Josef “Seppi” Ellmer died while resting peacefully, surrounded by family on January 7th, 2018. Visitation will be held at Kutis Affton Chapel (10151 Gravois) on Saturday, January 13th from 1:00-4:00pm, with a service on site from 4:00-4:30pm.
Born the youngest of three boys in Yugoslavia in 1932, Joe’s propensity for pranks and trouble made the family declare, ‘We have 2 boys and a Seppi’. This fondness for mischief has been passed to Joe’s namesake grandson, much to the family’s chagrin.
With his family, young Josef emigrated to Austria post World War II escaping the Soviet controlled satellite states. It was in the refuge camps in Linz that Joe was smitten with a pretty young waitress working there named Wilhelmine…and the rest, as they say, was history. The couple was married two years later in 1955. Searching for new opportunities, Joe and Mina boldly decided to come to America knowing virtually no English, and settled in St. Louis in 1959.
Joe was a soccer enthusiast and talented player, he earned his living as a union carpenter, but with the exception of his family, nothing could match his passion for friends, good times, and beer. He wisdom, which he shared vigorously, was that only two kinds of beer exist in the world, good beer and better beer.
Joe is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Wilhelmine (Mina), daughter Lisa Juergensen & husband Erik, son John Ellmer & wife Dawn, grandchildren Josef, Cody, and Alli. In lieu of flowers the family wishes you to donate to those in need, your favorite charity, or the Alzheimer’s Organization at ALZ.org