BENDER, Edward W., age 84

Died: Monday, March 30th, 2015

Celebration of Life: 11:00 a.m. Friday, April 10, 2015 at the funeral home

Visitation: 10:00 a.m. until time of service on Friday, April 10, 2015

A private interment will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to your favorite charity.

Edward William Bender, age 84, of Eau Claire, WI died peacefully on Monday, March 30, 2015 after a courageous battle with heart disease. 

Ed was born on June 15, 1930 to the late Edward and Helen (Szczur) Bender in Chicago, Illinois. Ed graduated from Macon, Missouri High School in 1949 and continued his studies at Northeast Missouri State College in Kirksville, Missouri, holding a Master of Education Degree. In 1990, Ed was inducted in NE Missouri State Football Hall of Fame. Ed loved to play football and following graduation from college he was recruited to play semi-professional football for the St. Louis Knights. His quarterbacking skills were a sign of his abilities to lead, first as a coach, and then as recruiter for the insurance industry. 

Ed met Judith Anne Todd while in college where they began their life-long love story. They married in June 1952 and raised 3 daughters.  Ed taught and coached at Fulton, Missouri High School from 1958-1960. From there the family moved to Rochelle, Illinois where Ed led the Rochelle Hubs to one victorious season after another (1960-1965). In 1966, Ed and Judy moved to LaSalle-Peru, Illinois where again Ed had a successful football coaching experience. From 1972-75, Ed taught and coached at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

In 1975, Ed began his insurance sales career with Physicians Mutual Insurance Company and quickly achieved National Sales Director. In 1981, Ed started Insurance Associates in Eau Claire and the agency continues today, as Ed mentored his daughter to follow in his footsteps.

Ed is survived by his wife of nearly 63 years, Judith; daughters, Jane Todd Wisner (Mick Borton), Janet (Jeff) Voss, and Jean Anne Smith; grandchildren, Erika (Shane) Hickey, Elizabeth Vieira, Melissa (Steve) Kartak, Mitchell (Megan) Voss, John Bender (Rebecca Soltau), Joshua Woof (Eve Xiong), Taylor Smith, and Sarah Smith (Trevor Magerowski); great-grandchildren, Simon and August Hickey, Oliver Vieira, Abigail, Alice and William Kartak, Jaron and Xavier Bender, and Maximus Voss.

He was preceded in death by his very special aunt, Florence Wright.