Ervin Penkalski Ph.D.

1922 - 2013

Penkalski, Ervin PhD Erv was born on July 18, 1922 and entered into Eternal Life on August 29, 2013. He was predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Mary (nee Cirra) Penkalski, and his sister, Lorraine (Nettekoven). Erv leaves behind the love of his life and wife of 58 years, Mary (nee Hilbert), three devoted children, Paul, David and Ann (Jeff) Bartelt, and his adored grandsons, Joe and Sam Bartelt. Erv lived a rich professional life: active duty in WW II in Germany and England, and aerospace engineering working on aircraft and missile systems in many locations including Georgia, Japan, California, Denmark and Cape Canaveral. He produced a documentary about living in Denmark with Mary which was later shown on Bill Burrod's travel program on Los Angeles television. His second career was in film, forming Omega Productions, was a consultant to the United Nations on a study of their film department, and has won awards for his art and filmmaking, including the Golden Eagle award for a film on open heart surgery. His third career was teaching filmmaking, photography and visual communications at MATC until his retirement in 1994. He continued working on his autobiography and a book on living with Parkinson's, soon to be published. He received his engineering degree at UW-Madison after beginning his studies at the American University at Biarritz, France; studied film-making at USC and UCLA, and received his doctorate in Adult Education at UWM. Erv was a private pilot who loved to soar (listed in Who's Who in Aviation Week Magazine), had a passion for architecture, art, classical music (loved his piano), boating, model railroading, mountain climbing, and reading, reading! He served on the boards of the Frank Lloyd Wright Wisconsin Heritage Tourism Program and the Milwaukee Council for Adult Learning; was a member of the Leica Historical Society of America, the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, the International Quorum of Motion Picture Producers, the Shorewood Men's Club, and St. Robert's Parish where he was a Lector for many years until his Parkinson's advanced. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 7:00 PM on Friday, September 6, 2013 at FEERICK FUNERAL HOME, 2025 E. Capitol Drive, Shorewood. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 AM on Saturday, September 7, 2013 at St. Robert's Catholic Church, 2200 E. Capitol Drive, Shorewood. Private interment. In lieu of flowers, memorials would be appreciated to: Parkinson's Association of Froedtert Hospital, Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin, 9200 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226; The Frank Lloyd Wright® Wisconsin Heritage Tourism Program, Inc., P.O. Box 6339, Madison, Wisconsin USA 53716-0339; St. Robert Parish, or the charity of your choice.