Gerald "Jerry" Neitzel

Gerald L. “Jerry” Neitzel, age 75, of Alma, passed away hunting, one of greatest passions in life, on Saturday, November 21, 2015. He was born on March 5, 1940 in Town of Cross, Buffalo County, Wisconsin a son of the late Albert and Mary (Hund) Neitzel. Jerry attended Cotter High School in Winona and later attended and graduated of Fountain City High School. On May 5, 1962, Jerry was united in marriage to Judith A. Feuling at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Arcadia. To this union, four children were born. Jerry was an active and faithful member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Alma and was a proud lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus, Council 6789 in Alma and member of the 4th degree Knights of Columbus, Monsignor Andrzjewki Assembly 1752 of Arcadia. Jerry was an employee of Joseph Greshik, Sr. farm and then Ralph Wnuk trucking before he purchased his first milk truck in 1961 and over the next 50 plus years, with perseverance, quality business decisions and being a shrewd and insightful business man, he grew his company, Neitzel Trucking, into a business today with 13 trucks hauling milk for area farmers every day of the week. Jerry was driven to succeed and his wheels were always turning. Jerry was a very dedicated man, whether it was to his business or to his family. He always found the ability to provide for his family in anything that it may be. Quite honestly, he worked hard because his family was his life, evident when part of his life found him both farming while diligently building his successful trucking company. Jerry had an insatiable zest for life, whether it was fishing, camping or spending time at the family lake home, boating, jet-skiing or four wheeling with his family, playing cards around a table with his friends or downtown having coffee or drink with them, Jerry always had a smile on his face. His entire family meant the world to him and he meant the world to them. He would always want them to remember, “All I want in life is for you to be Happy”, Love, Dad. Jerry will be forever missed but always remembered by his loving wife of the past 53 years, Judy of Alma; four children, Tammy (Bill) House of Alma, Beth (Kevin Ressie) Neitzel of Fountain City, Tim (Dawn) Neitzel of Alma and Brenda Neitzel of Woodbury, MN; grandchildren, Samantha, Sabrina and Seth; Heather, Amanda and Whitney; Macie, Jordan, Zane (Becca) and Taylor; Angelina; great grandchildren, James, Zachary and the late Olivia; Kollin and Kaiden; 5 brothers, Charlie, Robert, Frank, David and Fred; 2 sisters, Mary Lou and Teresa; also by nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Besides his parents, Jerry was preceded in death by his brother, Alvin. A memorial Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, November 28, 2015 at 10:00 AM at St. Lawrence Catholic Church with Father Brian Jazdzewski as Celebrant. Inurnment will follow at the Alma Memorial Cemetery. A memorial gathering will be held on Friday, November 27 from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM at the Talbot Family Funeral Home, Alma Chapel and again on Saturday one hour prior to the Mass at the church.