Roy P. Etter

Roy P. Etter, 91, Rockford, IL, formerly of Wausau and Oshkosh, died on Tuesday, July 19, 2011 in Rockford. He was born January 28, 1920 in Wausau, son of the late Edward and Katherine (Gleason) Etter. On January 22, 1944, Roy married LaVerne Madden in Wausau. She survives. For over 38 years, Roy was a plant supervisor for various foundries in Wisconsin and Indiana. He continued to work as a consultant in the foundry industry after his retirement. Roy also leased and operated Standard Oil and Phillip 66 Service Stations for several years. He was a member of the Foundry Management Club and received a 25 year award for service in the foundry. In 1984, Roy was awarded as Honorary Citizen of the City of Wausau by Mayor John L. Kannenberg. Among his favorite pastimes, he enjoyed gardening, reading, fishing, working on cars and napping "his siestas". He and his loving wife, LaVerne, traveled and saw every state except for Alaska. He loved his wife's cooking and claimed that she was the best cook in the country. His greatest joy was spending time with his family, his grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Roy also enjoyed watching the Green Bay Packers and baseball. We will miss his stories about the foundry, his life growing up on a farm and his sense of humor. He had a gift of striking up a conversation with anyone he met. "Working hard, playing hard and you know the rest!" He will be greatly missed. Survivors include, his wife, LaVerne, Rockford, IL; one daughter, Faye (Bill) Gorski, Rockford; two grandchildren, Bill (Aylin) Gorski and Tammy (Jeff) Dunbar, both of Rockford, IL; five great grandchildren, Taylor and Justin Gorski, Zachary, Joshua and Nathan Dunbar; one sister, Evelyn Walters, Wausau; and numerous nieces and nephews. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by one grandson, Timmy Gorski; and one brother, Lloyd Etter. The funeral mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. Monday, July 25, 2011 at The Church of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Wausau. Rev. John Robert Alphonse will preside. Burial will be in Restlawn Memorial Park, Wausau. Friends may call Sunday from 3:00 until 6:00 p.m. at Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, 1302 Sixth Street, Wausau and again on Monday from 10:00 a.m. until time of services at the church. There will be a prayer service at 5:30 p.m. Sunday evening at the funeral home. The family would like to extend a special thank you to all the wonderful hospice nurses for the loving care and support given to Roy. Online condolences at www.petersonkraemer.com