Alfred Uihlein Elser, Jr., of Greenwich, Connecticut, adored husband and father, died on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at New York Presbyterian Hospital following a long illness. He was 78. Born in 1934 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mr. Elser was the son of the late Alfred Uihlein Elser, Director of the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company, and the late Gertrude Emma Deuster. He was the grandson of Albert Christian Elser, founder and president of the first Wisconsin National Bank of Milwaukee and the First Wisconsin National Bank Trust Company, and he was the great-grandson of Alfred Eugene Uihlein, Superintendent and later President of the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. A graduate of the Milwaukee Country Day School, Mr. Elser received a BA in Physics at Princeton University in 1956, and an MS in Applied Mathematics from Stanford University in 1958. An employee of IBM from 1958-1994, Mr. Elser had marketing and management jobs in the San Francisco Bay area, Washington, DC, and Westchester County. He sold large scientific, engineering and management systems to the Lockheed Missiles and Space Company, NASA, the National Security Agency, the Atomic Energy Commission, NOAA, and the Department of Defense. He also worked on negotiation of specifications for many new information technology applications and on competitive strategies for IBM North America. Mr. Elser was a long-time Board member of the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company and the Schroeder Manatee Ranch, Inc., which lies between the cities of Sarasota and Bradenton, Florida. An active volunteer in the Greenwich community, Mr. Elser served as a Trustee of the Bruce Museum, where he also was Chair of the Science Committee for many years and participated on the Exhibitions Committee and Education Committee. He started and led the SeniorNet computer school at Greenwich Senior Center beginning in 1997, directing a volunteer staff of forty. Club affiliations include Indian Harbor Yacht Club, The Stanwich Club, Greenwich Branch of the English-Speaking Union, The Retired Men’s Association of Greenwich, Greenwich Croquet Club, First Friday Club, New England Society in the City of New York, The Milwaukee Club, Milwaukee Country Club and the West Highland White Terrier Club of America. He was also a long-time member of Christ Church, Greenwich. Mr. Elser is survived by his wife, Anne Hall Elser of Greenwich, a son, Alfred Uihlein Elser lll of Hanover, New Hampshire, daughter Elizabeth Lee Elser of Milwaukee, daughter Amy Elser Hall, son-in-law Matthew Reed Hall, two grandchildren, Elsa Caroline Hall and Andrew Reed Hall, all of Owings, Maryland, a brother, Albert Christian Elser II and sister-in-law Storm Garrison Elser of Lakewood Ranch, Florida, and brother-in-law George Everett Hall of Riverside, Connecticut. Mr. Elser is also survived by his beloved three West Highland White Terriers, Angus, Nola and Duncan. Funeral services will be held at Christ Church, 254 East Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, at 11:00 on Friday, March 1, 2013. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be directed to any of the following organizations:
Christ Church, Greenwich
Bruce Museum of Arts and Science, Greenwich
SeniorNet, in care of Town of Greenwich Senior Center
The New Millennium Committee of the Planetary Society, 85 South Grand Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105-1602
The Heritage Foundation, PO Box 97057, Washington, DC 20077-7315
The Westie Foundation of America, Inc., c/o Gary Sackett, Donor Manager, 16813 Wood Song Court, Riverside, CA 92504.
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