Michael S. Dunn, 70

Michael S. "Mike" Dunn, age 70, of Ellsworth, died Monday, Feb. 20, at the Ellsworth Care Center after a brief, but brave battle with cancer.

Mike was born on April 10, 1941, to Stuart and Gert (Gense) Dunn in Ellsworth, Wis., and never sat still for the next seventy years. During summer vacations through high school in the 1950s, Mike traveled the country hitchhiking. Upon high school graduation, he joined the U.S. Army as a military policeman and was stationed in various places throughout the U.S., until he was finally stationed at Ft. Sheridan, Ill. It is there where he met a local young lady, named Karyn, who would become his wife and best friend for the next 50+ years. After Mike was discharged from the Army he earned a position with the Highland Park, Ill. (a suburb of Chicago) police department as a patrolman and later worked as a junior executive with an electronics manufacturing firm in Chicago.

Mike and Karyn were married on Sept. 15, 1962 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Highland Park, Ill. and they were blessed with two boys, Michael Stuart of Hudson, Wis. and Matthew Michael of Farmington, Minn.

Mike came back to Ellsworth with his young family in the early 1970's and for the next forty years he and Karyn owned and operated several small businesses - The Hitching Post Tavern, M&M Sales - New and Used Appliances and Repair, a U-Haul dealership, and Dunn Realty in Ellsworth to name a few. In between, Mike also ran for Pierce County Sheriff in the mid 1970's and in the 1980's he managed a manufacturing plant in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, for the same Chicago manufacturing firm he worked for earlier. Karyn and Matthew accompanied Mike to Haiti for part of his tenure there.

Mike is survived by his wife, Karyn Dunn, of Ellsworth; his son Michael Dunn (Sandy) and granddaughter Julia, Hudson, Wis.; his son Matthew (Cashmere), Farmington, Minn.; four sisters and one brother: Pat Purfeerst, Hudson, Peggy Dunn, Ellsworth, Danny Dunn, Ellsworth, Peach Dunn, Ellsworth, and Kellie (Steve) Steiner, Ellsworth. Being the eldest of Gert and Stu's ten children, he is further survived by numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Stuart and Gert Dunn; brothers, Tom and John; sisters, Polly Dunn-Baker and Penny Rohl; brother-in-law Richard Rohl, Sr.; brother-in-law Jerry Purfeerst; sister-in-law Doris Dunn, and nephew, Terry Baker, Jr.

We will all miss this kind and gentle man who was always there when anyone needed him for anything whether it was a laugh, a hug, a funny story, a few bucks, a ride, a smile, or an ear. We love you Mike - Husband, Dad, Grandpa, Brother, Brother-in-law, Uncle, Friend.

Mass of Christian Burial was 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 24, at St. Francis Catholic Church, Ellsworth. Fr. Roy Witucki officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery. Visitation was 4-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23 and for 1 hour prior to the Mass on Friday.

Go to www.hillfuneralservice.com to extend an online condolence to the family. Hill Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Ellsworth, is assisting the family with arrangements.

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