Earl Aldrich

Madison - Earl M. Aldrich, a long-time resident of Madison, went to be with the Lord on Monday, July 23, 2012.
.
Born on February 13, 1929 in Portland, Oregon to Earl and Mildred Aldrich, Sr., Earl graduated from the University of Oregon in 1951 and then earned a Master's from Mexico City College-Mexico City (University of the Americas) in 1952 and a PhD from the University of Indiana in 1960. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1952 through 1956, working in intelligence in Germany during the Cold War. Earl was a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese from 1960 to 1985, serving as department chair for five of those years. He took early retirement to pastor full time, first at Word of Life Church and then at Sweet Orchard Outreach Ministries.

Earl married Elizabeth (Betty) Kingsbury in Portland, Oregon on June 12, 1951. They travelled often in their early marriage for schooling and career and in their later marriage for ministry trips in Chile, Argentina, Peru, and Brazil. They both loved the Oregon coast ("the most beautiful place in the world"). They devoted many hours together to caring for the members of their congregation and ministering in Latin America.

Earl is survived by his wife, three daughters: Robin Staley, Madison, Wendy (John) Wilkins, Rochester, MN and Jill (Michael) Roberts, Middleton, six grandchildren: Jenni (Aaron) Patterson, Redding, CA, Caitlin and Ethan Staley, and Alex, Joy and Gideon Wilkins, a brother, David (Shirley) Aldrich, Portland, OR, and lots of extended family. He was preceded in death by his mother and father and by a brother, Donald Aldrich.

Funeral services will be held at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, 3610 Speedway Road, Madison, on Tuesday, July 31, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. A visitation will be held at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, 3610 Speedway Road, Madison, on Monday, July 30, 2012 from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

His family wishes to thank the staff at Sebring Assisted Living, especially Barbara Saeman, Dr. Frank Kilpatrick, Agrace HospiceCare staff and volunteers, and all of his spiritual family at Sweet Orchard Outreach.