Alvin William Groskreutz

Alvin Groskreutz, 87 year old resident of Waldorf, died peacefully on Monday evening, January 8, 2018, at his home with his family by his side.

Funeral Service will be 2:00 pm on Saturday, January 13, 2018, at Vista Evangelical Covenant Church in rural New Richland. Interment will follow in St. Pauls Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery in Vivian Township, Waseca County, Minnesota. Visitation will be from 4-7 pm on Friday, January 12, 2018, at Starkson & Steffel Funeral Home ~ Arnoldt Chapel of Janesville. Visitation will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday.

Arrangements are with Starkson & Steffel Funeral & Cremation Service ~ Arnoldt Chapel of Janesville.
www.janesvillefuneral.com

Alvin William Groskreutz was born on September 27, 1930, to Louis and Anna (Fogal) Groskreutz on the family farm in Vivian Township, Waseca County, Minnesota. He attended country school through 8th grade and then worked full-time with his father on the farm until his service in the Army (two years, primarily in Okinawa Japan). Upon his return from service, he painted buildings and continued to farm with his father. They both had the ability to fix any mechanical challenges they encountered.

Alvin met Shirley Westphal at a dance at the Kato Ballroom. Music was a big part of what drew them together. They were united in marriage on September 10, 1959 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Janesville. Together they raised their family on the Groskreutz family farm in Vivian Township and for a brief time in Janesville while Alvin worked as a mechanic at Arnold Implement. Alvin raised livestock and crops on the farm and also ran a repair shop there. He was a talented welder, and started Waldorf Welding and Machine Shop in 1984, which he ran full-time after retiring from farming. He was pleased to pass on his business to his son when he retired, although he never really retired. Alvin was always fixing things and working on projects around the house or in the shop. He loved singing and if you were in a church with him, you would have heard his voice. He enjoyed playing his guitar, and above all he was very fond of his children and loved to spend time with his grandchildren. He was also an avid motorcycle rider and builder of model airplanes. He will be dearly missed.

Alvin is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Shirley; sons: Daniel (Susan) of Altoona, WI and their children: Casey and Margot; Joel (Renae) of Waldorf and their children: Amanda (Charlie) Graham, Ben and Anna Groskreutz; great grandson, Louis Graham; sisters: Adeline Buss of Elysian and Leona Quast of Waseca; nieces, nephews other relatives and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, three children in infancy: Tamala, Ronald and Wesley, and a granddaughter, Emily.