Stefan Guttormsson

Rev. Guttormsson founded what is now known as the Guttormsson Reading Group in La Crosse. He was also a member of Yggdrasil, a Scandinavian cultural study group in La Crosse. In 1989, he was theU.S. delegate to the installation of the National Church of Iceland's bishop.

Rev. Guttormssons father emigrated from Iceland to Canada at the age of 12 (later coming to the United States), and his mother was born to Icelandic immigrant pioneers in North Dakota. Rev. Guttormsson was quite proud of his Icelandic heritage and ancestry, tracing his genealogy, passing along Icelandic traditions to his children and keeping in touch with relatives throughout North America and in Iceland.

Family was vitally important to Rev. Guttormsson, who was a devoted, proud and loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. His grandchildren called him Afi (grandfather in Icelandic). Children were a source of joy throughout his life, especially in his later years, when he delighted in seeing his great-grandchildren. His sons and daughters cherish memories of family vacations, often at lake resorts where he taught them to fish. During retirement, he enjoyed spending time at his family's lakeside cottage in northern Wisconsin. He and his wife, Mary, liked to travel, visiting Iceland, Wales (where Marys family had its roots), England, and Lutheran Reformation sites in Germany.

Rev. Guttormsson loved music and lent his beautiful singing voice to the St. Olaf College Choir and the English Lutheran Church Senior Choir. He looked forward to attending La Crosse Symphony Orchestra concerts each month with his wife. He was an avid reader and enjoyed golf, playing with friends nearly every week for many years. Other hobbies included photography and gardening. He was a lifelong fan of the Minnesota Twins and Vikings.

Rev. Guttormsson was warm, intelligent, hard-working and modest, an example to many of Gods love and grace.

He is survived by his six children: Dr. Stefan (Rosemary) Guttormsson, of Duluth, Minn., Mary (Robert) Elkins, of Phillips, Wis., Susan (Michael) Becker of Onalaska, Elizabeth Rose, of La Crosse, Christopher (Lisa) Guttormsson, of Westminster, Colo., and Paul (Jeannine) Guttormsson, of Hales Corners, Wis.; by his 12 grandchildren: Stefan Jacob Guttormsson (Sarah Gee) of Maplewood, N.J., Andrew Guttormsson (Claudia Freeman) of Brooklyn, Nicholas Guttormsson of Duluth, Erik Grosskopf of Minneapolis, Sarah (Matt) Thompson of Onalaska, Caitlin Rose of Galesville, William Rose of La Crosse, Christopher and Kirsten Guttormsson of Westminster, Christine Guttormsson of Waukesha, Wis., and Olivia and Emily Guttormsson of Hales Corners; and by his six great-grandchildren: Otto and Minna Guttormsson of Maplewood, Ryan and Grace Thompson of Onalaska, and Angel Rodriguez and Christian Rose of La Crosse.

He was preceded in death by his wife, by his parents, and by his brothers and sisters: Gisli Ragnar, Fjola Maria (Schule), Jon Larus, Helga Gudlaug (Hoag), Elin Thora (Rhyne), and Anna Sigrun (Needham).

The family would like to thank Dr. David Momont, the staff of the Memory Care Unit at Eagle Crest in Onalaska, and the staff at Bethany St. Joseph Care Center, who all provided excellent care for Rev. Guttormsson during the final years of his life.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, December 1, 2012 at English Lutheran Church, 1509 King St., La Crosse, with Bishop James Arends and the Rev. Mark Solyst officiating. Burial with Military rites by the United States Navy and American Legion Post 52 La Crosse will follow in the Oak Grove Cemetery, La Crosse. Visitation will be held at the church Friday evening from 4:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. and again at the church on Saturday from 10:00 A.M. until the time of services. The Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home of La Crosse is assisting the family with arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be given to the Guttormsson Family Foundation, which his children established to carry on Rev. Guttormssons legacy of charitable giving.