Alvin Rusch was born and lived his entire life on the family dairy farm in the town of
Stettin
.
Whether it was milking cows, bailing hay, making maple syrup, raising pigs and chickens, or making sausage,
Alvin
worked side by side with his wife Agnes until they retired in 1996.
He took great pride in the high quality crops and cattle they raised, his well maintained farm equipment especially his Massey Harris tractors, and wearing his “signature” striped overalls.
After 62 years of marriage and the loss of Agnes on, Wednesday, November 26
th
,
Alvin
truly died of a broken heart on Tuesday, December 2
nd
.
He was born
October 15, 1924
to the late Bernard and Matilda (Steidinger) Rusch.
He met Agnes Artus at a wedding in Little Chicago.
They fell in love and were soon married on
May 4, 1946
at
Rib
Falls
Methodist
Church
. In his younger years,
Alvin
played on the
Trinity
Lutheran
Church
dartball team as well as serving as usher and member of the church council.
He had also served on the Marathon School Board of Education.
Alvin
enjoyed eating the many and wonderful cookies Agnes always had on hand for him.
There was always a supply of Kit-Kats candy bars and “stinky” brick cheese on hand for him to enjoy.
He was very proud of his wife’s wonderful cooking and would always tell everyone to eat more.
No one ever left hungry.
Alvin
loved family occasions where he let his grandchildren dress him up in costumes and tease him, playing Sheephead and Chinese Checkers at birthday parties, and always said Grace in German before every meal. One of his favorite sayings was, “haste makes waste”, which meant that work had to be done right the first time and the drive into town was at an extremely slow pace.
Survivors include two daughters; Kathy (Ronald) Schleif of Merrill, and Sharon (LeRoy) Dehnel of the town of Stettin, six grandchildren; Christopher (Fiance, Becky Fawley) Schleif, Jennifer (Fiance, Toby Roberts) Schleif, Becky (Fiance, Mike Wiederhoeft) Schleif, Timothy Schleif, Troy Dehnel and Tracey (Fiance, Bryan Londerville) Dehnel; five great grandchildren, Tristen, Clara, and Tyler Dehnel, Jacob Schleif, and Sadie Roberts, one step great grandchild, Hailey Fawley.
Alvin
was further preceded in death by an infant sister, Mildred.
Funeral services will be
11:00 a.m.
, today,
December 5, 2008
at
Trinity
Lutheran
Church
,
1008 N. 120
th
Ave
,
Wausau
.
Reverend Clarence Gall will officiate.
Burial will be in Stettin Christian Cemetery.
Visitation will be today from
10:00 a.m.
until the time of services at the church. Helke Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangement.
Memorials may be directed to the church or Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Service,
333 Pine Ridge Blvd.
,
Wausau
, 54401.
You may sign our family guest book at helke.com.
The family would like to thank Frank Losinski, social worker, Sharon Stecker, hospice nurse, and the entire Aspirus Wausau Hospital Hospice staff for their care of Grandpa.
When we would leave Grandma and Grandpa’s house, he would always say; “Goodbye-see you in heaven.”
So goodbye Grandpa, we will see you in heaven.
