Carol F. (Zdrazil) Gutsch

Carol F. Gutsch, 88, of Eau Claire died Monday, August 8, 2022 at Marshfield Medical Center-Eau Claire.

Carol was born December 14, 1933 in Reedsburg, the daughter of Charles and Agnes (Mousseau) Zdrazil.

On November 22, 1952 Carol married Norman E. Gutsch at St. Charles Church in Chippewa Falls, they later divorced. She worked for the State of Wisconsin and then Eau Claire Family Medicine. She was a member of St. Olaf Catholic Church.

Carol was a thirty-nine-year member of the Eau Claire Area Art League, member of Chippewa Valley Watercolor Association, where she made many lifelong friends, attending painting workshops at Beaver Creek, traveling throughout Wisconsin for weeklong workshops and carrying her sketch book wherever she went. She displayed her art in numerous art galleries and juried shows in Wisconsin, Kansas and Arizona, including her own art show at the Heyde Art Center for her 80th birthday. She taught many of her friends, associates, and family how to paint with acrylics, oils and watercolors. She had tremendous artistic influence on her children.

Carol shared many painting and birding trips with longtime companion, Paul Blanchard – twice to Nova Scotia and many times to Door County, WI and Duluth, MN.

She was a lifetime member of Girl Scouts and held many positions including Troop Leader, Neighborhood Organizer, Area Council Board of Directors, Assistant Director of “Paint the West” in Ten Sleep, WY, and was an integral part of her daughters’ granddaughters’ and great granddaughters’ Girl Scout experiences.

Her favorite activity every year was the annual Cookie Bake where the family gathered to bake 100 dozen Christmas cookies – held every year for the past 29 years, only missing 2020 due to the COVID pandemic.

Carol is survived by five sons, Tim (Theresa) Gutsch of Wausau, Gene (Shirley) Gutsch of Elk Mound, John “Jack” (Cara) Gutsch of Colfax, Steve (Criss) Gutsch of Mondovi and Jim (Carol) Gutsch of Eau Claire; three daughters, Cathy (Mark) Beckfield of Eau Claire, Barb (Nyla) Gutsch of Salina, KS and Anne (Billy) Cooley of Wilmington, NC; 19 grandchildren, Ben (Megan) Gutsch, Bethany (Jeremy) Hoffman, Chris (Kelsie) Beckfield, Will (Maddy) Beckfield, Alexandra (Alex) Laffey, Michael Beckfield, Brandon (Emily) Ring, Kayla (Justin) Trautlein, Amanda (Mike) Peters, Matt (Lindsey) Gutsch, John Gutsch, Carolyn Gutsch, Nelson Gutsch, Elayna (Matt) Bridges, Dayton Gutsch, Elise Cooley, Makenna Cooley, Jason Gutsch and Kyle Gutsch; 11 great grandchildren, Nat and Claire McCarthy, Graham and Ollie Hoffman, Ellie and Lydia Beckfield, Ayden and Ben Ring, Zander Trautlein, Xander and Charlie Gutsch; long-time companion, Paul Blanchard of Eau Claire; dear friends, Shirley Kilday, Wilma Rice and Jan Kippenham; special nieces, Ellen Cochran, Annie McCall, Teresa Porn and Tracy Nelson; siblings, Marianna Cochran of Arlington, VA, Agnes “Sis” Shea of Manitowoc and Marian Zdrazil of St. Paul, MN.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents; and two brothers, John and Chuck Zdrazil.

A Memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, August 15 at St. Olaf Catholic Church in Eau Claire. Rev. Frank Corradi will be celebrant of the Memorial Mass. Inurnment will be in Calvary Cemetery in Chippewa Falls.

Friends may call from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, August 14 at the Horan Funeral Home in Chippewa Falls and from 10 a.m. until the time of services at 11 a.m. on Monday at the church. There will be a Christian vigil service at 4:45 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

Memorials can be given to the Heyde Center for the Arts or the Beaver Creek Reserve.

AFTER SERVICE NOTICE: 

A Memorial Mass for Carol F. Gutsch was held at 11 AM Monday, August 15 at St. Olaf Catholic Church in Eau Claire.

Rev. James Kurzynski and Rev. Frank Corradi concelebrated at the Memorial Mass. Inurnment was in Calvary Cemetery in Chippewa Falls.

Music during the Mass was provided by Mary Sazama, cantor, David Olson and the St. Olaf Funeral Choir. Readings were given by Ben Gutsch and Elayna Bridges. Gift bearers were Amanda Gutsch and Chris Beckfield. A eulogy was given by Barb Gutsch.

Urn bearers were Bethany, Carolyn, Jason and Matt Gutsch.

Sunday afternoon Rev. Kurzynski led the family, relatives and friends in a Christian vigil service at the funeral home.

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