Obituary of Anthony Rutoski

Anthony (Tony) Rutoski passed away peacefully early Tuesday morning, with members of his family by his side. Except for a period of military service in Fairbanks, Alaska, Tony was a life-long resident of Whitewater, Wisconsin. He graduated from College High School in 1950, where he had been voted Prom King. Shortly after returning from Fairbanks, he met his future wife, Mary, on a blind date; they married in 1957. Tony and Mary, along with her sister and brother-in-law, opened the first pizzeria in Whitewater�The Main Caf�, which soon became a popular college hang-out. Tony, however, was also a skilled woodworker, having learned carpentry and cabinet-making while in the military, and so he later branched off as a contractor, partnering with Richard Webb. After a work-related injury, he and Mary purchased and ran the Twinkling Star tavern (presently the Lone Star). In his last twenty six working years he was employed by the city of Whitewater as a jack-of-all-trades, mostly building cabinets and office furnishings. Tony had been an active member of the American Legion, and was once a Chief de Gare of the Jefferson County 40 et 8 (once described as the �fun-making branch of the American Legion�). In his spare time he enjoyed designing and building wooden desk top-sized replicas of antique cars, fishing, football, and family�especially his grandchildren, whom he adored and who adored him. After retirement, he enjoyed sharing gossip over morning coffee with �the guys,� and surveying his property from his golf cart. He was an animal-lover, often taking his dog along on those golf cart rides, where he would feed the deer and ducks. Tony will be missed by his wife, Mary (Vena-Ghysels), of Whitewater, WI; by his children: Paul (Katy) Ghysels, of Antelope, CA; Victoria Ghysels, of Whitewater, WI; John (Cheryl) Rutoski, of Rosemount, MN; and Tammie (Rodney) Lohff, of Whitewater, WI; by his grandchildren: Kristine (Brian) Carver, of Apple Valley, MN; Marie (Patrick) Wojciechowski, of Rosemount, MN; Lawton and Lauren Lohff, of Whitewater, WI; and Jacob Rutoski, of Bemidji, MN; and by his great-grandchildren: Malaina and Max Carver, and Bennett Wojciechowski. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, January 17, 2015 at 11:00am at the Nitardy Funeral Home, 550 N. Newcomb St., Whitewater, WI. Friends may call at the funeral home from 10am until the time of the service. There will also be a gathering at the Lone Star Tavern following the service. All are invited. In Lieu of flowers, please make donations in his name to: The Wounded Warrior Project or Rainbow Hospice of Jefferson.