Willie Guertler
February 3, 1940 — October 19, 2015
Willie Guertler, at the age of 75 and a resident of Lakewood, CA passed away peacefully to be with the Lord on October 19th 2015 after an eleven year battle with cancer. Willie was born on February 3rd 1940 in Linz, Austria to his parents Viktor and Emilia Guertler.
Willie was raised with a high moral standard, strong work ethic, discipline, and a commitment to doing whatever he did with focus and great attention to detail. He would say, “Do it right, or don’t do it at all”. Willie was a skilled craftsman and took pride in that ability. He and his three brothers, father, and grandfather built the house he grew up in. Willie went to trade school to become a welder in Austria at the age of sixteen. At the age of 19, he served in the Austrian Army as a communications specialist which fostered his passion for short wave radios. Willie was also an avid photographer and earned additional income taking professional photographs at weddings and special events while he lived in Austria. He developed his own film, and many of his photographs and films are still enjoyed by his family today. Willie was the only member of his family to leave Austria. He immigrated to the United States in 1963 without speaking the language or knowing how to drive a motor vehicle. He took great pride in the career he chose in the ground support equipment field for the aeronautic industry. He was highly regarded by his peers, employers, and those whom were fortunate enough to have him as a mentor. Willie worked for AGSE for thirty years until his retirement in 2006 due to the symptoms of his illness. He held the position of shop foreman for many years and later used his expertise to become a cost estimator.
The sole reason Willie immigrated to the United States was to follow his passion for his then to be wife Magdalena Schmoll. They met in Linz, Austria in 1962 at her going away party, which was being celebrated because she was immigrating to California to live with her older sister. They married on November 2nd 1963. They lived in Hawthorne, CA from 1963 to 1967 in an apartment. They purchased their first home in Long Beach in 1967 and lived there until they purchased their second home in Lakewood, CA in 1973 where Willie passed away.
Willie enjoyed spending his free time listening to music and short wave radios as well as tinkering and repairing them in the garage. His passion for photography remained throughout his life and his family is so very grateful to have had our history recorded with his artistic and skilled eye. Willie took pleasure in helping family, friends, and neighbors with home projects, care giving, photographing memories, being the deejay at parties, and being the chef at BBQ’s.
Willie is survived by his loving wife Magdalena of 52 years, his children William and Lillian, and his grandchildren Gabriel, Nathan, Margot, Nikki, and Aaron. Willie is also survived by his siblings Ervin, Viktor, Helmut, and Edith who reside in Austria. His sister Maria is deceased.
We express our heartfelt thanks to all of you for your constant prayers and support throughout our loss and during his illness.
One of Willie’s favorite passages was:
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth”. JOHN 3:4
Condolences may be sent to his family through our website.
Willie was raised with a high moral standard, strong work ethic, discipline, and a commitment to doing whatever he did with focus and great attention to detail. He would say, “Do it right, or don’t do it at all”. Willie was a skilled craftsman and took pride in that ability. He and his three brothers, father, and grandfather built the house he grew up in. Willie went to trade school to become a welder in Austria at the age of sixteen. At the age of 19, he served in the Austrian Army as a communications specialist which fostered his passion for short wave radios. Willie was also an avid photographer and earned additional income taking professional photographs at weddings and special events while he lived in Austria. He developed his own film, and many of his photographs and films are still enjoyed by his family today. Willie was the only member of his family to leave Austria. He immigrated to the United States in 1963 without speaking the language or knowing how to drive a motor vehicle. He took great pride in the career he chose in the ground support equipment field for the aeronautic industry. He was highly regarded by his peers, employers, and those whom were fortunate enough to have him as a mentor. Willie worked for AGSE for thirty years until his retirement in 2006 due to the symptoms of his illness. He held the position of shop foreman for many years and later used his expertise to become a cost estimator.
The sole reason Willie immigrated to the United States was to follow his passion for his then to be wife Magdalena Schmoll. They met in Linz, Austria in 1962 at her going away party, which was being celebrated because she was immigrating to California to live with her older sister. They married on November 2nd 1963. They lived in Hawthorne, CA from 1963 to 1967 in an apartment. They purchased their first home in Long Beach in 1967 and lived there until they purchased their second home in Lakewood, CA in 1973 where Willie passed away.
Willie enjoyed spending his free time listening to music and short wave radios as well as tinkering and repairing them in the garage. His passion for photography remained throughout his life and his family is so very grateful to have had our history recorded with his artistic and skilled eye. Willie took pleasure in helping family, friends, and neighbors with home projects, care giving, photographing memories, being the deejay at parties, and being the chef at BBQ’s.
Willie is survived by his loving wife Magdalena of 52 years, his children William and Lillian, and his grandchildren Gabriel, Nathan, Margot, Nikki, and Aaron. Willie is also survived by his siblings Ervin, Viktor, Helmut, and Edith who reside in Austria. His sister Maria is deceased.
We express our heartfelt thanks to all of you for your constant prayers and support throughout our loss and during his illness.
One of Willie’s favorite passages was:
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth”. JOHN 3:4
Condolences may be sent to his family through our website.
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