Ethel Mech, age 87 of Kenosha died on Saturday, January 9, 2016 at St. Joseph’s Home.

Born on January 31, 1928 in Shawano, WI, she was the daughter of the late John and Emma (Kallies) Runge. She attended St. James Lutheran School and was a 1946 graduate of Shawano High School. Ethel continued her education and received her teaching degree in 1950 from Concordia Teachers College in River Forest, IL.

On November 26, 1955, she was united in marriage to Robert Mech.

Prior to her marriage, Ethel was employed with Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Schools in Fulda, MN, Sheboygan, WI and Shawano, WI. In 1960, she moved with her family from West Bend to Kenosha. Ethel became a substitute teacher in WELS Schools in Southeast Wisconsin and was the substitute organist at Friedens Evangelical Lutheran Church and other local Kenosha churches. She was the fulltime organist at Mt. Zion Lutheran Church for many years. For ten years, she taught kindergarten at Bethany Lutheran School.

After retirement, she enjoyed traveling to Florida, Arizona and spending winters in Texas where she enjoyed the congregation in Weslaco, serving as their organist. Her great love was traveling and camping with her family when the children were young and for Christian education at Friedens and Shoreland Lutheran High School where she and her husband were charter members of the latter. Her grandchildren were her great joy.

Ethel was a current member of Friedens Evangelical Lutheran Church and their Ladies Auxiliary. She was a former member of Friedens PTS and Choir and Shoreland Ladies Guild.

She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Robert; her four children, Catherine (Mark) Probst of Mankato, MN, Karen (Thomas) Gavahan of Racine, Robert P. Mech of Rochester, MN and Russell (Debra) Mech of Wausau, WI; four grandchildren, Peter (Roxanne) Jilk, Sarah Nell, Danny (Lisa) Gavahan, and Jamie Gavahan; great-grandsons, Joseph and Noah Jilk; a brother, Martin (Rita) Runge of Ft. Wayne, IN; and nieces and nephews and their children.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a son, John and a daughter, Carolyn, both in infancy; and a brother, Norman.

Service Info

Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at Friedens Evangelical Lutheran Church, 5038 19th Avenue. Private interment will take place in Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Union Grove.