Walter “Butch” Wesley Gruel Jr., age 78, of Manawa, went to his heavenly home on Saturday, August 30, 2014 at the Theda Care Medical Center in New London.
He was born on July 31, 1936 in the Town of Union, Waupaca County, son of the late Walter and Mildred (Piotter) Gruel. Butch graduated from Little Wolf High School with the Class of 1954. He served in the Army Reserves. On December 16, 1990, he was united in marriage to Elaine Schroeder Piotter at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Delavan, Wisconsin. Butch was employed as a truck driver for many years with Wickes Lumber, retiring in 2002. He enjoyed feeding and watching his birds, deer hunting, taking care of his lawn and also his father’s tractor. He’d also like to play a game or two of solitaire on his tablet. He was a member St. Mark Lutheran Church in Symco.
He is survived by his wife Elaine; daughter, Suzann (William) Mc Clenahan; sons, Steven (Ginny) Gruel and Robert Gruel and special friend Beverly Seymour; stepchildren: Elizabeth (Erv) Johnson, Eva (Douglas) Lozynski, Richard (Yvonne) Piotter and Michael (Maria) Piotter; nine grandchildren and seven step-grandchildren; three great-grandchildren and nine step-great-grandchildren; and an uncle, Vernon Piotter. He is further survived by sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, a son William “Billy”, and a step-son Steven Piotter.
The funeral service for Butch will be held on Friday, September 5, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Symco with Rev. Jeffrey Smiles officiating. Burial will be in Union Cemetery in Symco. A visitation for Butch will be held on Thursday, September 4, 2014 from 4-7 p.m. at the Cline-Hanson-Dahlke Funeral Home in Manawa and also on Friday at the church from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service. Memorials are preferred for St. Mark Lutheran Church. The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at Theda Care Medical Center in New London for their wonderful care and concern of Butch.