Arthur Giroux

Funeral Mass for Arthur Giroux, age 80, of Wheaton, Minnesota will be held Friday, May 9, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at Ave Maria Catholic Church in Wheaton with Fr. Joe Vandeberg and Fr. Stanley Weiser Celebrants. Organist will be Cindy Sanasack with special music provided by Ave Maria Catholic Church Choir. Pallbearers will be Art's grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Honorary Pallbearers will be the "Morning Coffee Guys". Visitation will be held Thursday, May 8th from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a 7:00 p.m. Prayer Service at the Ranney-Bainbridge Funeral Home in Wheaton. Visitation will continue Friday morning one hour prior to service time at the church. Interment will be in Graceville Consolidated Cemetery, rural Graceville, Minnesota. Arthur Patrick Giroux was born March 17, 1934 in Tracy, Minnesota to Zephire and Genevieve Giroux. Art passed away on Friday, May 2, 2014 at Sanford Hospital in Fargo. Art graduated from Graceville High School in 1952. After graduation Art was employed by area farmers until he joined the US Army where he served in Germany. Art was honorably discharged from military service in 1964. Art worked as a lineman for the Milwaukee Road railroad for many years until his retirement. Art married Loretta Sorenson Kula on May 18, 1990. Art and Loretta enjoyed spending time with family, friends and each other. Art was a devoted husband to Loretta and lovingly cared for her until her death on February 7, 2013. After retiring, Art enjoyed staying active. He was a "jack of all trades" and was always in high demand for small carpentry and various equipment repair projects for his friends and area residents. He was a dedicated member of the Ave Maria parish, attending mass regularly, serving as an usher most Saturday evening masses, and helping the quilting ladies. He enjoyed the outdoors, spending many hours fishing and volunteering with the Traverse County Sportsmen's Club. He also enjoyed making his daily visits with his friends at morning coffee and around town. Art is survived by three stepchildren, Kathy (Dale) Malecek, Michael (Alison) Kula and Anthony (Valerie) Kula; nine grandchildren, Melanie (Dan) Davidson, Kevin (Mandy) Malecek, David, Stefanie and Rachel Kula, and Joseph, Molly, Elizabeth and Thomas Kula; and two great grandchildren, Ella Malecek and Samuel Davidson. Also surviving Art are his brother, Peter (Delores) Giroux and his sister, Zephrine ("French") Reeves, sisters-in-law, Lola Giroux and Phyllis Sorenson Fitzgerald, many nieces and nephews, and many, many, friends. Art was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Loretta, his parents, Zephire and Genevieve, his brothers Vincent, Vivian ("Big"), Duane, Daniel, John, James, Thomas and Phillip ("Skip"), and his sister Amelia ("Mel") Rixe. Art was loved and will be missed by his family and friends.