Lawrence Kusler

Lawrence "Larry" Louis Kusler, age 80, of Atwater, died Wednesday morning, June 28, at the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis. Funeral services will be held at 11 AM on Monday, July 3, at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Atwater. Visitation will be from 5-7 PM on Sunday, July 2, at the Atwater Funeral Home.
He was born on January 7, 1926, in Lesterville, South Dakota, the son of Louis and Sophia (Mutschelknaus) Kusler. He grew up in Scotland, SD. and in Jackson, MN., was baptized in the Lutheran faith in Lesterville and confirmed in Jackson, MN. He graduated from Jackson High School. Larry served in the U.S. Navy during W.W. II overseas in the South Pacific. On September 30, 1948, in Fairmont, MN., he was married to Hazel Shaffer. They lived in Jackson and in 1955, moved to Atwater. Larry was employed with various construction companies and prior to his retirement was self-employed. In 1988, he retired due to ill health but worked at Jimmy's Pizza in Atwater. He was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and the Samstad-Jensen American Legion Post of Atwater where he was a life member and Past Commander.
He is survived by his wife, Hazel of Atwater; four daughters, Darcy (and Fred) Anderson of Mt. Iron, Nancy (and Jere) Volkart of Watertown, SD., Merry (and Les) Lemke of Watertown, SD., and Linda (and Dale) Holmgren of Norfolk, AR; nine grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren. Also surviving are two sisters, Betty Boettcher of Great Falls, MT. and Shirley Lenhoff of Lamberton; and a sister-in-law, Laverne Kusler of Alpha, MN., besides other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Wilmer.