William ("Bill") C. Ehmke of Rochester, NY passed away on Memorial Day (05/25/2026) evening following a short illness and brief hospital stay at Strong Memorial Hospital.  His last days were well attended by family, and he died peacefully, without discomfort or suffering, in his sleep.  He was predeceased by his parents, Clifford L. and Grace M. (nee Towne) Ehmke, and six older siblings (from eldest to youngest), Robert, Joyce, Mary, Richard, Gertrude and Clifford, and (we suspect) he was very much called back to them at the end of his days.

Bill is survived by his loving wife, Patricia L Ehmke (nee Hunt), eldest son, James M. Ehmke, daughter-in-law, Stacy M. Gould, daughter, Yvonne E. Giese, son-in-law, Robert A. Giese, youngest son, Clifford J. Ehmke and daughter-in-law, Angela N. Jensen.  He has six healthy grandchildren and a great deal of nieces and nephews who adored him.

Bill was born and raised in Silver Creek, NY, near the shores of Lake Erie in Western New York, and led an idyllic childhood on his family's farm, the youngest (and likely most rambunctious) of seven total children.  His earliest days were full of memories, of which he loved to share stories...of starting apple fights, feeding chickens and playing Cowboys and Indians.  He graduated from Silver Creek High, and, following two years of service as a tank gunner in the NY Army National Guard, attended Rochester Institute of Technology, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering and business administration respectively.

It was in Rochester where Bill met his wife ,Patty, who was the center of his world, and it is also there that they chose to raise their family.  Bill was a gifted carpenter, electrician, artist, genealogist and overall creative type.  He had a flare for taking recreational activities, such as sports and board games, and improving them.  Examples include his building of a professional grade volleyball court, replete with hanging ivy and lights for night play, in his backyard.  He took the mystery-solving game "Clue" and made it more challenging by inventing the extra category of "motive" to those elements (in addition to perpetrator, room, and weapon) that required solving in order to win.  It was not enough for him to have a fire pit in the yard of his cottage in Cassadaga, NY, so he outfitted it with an electric fan that would send flames soaring up into the roasting marshmallows above with the flick of a switch (to the delight of his children and concern of his wife)!

Bill Ehmke was a one of one.  His spirit lives on in his children and grandchildren, as well as in the countless friends, neighbors and acquaintances whom he impressed with his hard work, charisma and humor.  He will be missed.

A memorial gathering will be held for Bill at the Jennings, Nulton and Mattle Funeral Home on Saturday, June 27th from 1:00 to 4:00 PM.

Jennings, Nulton and Mattle Funeral Home

1704 Penfield Road

Penfield, NY 14526