Paul E Kuester

Paul Edward Kuester, 84, of Sparta, died on Monday, March 13, 2023, at Rolling Hills Senior Living. He was born August 7, 1938, in Sparta, the son of Earl E. and Esther E. (Switz) Kuester.  He attended St. John’s Lutheran School and graduated from Sparta High School in 1956.

On October 18, 1958, he married Carol J. Janes.  He attended La Crosse State University and worked part time at his parent's tavern, The Wayside.  In 1962 he was called to active duty with the Wisconsin Army National Guard and moved with his young family to Fort Lewis, Wash.  He remained on active duty with subsequent postings to Fort Ord, Calif., Fort Bragg, N.C., Fort Benning, Ga., Fort Leonard Wood, MO., Fort Knox, KY, and Bangkok, Thailand.  He spent three years in South Vietnam, one in 1964 and two more from 1970-1972.  After returning to Sparta in 1979, he went to work at Fort McCoy and later worked in the Monroe County History Room.  He was also deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1990-1991 for the Persian Gulf War.

Throughout his life he was an avid trout fisherman and canoeist.  He very much enjoyed rooting for the Packers, the Badgers, and the Forty-Niners.  He was a stalwart supporter of the American Legion and also a member of the VFW, in Sparta.  He was a life-long member of St. John’s in Sparta.

He is survived by his daughter, Paula Kuester of Yardley, PA, her husband, Edward Johnson and a grandson, Paul Johnson; a son, Scott Kuester of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and his sister, Earlene Kuester of Pinellas Park, FL.

He was preceded in death by his wife, who passed away on February 6, 1998.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday, March 18, 2023, at St John’s Ev Lutheran Church, in Sparta, with Pastor Hackbarth officiating. Burial, with full military honors provided by VFW Post 2112 and American Legion Post 100 of Sparta, will be at St John’s Ev Lutheran Cemetery immediately following services. A luncheon will follow burial at the Church.

A visitation will be held from 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, on Saturday at the church. Online condolences may be offered at www.schanhoferfh.com

Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home and Cremation, Sparta, is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.

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