Donald Theodore Guse

He attended Watertown High School until 1943 when he joined the U.S. Navy. After serving during World War II, he returned to Watertown to complete his high school education at Northwestern Preparatory School. He attended Valparaiso University in Indiana before being recalled into the U.S. Navy at the outbreak of the Korean War to serve another two years on ships at sea.

He joined his father in the plumbing and heating contracting business, Guse, Inc., for about 10 years. The business was sold and Donald moved to Sarasota, Florida in 1969, where he worked as a bookkeeper. After receiving his Nursing Home Administrator’s license, he worked as Administrator of nursing home facilities in Venice and then in Cape Coral. He completed his college education at Edison Community College and University of South Florida and received a degree in accounting. He worked with Gilbert, Wallace, and Stewart, C.P.A.’s of Fort Myers from 1982 until his retirement in 2000.

He was a member of Crown of Life Lutheran Church in Fort Myers, where he served as secretary for 3 1/2 years and as treasurer for 4 years.

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; children, John (Carolyn) Guse of Woodstock, GA; James (Joan) Guse of Greenfield, WI; Donna (Douglas) Schmitt of Watertown, WI; Jeffrey Guse of Watertown, WI; step-daughters, Elizabeth (Lee) Welky of Estero, FL; Brenda (Neal) Giessman of Lehigh Acres, FL; 11 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren.

A private memorial service for family and friends will be held at Crown of Life Lutheran Church in Fort Myers. Entombment will be at Lee Memorial Park Cemetery, Ft. Myers.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Crown of Life Lutheran Church in Fort Myers or to your favorite charity.