Melvin "Mel" A. Lemmer

Melvin “Mel” A. Lemmer, 100 years young, of Greenfield, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on March 22, 1925 in Highland Park, Illinois to John and Nellie Mae Lemmer.

Mel proudly served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. He was trained in San Diego as a radio operator, before being deployed to serve in the 2nd armored amphibious tank division, assigned to a tank known as “Loaded Dice.” He courageously defended freedom during both the Battles of Saipan and Iwo Jima and was there that historic day the flag was raised.

Upon returning home, he went on to study broadcasting before taking over the family service station in Oak Lawn after his father became ill. It was there he met his bride Merle DeYoung. Mel always remembered that rainy day he invited Merle inside his station while she waited for her bus and he asked her out to a movie. After a short courtship, they married on October 7th, 1950, and started their family. They later moved to Kelly Lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin, where Mel owned a service station and grocery store. A local legend, Mel wrote the grant that allowed Kelly Lake to install one of the first rural sewer systems in the nation and to this day, many think of him with affection every time they flush.

Mel was known for his love of jokes and baseball. Growing up a White Sox fan, he was notoriously tough to please when it came to pitching. He continuously lamented over the Cubs’ acquisition of a past-prime Dizzy Dean and later the Brewers pitcher Freddy Peralta’s inability to throw more than five innings, which earned him the nickname “Miralax,” courtesy of Mel, for his tendency to “give up the runs.” (Despite Peralta’s Cy Young finalist campaign in 2025, it is worth noting the last pitch Mel saw him deliver was surrendering a home run in Game 2 of the NLCS.)

Mel was also hard to keep off the golf course. He was a regular at River Island Golf Course in Oconto Falls, where he later worked as the course starter. He was a fan of Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus and also a proud member of the hole-in-one club during a trip to Florida, which he was promised no one would ever forget.

Most notably, Mel had a passion for music. When he was younger, he played the saxophone in a swing band and carried that love with him to his time in the service. While stationed in the Pacific, he helped organize a band for a company show named “That’s My Pop.” He also wrote the lyrics to a song with a fellow Marine called “Dearest Darling,” which was recently recorded by Operation Song for his 100th birthday; words he remembered until his final days. He chose to peacefully leave this earth while listening to “I’ll Be Seeing You” by Tommy Dorsey and Frank Sinatra, two of his very favorites.

Waiting for Mel at home plate was his wife Merle, his father John, mother Nellie Mae, brother John Jr. and many treasured friends and family. The rest of his family celebrates his home run, but will miss him terribly including son, Paul, daughters, Carol and Marilyn (Tony Connolly.) His granddaughters, Kelly, Sarah, Tricia (Tom Vincent), Shannon Elysse and Cristina Rubio and great-grandchildren, Joey Bonadonna, Leona and Graham Ziemer, Rylan and Rory Vincent and special nephew Norm Sommers (Judy).

His family thanks all of the many amazing caregivers who fulfilled Mel’s wishes to live independently until he went Home:  Home Instead Home Care Agency: Sherry, Lerina and Jane; Allay Hospice Agency: Sally, Elizabeth, Tia, Jenna, Kristy and Julie; and Milwaukee VA Home-based Primary Care: Jeanne, Kelly, Heather, Natalie, Abby, Rachel and Barb

A celebration of life to honor Mel’s 100 years, six months and thirty days will be held at a later date. Until then, as Mel would say:

May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

In 2018, Mel had the privilege of participating in the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight with his granddaughter, Sarah. The family kindly requests memorial donations be made in Mel’s name to the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight.