Lyle W. Elske Sr., age 87, passed away on Saturday, November 22, 2025, in Wagner, WI. Born on April 1, 1938, in Columbus, WI, to Walter and Dorothy (Hempel) Elske, Lyle grew up on a farm in Lowell, WI. He graduated from Juneau High School in 1956 and attended UW Madison before enlisting in the US Marine Corps in 1958.

In 1961, Lyle began his career with IBM, where he worked until his retirement in 1991. He married Louise in 1967, and together they built a life filled with love and adventure. Even after retiring from IBM, Lyle continued to work in various roles until 2014, always keeping himself busy.

Lyle had a passion for the outdoors, spending his younger years riding and racing snowmobiles. He was an avid trapshooter, attending the Grand American for over 30 years. Lyle cherished his time deer hunting in the fall and fishing in Canada every summer, a tradition he began in 1963 and continued for 62 years.

He was a dedicated member of the Columbus United Methodist Church, the Clyman Lions, and the Columbus Masonic Lodge. Lyle is survived by his children, Lyle (Jenny) Jr. Elske of Sun Prairie, Lon (Amy) Elske of Columbus, and Lynnette (Bret) Steinhauser of Norfolk, NE; his grandchildren, Drew (Sierra) Steinhauser, Julia Elske, Charlotte Elske, Meredith Elske, Molly Elske, and Sydney Elske; his sister, Judith (James) Erickson of Watertown; his sister-in-law, Sharon Elske of Watertown; and many other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Louise in 2024, his parents, and his brother Dean.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, with visitation beginning at 10:00 A.M. at Columbus United Methodist Church. A visitation will also be held from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. on Monday, December 1, 2025, at Jensen Funeral; Cremation LLC, Columbus. Rev. Sang Wook Park will officiate.

Memorials may be directed to the Columbus United Methodist Church. We encourage you to share your memories and condolences online with Lyle's family at jensenfuneralandcremation.com.