Kate M. Gruetzmacher

Kate Gruetzmacher stepped peacefully into Heaven at the age of 42 on May 31, 2017. Kate’s Going Home Celebration will be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Grafton on June 7 at 6:00 p.m. A visitation will take place prior to the service from 3:00 to 5:45 p.m. also at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Grafton. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin or Brain Cancer Awareness are appreciated. Kate was born on March 17, 1975 in Houston, Texas. When Kate was 14 years old her family moved back to Wisconsin where Kate spent her remaining years living in Grafton, Milwaukee, and Oak Creek. She received her bachelor’s degree in advertising and marketing from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. Kate married Travis Thompson in November, 2014. Everyone who knows them wishes that they had met much sooner in their lives. Their time together was short but filled with living life to the fullest and with unconditional love. Kate was employed by Cramer Krasselt for 15 years. She served as their Senior New Business Coordinator. The employees of Craemer Krasselt became her extended family and stuck by her side through years of surgeries and cancer treatments. Although Kate had been unable to work since mid September, her office space remains untouched just as she left it, a living tribute to a woman loved by so many. Kate was an energetic, passionate woman. Her special joys were playing volleyball, participating in Mud Run fund raisers, Country Music concerts, trips to Spring Training Camp and to Florida. She followed her husband’s baseball games with fierce loyalty. Kate has affected the lives of more people than she could ever imagine. Her positive attitude and her drive to not let cancer get the best of her will always be remembered. It was said many times that “If I’m going through a tough day, I know that I can get through this because Kate has had to deal with so much more. She persevered with a smile on her face. I can too.” Kate’s radiant smile will always be with us as she smiles down at us because in Heaven there is no cancer. Kate is survived by her devoted husband, Travis Thompson, her loving step daughter, Peighten, her adoring parents, Jeff and Donna Gruetzmacher, her beloved brothers, Kurt and Kent, her cherished grandmother, Arline Kaul, her sister-in-law and long time friend, Sarah Jo, her nieces and nephew, Paige, Tess and Liam whom she adored, her aunts and uncles, her many cousins, her amazing coworkers at Cramer Krasselt, and her legion of friends #Kate’s army. Kate was preceeded in death by her special grandfather’s, Fred Kaul and William Gruetzmacher and by her Uncles Mike and Scott Gruetzmacher, her Uncle Tim Kaul and her Aunt Sue Kaul. A special heartfelt thank you is extended to Horizon Hospice and the Lawless Hospice nurses for their loving, compassionate care of Kate , her husband and her family.