Christian Grottke

Christian Grottke, age 46, passed away January 18, 2020 with his loving family by his side.
Chris was born in Neillsville, Wisconsin to Henry and Margaret Grottke on February 15, 1973 and grew up on the family farm in Chili. He graduated from Marshfield Senior High and went on to attend the University of Wisconsin Wood County in Marshfield. It was there that Chris, ever thoughtful, helped a student who was missing her choir folder. He didn’t know it at the time, but this was the introduction to his future wife Kara. They were married on June 8, 1994 at Zion Lutheran Church in Granton, Wisconsin. In 1995, they moved to Eau Claire. He worked for Ferrellgas and delivered propane and often joked he was the Hank Hill of west central Wisconsin.

Chris was a loving, caring husband, father, grandfather, and friend. Chris loved drama and music. In high school and college, he was a cast member in numerous plays and musicals. He had an affection for classic cars. Thanks to much help from his friend, Brian, he was able to restore his prized VW Thing. He treasured time spent taking family and friends for a ride in his bright green “Thing.” Most recently, he lovingly started restoring his dad’s first car: a Model A Ford truck. He had a love for all things Star Trek. He enjoyed playing many types of sports, but especially basketball, and for years, he would play at church every Sunday evening with a group of close buddies. He relished sharing his love of classic TV and movies with his kids. Chris had an awesome singing voice and many a fun-filled night was spent singing Karaoke at the old Sea Horse Inn in Eau Claire, and, most recently, thanks to Chris’s electronic ingenuity, in his living room with family and friends. Chris (aka Dangling Chad) and Kara (aka Princess Karaoke) also were able to perform together for several years as part of the Holcombe United Methodist Church’s annual Christmas Madrigal Dinner Theater. He enjoyed spending time at both the cabin in Chili on the family farm, where he looked forward to the gun deer hunting weekends each year, and around the neighborhood poker table with friends and family.

Chris’s faith and love for the Lord was such a large part of who he was. He felt a calling to serve God and the church in many capacities. He held many positions throughout his years as a member of both Epiphany Lutheran Church and, most recently, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Eau Claire. He served as Eau Claire Lutheran School Board President, on the Board of Children’s Youth and Ministry for both congregations, as well as President at Our Redeemer. One of his most treasured moments on this earth was serving as a Youth Leader for Epiphany and Our Redeemer. He felt so blessed and privileged to have been given the opportunity to not only share his time and talents with youth, but also to share this with his four children and grandchildren. Chris has always been able to seamlessly relate to youth, and he would jokingly share that it was because he never really grew up. He was still that twelve-year-old inside which is something so many loved about him.

Chris is survived by his wife, Kara. Children Kellie Slimak (fiancé Matt Markham), Jacob (Bethany) Talledge, Megan Grottke, and Lila Grottke; his grandchildren, Hunter, Natalee, and Hollis; his mother Margaret Grottke; brother, Stephen Grottke, as well as, many family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his father Henry Grottke.

Memorials are preferred to: https://www.mayoclinic.org/giving-to-mayo-clinic/our-priorities/cancer.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 25, 2020 at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 601Fall St., Eau Claire with Pastor Jeff Carlson officiating. Visitation will be on Friday, January 24, 2020 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Stokes, Prock & Mundt Funeral Chapel, 535 S. Hillcrest Parkway, Altoona and again 1 hr prior at the church on Saturday. Burial will be at Lakeview Cemetery in Eau Claire.