Larry William Buttke
Larry William Buttke, 83, passed away in his home, surrounded by family, after a courageous battle against liver cancer and congestive heart failure.
Larry was born June 30, 1941, to Bernie Buttke and Marie (Jerabek) Buttke, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa
Falls. He was a graduate of Cadott High School in 1959.
Larry enlisted in the Army, where he served for three years, with one year in Sinop, Turkey.
After serving, he moved to Milwaukee, where he worked at the Louis Allis Company.
He married Leila Niemuth, July 11, 1964, at Christ Lutheran Church, in West Bloomfield. They made their home in Cudahy, for three years.
They moved to Cadott, in 1967, and later bought 80 acres of the land of his parents’ original homestead in Cadott, where, with the help of his family, they had a small dairy farm.
He worked full-time at the Northern Wisconsin Center for the disabled, from 1968-97. He also started driving a school bus part-time, for Cadott, in 1968. After retiring from the Northern Wisconsin Center, he began driving full-time for the Cadott School District.
He always had a love for the Cadott Hornets sports teams, events and the children on the bus. He retired after driving the school bus for 50 years, in 2018.
Larry enjoyed family camping trips every summer, hunting, gardening, numerous extended family gatherings, bird watching, fishing – especially trips to Canada, and one very special trip to Alaska, with his brothers and his best friend. He enjoyed numerous trips to Branson, Mo., during veterans week.
He was a member of the Cadott FFA Alumni (and made millions of cheesecurds) for many years. He was also part of the Cadott American Legion Post 159 (since 1989), the Farmer’s Union and Sigel Sodbusters 4-H, while his three children were younger.
Larry took a lot of pride in being part of organizing the annual 9/11 tribute ceremony and working with the Wisconsin Veterans Tribute monument, located on State Hwy. 27. He was also an active member of St John’s Lutheran Church, serving on the church council as a trustee, for several years.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years – Leila; his two sons – Steve (Scott Eidahl) Buttke and Brian Buttke; his daughter –Shelley (Jay Johnson) Buttke; his grandchildren – Amy (Dan Groat) Eidahl, Anna and Kyle Bauer, Aaron Eidahl, Rebecca (Zach) Buttke, Jordyn Buttke, Brody Buttke and Liam Buttke; his great-grandchildren – Harper and Briggs Bauer; his siblings – Bob Buttke, Ray (Kathy) Buttke, Lloyd (Chris) Buttke, Jerry Buttke, Jean Buttke, Denny (Linda Matott) Buttke, Ruth Buttke and Randy (Arlene) Buttke; his in-laws – Daniel Niemuth, Charles (Charlene) Niemuth, Annette (Jim) Saxon and Carla (David) Kuehni; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; son – Jeffrey, in infancy; siblings – Irene Juneman, Jan McDermott and Roger Buttke; and brothers and sisters-in-law – Ted Juneman, Mike McDermott, Allen and Lucinda Niemuth, Robert Niemuth, Linda (Kuehni) Niemuth, Anita and Harold Wagner, Alice and Paul Oehlke, Betty and Raymond Bourassa, and Eileen and Robert Hoehne.
Larry will be remembered for his large smile and love of his large family.
Services will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, May 31, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Cadott, with the Rev. Robert Hopkins officiating. Interment, with full military honors conducted by the Cadott American Legion and VFW, will be in the Brooklawn Cemetery in Cadott, following the service.
Visitation will be held from noon, until the time of services, at 2 p.m., Saturday, at the church.
Leiser Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Cadott, is assisting the family.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.leiserfuneralhome.com.
