Hall of Famer: It's God, family, then Packers

WAUWATOSA, Wis. (Milwaukee Catholic Herald) - Scheduling a time to visit Dick Eisenhauer and his wife, Alice, proved difficult. Tuesdays were generally OK as the retired letter carrier was off -- yes, at 74, he continues to work at Tri City Bank -- but there were conflicts. He coordinates the concession stand staffed by St. Bernard at the Bradley Center, so that eliminated a couple possible meeting dates, and Alice helped staff an election site another day. Bread runs -- where Eisenhauer takes day-old bread to local pantries -- also interfered and then there was the planned Feb. 14 date -- until Eisenhauer realized he'd be helping a friend who owns a floral shop deliver flowers.

Finally, an open time slot in early March, but even as the interview with your Catholic Herald was ending, members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, where Eisenhauer is vice president, and Alice, treasurer, were congregating at the Eisenhauer home for their regular meeting.

The Eisenhauers' calendar is filled with volunteer engagements, from ushering at Sunday Mass at St. Bernard to playing Santa at the parish's Holly Days Bazaar to making sandwiches for the Guest House and Repairers of the Breach.

But there's one thing for which Eisenhauer always finds time -- the Green Bay Packers.

Dedicated fan

"Every Sunday during Packer season, it was a ritual," described Eisenhauer's daughter, Ginger Gonnering. "We'd get up, go to church and then prepare for the Packer game -- whether we had guests at the house or whether we went somewhere. It was a ritual, I guess."

In fact, eight years ago, Ginger described how her father agreed to supervise a church raffle, only after a TV was provided so he would not miss the Packer game.

Watching her father's dedication to the Green and Gold prompted Ginger and her husband, Tom, to nominate Eisenhauer for the Green Bay Packers Fan Hall of Fame. Thousands of votes were cast from throughout the United States and countries around the world, according to Packers.com, which reported that Eisenhauer, who spent three years in the Marines during the Korean War, was named the 10th member of the Packers Hall of Fame in mid-December. He will be formally inducted in July and his name will be permanently displayed in the Packers Hall of Fame.

It's a fitting honor for a man that Ginger describes as the ultimate Packer fan, but also someone who gives so much to others.

"Not only did I think he was deserving (of the honor as a Packer fan), but because he's done so much for other people, and because the Packers have always been very special to him, he deserved to be nominated. He's done so much; it's his turn to have a little recognition for it," said Ginger.

Average fan, not a scalper

Seeming a bit overwhelmed by the honor, Eisenhauer, a graduate of Pius XI High School, Milwaukee, admitted, "I always feel bad because there's a lot better fans than me out there, but I said when I got the award, I represent the average fan. I always consider myself the average fan. I go to the games all the time, win or lose," he said, adding he's never scalped a ticket. If he can't use the tickets, he either sells them at face value or gives them away. Ginger noted that for several years, her father has donated his preseason tickets to the St. Bernard Parish auction.

The Packers have been part of Eisenhauer's life for as long as he can remember. In fact, he met Alice on a blind date at a Packer game in 1956. Fifty-two years later, the couple are still married and parents of nine children and six grandchildren. In nominating her father, Ginger wrote that one of her brothers, Dennis, heard Vince Lombardi's name so often that he thought it was his own last name.

"Another son, Paul, cut his hand in a fall and was told to wrap it in a towel and they'd go to the hospital at halftime," wrote Ginger, who added, "Dad's enthusiasm for the Packers has brought a lifetime of fun and great memories to all who know and love him. Even Vince Lombardi would have approved of the way Dad raised us, to be loyal to God, our family and the Green Bay Packers."

Just as being a Packer backer was part of the Eisenhauer children's home life, so, too, was outreach to others.

"Again, that's been a part of our upbringing, helping out other people, giving to others when you can. We did not have a lot of material things, but finding ways to help was always important," said Ginger.

Eisenhauer became even more motivated to give back to others after he stopped drinking in 1988. A social drinker for many years, he realized he had a serious problem when he said the first thing on his mind when he woke up was his next drink. Twice at the encouragement of his employer and family, he entered rehabilitation, but both times he began drinking again.

His drinking escalated from Sunday social gatherings to stopping after work with his buddies to Packer and Brewer games.

"Pretty soon I was doing it more and more and it's harder to stop," he recalled, adding he was in denial about his drinking problem.

Beating the bottle

Finally, however, he said he was able to quit on his own.

"I made up mind I was going to do it, I was praying to good Lord, finally that was it," he said of his decision 20 years ago. "Finally, I quit, and it turned my whole life around."

In thanksgiving, Eisenhauer said he devoted himself even more deeply to volunteer efforts.

"Along the way, drinking took a little of my life, too, and alcohol became more than it should have. I almost lost my family to alcohol. And 20 years ago (I) went to work at Tri City I quit drinking and the good Lord helped me get through that and I said, 'Now it's my turn to pay him back for all he did for me, for my wife, nine children, all healthy, all doing wonderful.'"

His efforts have not gone unnoticed by fellow St. Bernard parishioners.

"Whenever someone is needed to help with anything, the Eisenhauers are always ready," according to Susan Kurek. "They are retirement age and they wear us younger folks out with their volunteer efforts. They are a perfect example of Catholics who live out their faith, uphold Catholic social justice principles and still have the energy to be named 'Packer Fan of the Year!"

Taking the honor in stride, Eisenhauer said he is doing what comes naturally.

"I just figured I wanted to pay back what the good Lord has done for me. I've got a beautiful home, beautiful family and I've had a good life, good jobs, I loved being a mailman. I was on the same route for 28 years so I knew everybody and it just comes to me sort of naturally," he said.

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