Elaine Altemus Possin

Elaine Altemus Possin, 97, passed away peacefully on Thursday, May 11, 2017 at Hillside Manor and went to meet her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Elaine was born in Madison on August 14, 1919, the daughter of Theodore and Anne (Skaar) Altemus. She grew up on a farm east of Stoughton which has been in the Altemus name for over 150 years. Elaine graduated from Stoughton High School as Valedictorian of the Class of 1938. She then received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1942. Elaine taught science in high school for 42 years, 41 of those years at Beaver Dam High School. She worked with the UW-Madison as a cooperating teacher for over 20 years and was general chairman of the BDHS prom for 37 years. Elaine dearly loved her profession and was proud and happy to be Elaine, a friend, to many of her former students. She thanks the many classes that invited her to their class reunions. Elaine married Oris Possin on June 4, 1966. They enjoyed attending Badger and Packer football games, traveling around the US, and raising flowers. Central in their lives together was Peace Lutheran Church where they were the first couple to be married in the newly erected church. Following her retirement from teaching in 1984, Elaine was chairman of Beaver Dam High School Scholarship Committee until 2002. She also served on the board of directors of the Beaver Dam High School Foundation when it began in 1991 until 2002. She was a member of the American Association of University Women, the Beaver Dam Women’s Club, and a charter member of the Alpha Xi chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma. She received an honorary award in 1963 from the Beaver Dam Rotary Club, was named Citizen of the Year in 1991 by the Beaver Dam Lions Club, placed on the Wall of Fame, Friend of Education Award at the Beaver Dam High School in 1998 and served as honorary chairman with Oris for the Beaver Dam Community Hospital Foundation. Elaine is survived by her husband, Oris; brother-in-law, Lester (Beatrice) Possin; sister-in-law, Edna Beske; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and other extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents, special cousins Elaine Joranger Holm, and June Joranger Ziegel, and friend Ethel Niejahr. A visitation for Elaine will be held on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at Peace Lutheran Church, 400 Hillcrest Drive, Beaver Dam. A funeral service will begin at 1:00 p.m. with the Rev. Mark Wenzel officiating also at Peace Lutheran Church. A luncheon will be served immediately following the funeral service. A private family burial service will take place at a later date at North Burnett Cemetery. Memorial donations in Elaine’s name may be directed to Peace Lutheran Church, Beaver Dam Scholarship Foundation or to the Beaver Dam Community Hospital Foundation. The Koepsell-Murray Funeral Home in Beaver Dam is serving the family. Online condolences may be made at www.koepsellfh.com.