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- Mary Ellen Gmeiner Hutterli, 88, died June 4, 2016, at Luther Hospital in Eau Claire, WI. She was born on January 3, 1928 in Waupaca, Wisconsin to Archibald R. Gmeiner and Virginia M. Carley Gmeiner.
Mary Ellen graduated from Waupaca High School in 1945. She attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison for one year then transferred to UW-Stevens Point where she graduated with a B.S. degree in 1949.
Mary Ellen began her teaching career at Little Wolf High School in Manawa, WI, where she taught American and world history, civics, and forensics. She was the pretty, energetic, young teacher who was involved in everything. Some of her more memorable activities included serving as the adviser to the Junior Class Prom, assisting with the All-School One-Act Play, and chaperoning FFA students at the State Fair. The students at Little Wolf H.S. held a special place in her heart and she never missed a class reunion, having attended every one, from the 5th through the 50th.
Mary Ellen's teaching career took her to West Bend High School where she met her future husband, Conrad, while taking tickets at a basketball game. The couple married on September 12, 1953 in Waupaca, WI, and moved to Milwaukee where Mary Ellen taught in the Milwaukee School district.
For the next 16 years, she was busy raising 5 children, and supporting her husband's efforts to complete a graduate degree and advance his career. She was very creative, and loved to bake fancy cakes, cookies and gingerbread houses, and plan wonderful birthday parties. During this time, the family moved from Milwaukee, to Waupaca, Waupun, and Wisconsin Rapids.
In 1969 while living in Wisconsin Rapids, Mary Ellen was asked to teach the junior high school special education class. Because she wasn't certified in special education, she began working on her master's degree in behavioral disabilities at UW-Eau Claire. For five summers, Mary Ellen and her children camped in Irvine Park in Chippewa Falls, coming home only on weekends. Upon completion of her degree, she was named the acting director of special education for the Wisconsin Rapids school district.
In 1975, the Hutterli family moved to Eau Claire, WI. For the next three years Mary Ellen supervised student teachers in the UW-Eau Claire Department of Special Education. Later she taught emotionally disturbed high school students at the Eau Claire Academy, and became the principal of St. James Elementary School. She also began working on a second graduate degree in educational administration at UW-Superior. She retired in 1985.
After retirement, Mary Ellen and Conrad traveled to Japan and throughout Europe. Their favorite destination was Switzerland, a country where they had many family members and friends.
Mary Ellen was an advocate for students of all abilities. She was very proud of the fact that she held four lifetime teaching licenses: two secondary education licenses in history, social science, and English, and two licenses which allowed her to teach mentally disabled, and emotionally disturbed students, age 3-21.
Mary Ellen was a member of the UW-Eau Claire Newman Center since 1975, and worked with the sisters at St. Bede on a religious education curriculum for educationally disabled students. She was a member of the UW-Eau Claire Viennese Ball Committee for over 20 years, and was a member of both DAR and AAUW for over 40 years.
She is survived by five children: Conrad Jr. of Portland, OR; Gretchen (Robert Erffmeyer) of Eau Claire; Frederick (Jo) of Land O'Lakes, FI; Mary Mercer (David Vining) of Sugar Land, TX; and Martha Bede (Brian Sutton) of Virginia Beach, VA; 12 grandchildren: Gretchen M. and Conrad III Hutterli; Johannah Erffmeyer; Frederick Jr., Emma, and William Hutterli; Elizabeth, Andrea and David Mercer; and Luke, Carley and Maria Bede; sister Virginia Whitney and her husband John; and brother-in-law Henry Hutterli. She was preceded in death by her husban, and her parents.
The family would like to thank Dr. Steve Weiss, and the staff at the Syverson Lutheran Home for their wonderful care of our mother.
Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11 am on Saturday, July 9, 2016 at The Newman, Roman Catholic Parish, at the Ecumenical Religious Center (ERC), 110 Garfield Avenue, Eau Claire, WI 54701 with Fr. Dan Oudenhoven officiating. Visitation will take place Saturday morning, July 9, 2016 at the ERC from 9:30 am until the time of service. Burial will take place at 1 pm on Sunday, July 10, 2016 in the St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Cemetery in Waupaca, WI with Fr. Charles Hoffman officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made in Mary Ellen's name to the UW-Eau Claire Department of Special Education, PO Box 4004, Eau Claire, WI 54702; or the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict, 104 Chapel Lane, St. Joseph, MN 56374-0220.
Friends and family may offer condolences online at www.fullerspeckienhulke.com.
Fuller-Speckien-Hulke Funeral Home, 3209 Rudolph Road, Eau Claire, WI 54701 is assisting the family with the arrangements.
Published in Appleton Post-Crescent on June 26, 2016
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1928 - 2016 (88 years)
