Herman Guse

Herman W.P. Guse, age 83 of Janesville, died on Thursday, March 26, 2009 at the Janesville Nursing Home.      Funeral services will be held on Monday, March 30th at 11:00 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Janesville with Rev. Dr. Larry Griffin officiating. Interment with military honors will be in the St. John's-Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Iosco Township, Waseca County.      Visitation will be held on Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m. at Arnoldt-McRaith Funeral Home in Janesville, and will continue on Monday morning for one hour prior to services, at church. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to Trinity Lutheran School or Trinity Endowment Fund.      Herman Walter Paul Guse was born on February 1, 1926 in Iosco Township, Waseca County, Minnesota to Ludwig and Martha (Godemann) Guse.  He was baptized on February 26, 1926 and confirmed on March 17, 1940 at St. John's Church in Iosco Township. He attended Trinity Lutheran Parochial School in Janesville.  On October 10, 1944 at age 17 Herman entered military service in the United States Army, and served in the European Theater during WWII.  Herman graduated from Janesville High School in 1945 (while he was still serving his country), and was honorably discharged from military duty August 3, 1946. On February 8, 1953 Herman was united in marriage to Doris Ruth Erdman at Trinity Lutheran Church in Janesville.  He raised his family and farmed his entire life in Iosco Township, Waseca County.  Following his wife's death on August 2, 1993, Herman married again on April 20, 1996 to Shirley Winter.  He was a longtime member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Janesville were he was very active in both the church and parochial school (former school board member).  He was also a member of the American Legion Post #281 in Janesville.       Herman is survived by his wife Shirley of Janesville; by his four sons Ervin Guse, Melvin Guse, Howard (Kristi) Guse, and Russell (Jen) Guse, all of Janesville; by his eight daughters Mavis (Steve) Klein of Waseca, Barb (Tom) Souvie of Owatonna, Joan Guse of Apple Valley, Lenore (Larry) Schmit of Holdingford, Helen Guse of St. Louis Park, Bernice (Rod) Harman of Brooklyn Park, Shirley Guse and Jeffrey Helbach of Grand Junction, CO, and Jill (Paul) Berry of Janesville; by his grandchildren Keith Klein, Andrea (Ben) Anderson, Justin Klein, Nicole Schmit, Sarah Schmit, Ryan Schmit, Valerie Guse, Erin Guse, Jacob Guse, Danielle Guse, Rachel Berry, and Sophia Berry; by his great grandchildren Taylor Anderson, Brice Anderson Robert Sampson, and Easton Sampson; by his step-sons Richard (Judy) Winter, Robert (Linda) Winter, Ronald (Beth) Winter, Ray (Lisa) Winter, and Russell (Cathryn) Winter, all of Janesville; by 11 step-grandchildren and 9 step-great grandchildren.      He was preceded in death by his parents, Ludwig and Martha (Godemann) Guse; by his wife Doris (Erdman) Guse on August 2, 1993 and his son Glen Guse on December 5, 1990; by his brothers Adolf Guse, Fritz Guse, Leo Guse Reinhard Guse, and Leonard Guse, and his sisters Adela Kreutz and Frieda Guse.   Casketbearers are his sons and grandsons: Ervin Guse, Melvin Guse, Howard Guse, Russell Guse, Keith Klein, Justin Klein, Ryan Schmit, and Jacob Guse.   Honorary casketbearers are his step-sons:  Richard Winter, Robert Winter, Ronald Winter, Ray Winter, and Russell Winter.