Obituary: Mary Ellen (Stone) Flatman - Class of 1942

MADISON - Mary Ellen Flatman, age 87, died peacefully on Friday, Aug. 19, 2011, at Oak Park Place.

She was born on July 31, 1924, in Madison, the daughter of Evans and Bridget (McKinley) Stone. She graduated from Central High School in 1942. After graduation, she attended UW-Madison. She was united in marriage to George H. Flatman in 1948 at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church. She worked for the University of Wisconsin-Madison for many years in the sociology department and botony department at Birge Hall. After retirement, she volunteered at Meriter Hospital.

Mary Ellen enjoyed golfing with friends from the UW, gardening, cross country skiing, biking and camping. She was also a huge Badgers hockey fan and member of the Blue Line Club.
She is survived by her husband, George; children, George (Barbara) Flatman, Therese (Paul) Hesse and John (Kris) Flatman; six grandchildren, Gregory (Wendy Newby) and Brian (Norma Jean) Flatman, Eric and Kari Hesse and Sean and Cory Flatman; great-granddaughter, Madison Flatman; and brother, Patrick Kleinheinz.

She was preceded in death by her parents; eight siblings; and nine aunts and uncles.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011, at ST. BERNARD CATHOLIC CHURCH, 2450 Atwood Ave., with Monsignor Michael Hippee officiating. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 22, 2011, at RYAN FUNERAL HOME, 2418 N. Sherman Ave., and also from 10 a.m. until the time of Mass on Tuesday at the church. Burial will be at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to the staffs at Oak Park Place and HospiceCare, Inc.

Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association or the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Originally published in the Wisconsin State Journal on August 21, 2011 (submitted by Michael Vahldieck, Class of 1968)