided at Renaissance Assisted Living in Weston, WI.Russ was a "Jack of all Trades." During World War II, he was employed at the Hales Lumber Company in Birnamwood. After the war, he was employed by Kraft Foods of Wittenberg, WI and then Antigo, WI where he began his career hauling milk in 10 gallon milk cans from farms around the area. He was then promoted to the Field Man position where he acted as the liaison between the milk plant and the farmers. He was employed there for 32 years before retiring in 1984. Following his retirement, the employees from Kraft Foods purchased the plant and Russ was called out of retirement for what was then the Antigo Cheese Company. Russ was well known in the farming community where he knew every family on every route by name. He continued working there part-time until he was in his late 70's. He and his wife Ruth also operated the R & R Laundry in Birnamwood for 24 years.In their free time Russell and Ruth enjoyed traveling. They traveled to every state in the continental US and made many trips to Hawaii. They were members of the Antigo Birthday Club where they enjoyed monthly dances. Additionally, they enjoyed winters for 10 years in New Braunfels, TX. Russ also enjoyed golfing at the Maple Hills Golf Club in Wittenberg, WI, fishing on Chute Pond and Lake DuBay, playing cards, and spending time with his family and many friends. He was a member of the Antigo Elks and Coffee Club and served as president of the Birnamwood Lions Club.Besides his parents and first wife, he was preceded in death by his son Gary, two sisters, Ellen Ecker and Luella McKellep, and his brother James Austin McKellep.He is survived by his wife Ruth, two daughters Mary (Jeff) Burgoyne of Hatley, WI and Jane (Amy Boudreau) McKellep of Baton Rouge, LA, a son James McKellep of Birnamwood, WI, six grandchildren, Carol (Allen) Hendrix , Tom (Connie) McKellep, Mark McKellep all of Fort Collins, CO, Kim (Kevin) Milward of Windsor, CO, Jenny (Rodger) Josiger and Jessica (John) Huggenvik all Wausau, WI, and seven great-grandchildren, Alexa and Wyatt Allerheiligen, Austin McKellep, Nicholas and Ryan Josiger, and Grace and Emma Huggenvik.Funeral services will be held at Calvary Lutheran Chuch in Antigo, WI on Tuesday, September 15th, 2009 at 10:00 AM. Visitation will be at Strasser-Roller Funeral Home in Antigo, WI on Monday, September 14th, 2009 from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM and Tuesday from 9:00 AM until the service at the church. Interment will take place at Forest Cemetery in Birnamwood, WI.In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and to the American Cancer Society as Russ did over the years.