George Rydel

George D. Rydel, age 89, a resident of Webster passed away on October 9, 2013 at St. Croix Regional Medical Center. George was born on January 27, 1924 at the family home in St. Paul, Minnesota to Alexander M. and Josephine A. (Krunieski) Rydel. He served in the United States Navy during World War II as a Gunners Mate before being honorably discharged in 1945. On September 16, 1971 he married Eleanor A. Trost in Black Hills, South Dakota. George spent many years meeting and greeting passengers on his routes. He drove City Bus for 15 years and School Bus for 25 years. His true passion was music. He loved Polka music and the Big Band Era. He was a lifelong professional musician and loved entertaining guests, playing the piano, organ and accordion for many nightclubs in the St. Paul and NW Wisconsin areas. George enjoyed reading war stories, a good mystery novel and books of Spirituality. He was a big football fan and loved spending time with his grandchildren. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus. George was preceded in death by his wife Eleanor; his parents; brothers Stan, John, Frank and Dan; his sisters Pauline and Josephine. He will be sadly missed by his children Jeanne (Jim) Daniels, Donald Rydel, Joe Cernius, David (Sue) Cernius, Richard Cernius, Ellen Earnest, Mary (Scott) Schmidt, and Wendy Cernius; his 15 grandchildren; 6 great grandchildren; his brother Henry Rydel and sister Dolores McKusick; along with other relatives and many, many dear friends. A memorial mass will be held on Monday, October 14, 2013 at 11:00 AM (visitation 9-11 AM) at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Webster with Father Mike Tupa as celebrant. Interment and military honors will follow at St. John’s Catholic Cemetery in Webster. Honorary pallbearers will be Allison Daniels, Mallory Daniels, Ross Daniels, Becky Cernius, Jessica Loeppky, Eric Jankovich, Stephanie Wiesner, Alexander Steiner, Joey Tanquist, Jim Daniels, Scott Schmidt, Ed Cycenas, and Bill Borschenius. Arrangements were entrusted to Swedberg-Taylor Family Funeral Home, Webster. Online condolences can be made at www.swedberg-taylor.com.