Bill Hutschenreuter, of LaCrosse, 53, passed away January 26, 2017 of pancreatic cancer at home with his family.
Life is a series of chapters, until one day the book of our life has been written, and is closed. Bill began his life on the front page of the La Crosse Tribune! He happened to be the first baby born in the brand-new wing of the St. Francis Hospital.
Born to William H. and JoAnn C. Hutschenreuter (nee Rybarczyk) on January 29, 1963, little Billy loved babies. He was excited as he helped welcome into the family a baby girl, then a boy, then another girl and then one final boy. Life was full of adventure as a young boy, playing with siblings, cousins, neighbors and friends. We can’t forget his man-to-man time on the farm with Grandpa Rybarczyk and Uncle Moe!
Chapter two of Bill’s life was less about growing up on the outside, but more about growing on the inside. Because he lived on La Crosse’s south side, Bill attended and graduated from Central High School in 1982. He later joined the Army and was initially stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado. In 1983 Bill was sent to Germany and spent 5 years there as part of the 3rd Infantry Division 1-7th “Cottonbalers” in Aschaffenburg, Germany. There he became a “Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle Mechanic” – which meant he worked on tanks. He loved his time in Germany and was figuratively (and sometimes literally) as happy as a pig in mud.
In 1989, now out of the Army, began Bill’s chapter three. He was employed for 26 years at Chart Industries, where he made lifelong friends. He also rekindled his interest in auto-racing which he had begun long before going into the military. He was once again as happy as that same “pig”, revisiting his “mud”! Bill had the pleasure of racing with so many great guys, including but not limited to Sparky, Rick, Terry, Todd, Andy, Mark, Charlie and Paul (Menard).
Chapter four, Jeanette C. Ritland. Bill liked to tell people how he met his wife “in the cemetery” where she often walked her dog. He knew that very first day that he was going to marry her, and even told her parents so. He also told people that he married her for the great cooking – her Dad’s!
Since he married later in life, his children had hairy legs – 4 of them! Bill loved traveling in a motor home, so he could enjoy seeing the countryside. His last (and best) such trip was to South Dakota. He planned every last detail of the trip and it was as close to perfect as a trip could be. He, his wife, and dogs enjoyed seeing the buffalo, wild donkeys, and even hearing a rogue cougar one night.
Because Bill is gone, to many of us this world will sadly never shine as bright. He will be missed because he knew how to choose just the right words to make us laugh. He knew how to make the best of what he had, and to be content where he was. He was easy to live with, forgiving and understanding. For many of us who loved Bill, we will miss all of his funny “Billisms”. We will miss his flirty blue eyes. We will miss him every day. May we all be united together in Heaven one day soon.
Bill is survived by his wife Jeanette, his sisters Carol Hutschenreuter, Joan (Jeff Kittle) McBain, his brothers Ken Hutschenreuter, Paul Hutschenreuter, his half-sister Cari (Matt) Servais, and half-brother David Hutschenreuter; his Godparents Therese and Syl Schaub; his dear friend Ilse (Mel) Pielmeier; his unofficially adopted son Dustin (Buddy) Chase; numerous aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews; and his “hairy children” April and Tegan.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his grandparents Herman and Gertrude Hutschenreuter and Joseph and Anna Rybarczyk and his 8-pound dog Annie, which he called “The Beast”.
A memorial service for family and friends will be held Saturday, February 4, 2017 at 11 a.m. at Coulee Region Cremation Group, 133 Mason Street, Onalaska,WI. Visitation will be held from 10:00 am unil the time of the service.
A heartfelt thank you to Gundersen Hospice, especially Angie, Krissy, and Dana.
And all our love to Bill’s wonderful friends at Chart, Gale, Jerry, Lonnie, Sue, Greg, Frank, Dale, and many others too numerous to list.