Edward Joseph Lump

Edward Joseph Lump, age 79, of Hartland, passed away Monday, October 11, 2021, at Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital, with his family by his side. He is survived by his beloved wife of 55 years, Susan; his treasured children, daughter Heather Connelly and son-in-law Shawn Connelly, daughter Sarah Nannetti, son Nathan Lump and son-in-law Charles Runnette; his precious grandchildren, Alex, Adam and Nicolette Nannetti, and Elleson and Brooks Connelly; his three brothers, John, Tom and Ken; and multitudes of friends. Ed was born July 25th, 1942, to Ruth and Edward Lump in Chicago, Illinois, where he was raised along with his three younger brothers. He went to Grayslake Community High School and graduated in 1960. Ed went on to study at Carroll University, where he played Varsity Football and joined the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. In 1961 he transferred to the University of Wisconsin - Madison, where he would eventually become president of Tau Kappa Epsilon and obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 1964. After graduation he went on to study law for two years but decided to change course and accepted a job with Procter & Gamble in Milwaukee, which is where he met the love of his life, Susan. They got married, started a family, and moved to Madison, where he embarked on what would be his career path for the rest of his life. Ed became the founder and co-owner of The Brat und Brau restaurants and, later, the EJ Lump & Co. Foodservice Consulting Firm. After several successful years as a restaurateur he became President and CEO of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association, which he headed for 36 years, retiring on March 31, 2018. He was a strong leader and passionate advocate for the restaurant industry who inspired the respect of many and embodied the spirit of the industry. During Ed's stewardship of the WRA he grew membership 15-fold, expanded and strengthened its statewide tradeshow, the Midwest Foodservice Expo, established a political action committee, and provided a wide range of valuable services for the Association's members, from ServSafe training to educational programs. Politics was a major focus of Ed's career, and his work resulted in countless legislative victories that improved the environment for restaurants in the state, including the September 1st school start and a smoking ban that leveled the playing field for all businesses. Ed was also a strong believer in education and felt more could be done to encourage young people to see hospitality and foodservice as a career path; in addition to establishing the WRA Education Foundation and the Foundation's scholarship program, he launched ProStart in the state, a curriculum and mentoring program which today has 110 participating schools. Through it all, his love for the industry and for his job was unmistakable. Ed was a Lector and Eucharistic Minister at St. Charles Parish in Hartland, and he was an active member of the Thursday Morning Men's Worship Group and leader of his Small Group Bible Study. He was a board member and spiritual advisor at St. Vincent DePaul and a member of the Knights of Columbus in Hartland. Ed loved to be active-he was an avid golfer and enjoyed sporting clays and bowling-and he appreciated the finer things in life. Great food accompanied by great wine, whether enjoyed out in a restaurant or cooked at home, were his great pleasures, along with travel around the state, the country, and abroad. He had a curious mind and a lifelong love of learning and reading, particularly history, politics, and current affairs. Above all Ed cherished time with his family: going on camping trips, keeping holiday traditions, watching movies together, and so much more. He was a proud grandfather and served as Sponsor to all five in their Confirmation. A private celebration of Ed's life will be held in the near future. Please share your memories, stories, and photos of Ed here; they will be made into a legacy book for a family keepsake. In lieu of flowers, Ed's family would appreciate donations to the Ed and Susan Lump Scholarship Fund. Donations can be made online at https://wirestaurant.weblinkconnect.com/events/Endowment-Donation-in-the-Memory-of-Ed-Lump-135/details or sent to WRA Education Foundation, 2801 Fish Hatchery Road, Madison, WI 53713. The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the caring and compassionate staff at Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital. Also special thanks to Father Nick Baumgardner for being there for them in their time of need. Thank you to everyone for keeping Ed and his family in your thoughts and prayers. Ed's message to all those who knew him: Please go out to your favorite restaurant and raise a glass of wine in memory of me. May God bless you all.