William Hutchinson

William Hutchinson, age 87, of Atwater, died Wednesday evening, July 2, at Bethesda Heritage Center in Willmar.

Services will be 11:00 a.m. Monday, July 7, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Atwater, Minnesota. The interment will be in the Union Cemetery with military honors provided by the Samstad-Jensen American Legion Post 375 of Atwater. Visitation will be one hour prior to the services at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Let's Go Fishing program.

William Leo Hutchinson was born March 28, 1927, in Kandiyohi, Minnesota, the son of Leo and Edna (Croonquist) Hutchinson. He attended Whittier School in Kandiyohi until 8th grade and finished his high school years at Willmar High School, graduating in 1945. Upon graduation, Bill enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served until his honorable discharge on June 26, 1946.

Following his discharge, he delivered milk in Willmar for a year before landing a truck driving job for Duininck Construction for the next 8 years. In 1959, Bill purchased the township road grader from his father. He married Shirley Eisenberg in 1965 and they built a new home in Atwater. Bill sold the road grader in 1970 and worked as an over-the-road truck driver until his retirement.

Bill had a genuine love for fishing, camping, hunting and gardening. The outdoors was his favorite place and all who knew him will keep those memories.

Bill entered Bethesda Heritage Center in 2007. His health declined last Tuesday after suffering a stroke.

He is survived by a nephew, Mark (and Lori) Hutchinson of Atwater; two nieces, Sonja (and Rick) Hutchinson-Rohrer of Wayzata and Susan (and Todd) Bordson of Bloomington; his grandnieces and grandnephews; a sister-in-law, Beverly Hutchinson of Edina; and other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Shirley in 1987; a brother, George Hutchinson; and a niece, Sharon Zoesch.

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