Chester R. Gauerke

June 12, 1913 - Dec. 24, 2003

Chester R. Gauerke, 90, died Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2003, at his home in Nashotah. He was born in Ixonia on June 12, 1913, the son of Reinhart and Phoebe (nee Winger) Gauerke. On Nov. 16, 1935, he married LaVerne Schramm in Lebanon, Wis.

Chester retired from Wisconsin Electric Company in Waukesha as a construction supervisor after more than 40 years of service. He was a life member of Elks Lodge No. 400 of Waukesha, a past member of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Waukesha and past president of St. Luke’s Church Council. He was the first president of the Waukesha Chapter of the Association of Retarded Children, past director of Employee Mutual Benefit Association of the Wisconsin Electric Company and past president of the Waukesha Safety Council. He was a member of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Delafield.

He is lovingly survived by his wife, LaVerne; his children, Thomas (Barbara) Gauerke of Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich., Judith King of Wausaukee, Gail Gauerke of Waukesha and Dawn (Mark) Sredzinski of Oconomowoc; his grandchildren, Thomas (Becky) Gauerke Jr. of St. Clair Shores, Mich., Jodi (Shane) Sullivan of Sullivan, Michael Weix of Fort Atkinson, Carol (Ray) McCrary of Nashville, Tenn., and Wendy King of Chattanooga, Tenn.; his great-grandchildren, Conner and Nathan Sullivan and Nicholas Weix; his brother, Kermit (Elaine) Gauerke of Oconomowoc; and his sister, Frances Dallman of Madison.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his granddaughter, Cari; his brother, Reinhart Gauerke; and his son-in-law, Lewis King.

Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral service Saturday, Dec. 27, at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 1600 Genesee St., Delafield. The Rev. David Peters will officiate. Burial will be at Glenview Memorial Gardens in Ixonia.

Memorials to Christ the King Lutheran Church or Shorehaven Health Center in Oconomowoc are appreciated.

Schmidt & Bartelt Notbohm-Kreutzmann Funeral Home in Oconomowoc, 567-4459, is serving the family.