Adelbert V. Otradovec

Adelbert Victor Otradovec, 87, of Suring, passed away peacefully at his home in the South Branch area of the Menominee Indian Reservation on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020. Adelbert was born March 30, 1932, in South Branch to the late Matthias and Genevieve (Pecore) Otradovec.

Adelbert was a proud U.S. Marine Corps veteran, having served his country during the Korean War. On Oct. 23, 1954, he married Chantel I. Vigue; the couple immediately began growing their family together. While farming in the South Branch area, Adelbert also worked for many years as a welder, as well as working for the Menominee Tribal Agricultural Department. Adelbert enjoyed spending time playing cards with his family, to which he declared himself to be the best canasta and cribbage player; of course, he also claimed his opponent never caught him cheating while playing solitaire.

In his later years, Adelbert could always be heard asking, “Are you going to take me for a ride today?” He enjoyed his rides around the reservation, especially through the woods. Adelbert loved his Menominee homeland where he shared many stories and provided his driver with endless lessons of the reservation — how his childhood was growing up there, always pointing out how much he had seen it change. “We had to fight to keep the heart of Mother Nature as our homeland,” he once said.

Adelbert is survived by his seven sons, Jerome (Rosanne), Rodger, Charles (Judy Ann), Edward, Peter, George (Rachel), all of Suring, and John (Pam), of Wausau; two daughters, Delberta (Otto) Pethke, of Suring, and Dora (Elmer) Diedrich, of Luthersville, Georgia; 33 grandchildren; 65 great-grandchildren; two brothers, Matt and Joseph; and eight sisters, Sylvia, Leila, Birdie, Millie, Angie, Christine, Margaret and Rosann. He is further survived by many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Matthias and Genevieve; his wife, Chantel; daughter, Christine; two sons, Christopher and Leonard; two grandchildren, April and Mitchell; great-grandchild, Selena; six brothers, Irvin, Melvin, Rodger, Laurel, Orville and Frances “Pete”; and three sisters, Marcella, Eleanor and Genevieve.

Visitation took place at Gruetzmacher Funeral Home in Suring on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020, from 4-8 p.m., with a rosary prayer at 7 p.m. Visitation resumed Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020, at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Keshena from 9 a.m. until the funeral service at 11 a.m. Delbert was interred beside his wife at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery in South Branch.

Gruetzmacher Funeral Home in Suring is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences can be expressed at www.gruetzmacherfuneralhome.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to a veterans organization in Adelbert’s honor.

The family would like to thank the Menominee Tribal Clinic and its staff, Dr. Shannon Daun and ThedaCare at Home Hospice for the care offered to Adelbert during his time of need.