Gregory C. Van Asten, 86, Krakow, passed away peacefully on Friday, Dec. 27, 2013, at Good Shepherd Nursing Home in Seymour. The son of Simon and Marie (Bushmaker) Van Asten was born on Nov. 27, 1927.
He was a 1946 graduate of Rudolph High School. On May 29, 1948, Greg was united in marriage with his high school sweetheart, Janet Kempen. At that time they both worked at Nekoosa Paper Company. In 1949 he went into business with his father. As electrical, plumbing and heating contractors, they started Rudolph Electric in Rudolph. In 1956, the couple relocated to Krakow, where they purchased a hardware store. Janet ran the hardware store, Van Asten’s Krakow Hardware, and Greg contracted plumbing, heating and electrical services. In the 1970s, he was a partner in the modular home manufacturing business, Wolf River Homes, in Shawano. Greg also worked for Brotski Plumbing in Green Bay. He returned to running his own contracting business, Van Asten’s Contracting, in Krakow in the early 1980s. Three of his sons joined Greg in the business. The business moved to Pulaski in 1988, where it is operated today by two of his sons.
He had been a member since 1956 of St. Casimir Parish in Krakow, where he was a choir member for many years. Greg was a charter member of the Pulaski Lions Club, where he was an honored recipient of both the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award and Birch-Sturm Fellowship Award. He was an avid outdoorsman. Greg loved spending time at their cottage on Legend Lake, which Greg and Janet along with their children built together. He looked forward to his yearly fishing trips to Bent’s Camp and to the Ranch, as well as yearly hunting trips with his sons and grandsons. He shared the enjoyment of berry gardening with his daughter.
Greg was a loving person, mentor and friend who welcomed many into his heart. Greg and Janet opened their home to three foster siblings after their oldest three children were grown. Greg had a kind heart and generous nature. His honesty, integrity, values, ingenuity, great stories and optimistic attitude were felt by all who knew him.
Survivors include the love of his life, Janet Van Asten; four sons and one daughter, Timm (Jane) Van Asten, Pulaski, Tony (Faye) Van Asten, Suamico, Tina (Al) Wagner, Suamico, Brian (Diane) Van Asten, Pulaski, and Greg (Julie) Van Asten, Krakow; grandchildren, Nicholas (Katie), Forrest (Carolyn) and Elizabeth Van Asten, Kory (Jeanie) Van Asten, Kimberly and Chelsea Van Asten, Heather (Dustin) Kaap, Jon (Sally) Wagner, Matthew (Rebecca) Wagner, Joel Wagner and Simon Wagner, and Megan and Benjamin Van Asten; great-grandchildren, Sawyer, Morgan, Matilda, George and Jason Van Asten, Samuel and Avery Kaap, and Kiera and Emerson Wagner.
Gregory was preceded in death by one son, Patrick, in 2011, and one grandson, Kyle Van Asten, in 2012.
Friends may call at Marnocha Funeral Home from 4-8 p.m. Thursday, with a closing prayer service at 7:30 p.m. The visitation continues at 9:30 a.m. Friday at St. Casimir Church, W146 Park St., Krakow. The funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the church with the Rev. Bob Konkol, O.F.M., presiding. Burial will take place in the spring, in the parish cemetery.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.marnochafuneralhome.com.
The siblings of Greg P. would like to acknowledge and thank him, his wife, Julie, and children Megan (she shared her bedroom) and Benjamin (he gave up his bedroom) for the dedicated care that they gave their dad while he lived with them for seven months. As their father’s medical POA, Greg P. always made sure to include his siblings in their dad’s care choices, and they are grateful for his dedication to their dad’s medical decisions. The family would like to thank all the personal caregivers who cared for Greg in his home. They would also like to thank Dr. Bruce Fenster for his dedication to their dad’s care through the years, as well as the entire staff of Good Shepherd Nursing Home for their compassionate care.
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