Wayne Hutter Obituary (2022) – Madison, WI

Wayne Arthur Hutter

Nov. 28, 1936 – April 25, 2022

MADISON – Wayne Arthur Hutter, 85 years, of Madison, WI, and Bonita Springs, FL, passed peacefully into his next life, on Monday, April 25, 2022, surrounded by his children.

Wayne was born to Arthur and Elinor Hutter (Ehret) in Sauk City, WI on November 28, 1936, joining his older brother, James, as the second of their two boys. A quiet, thoughtful and intelligent young man, Wayne was an excellent student at Sauk City High School and was selected as one of two Junior Class boys to attend “Badger Boys’ State” his Junior year.

After graduating at the top of his class in high school, Wayne had a four-year stint with the United States Air Force, serving three of those years in Germany. As an analyst in their Security Service Division, he spent his days (and nights) monitoring and decoding Russian Military messages during the height of the Cold War. Wayne kept his code-breaking talents finely tuned in the later years of his civilian life by routinely solving Soduku and Crossword puzzles at lightning speed.

Wayne enjoyed baseball and football in High School, lettering in both, but found his true love of sports playing 3rd Base on his Air Force Softball Team. His team traveled throughout Europe, playing teams from other Air Force and military bases, and they won the European Championship twice. Once, on a flight from Germany to England, his team’s plane was struck by lightning, causing a fire in one of the two main engines. At first believing they would need to ditch in the English Channel, the Air Force pilot was able to keep the aircraft aloft long enough to put down at (what at the time was known as) the Queen’s Terminal, a then-new addition to what is now known as Heathrow, London, the first USAF military plane ever allowed to land at the civilian airport.

After being honorably discharged from service to our country, he attended the Rockford School of Business, using analytical skills honed by the intelligence work he had done in the military. Following business school, Wayne began a career in banking in Sauk County, eventually attaining the title of President of Valley Bank of Sauk Prairie.

He began his career with The Farmers and Citizens Bank of Sauk City and retired in the early 1990s after more than 30-years of service. It was in banking that Wayne found the perfect balance of his skill with numbers and his thoughtful and personable approach to customer relationships. Those three decades in Sauk Prairie business and finance included his involvement and oversight of substantial institutional mergers: first with United Bank of Madison, and later Valley Bank of Appleton. During this period of time, he had the opportunity to serve as President of the Wisconsin State Chapter of the American Institute of Banking, as a Wisconsin District Representative to the American Institute of Banking of the American Bankers Association and as a member of the Executive Council of the Wisconsin State Bankers Association.

Among his many other local involvements during his career in banking, he served as President of the Sauk City Men’s Club, President of the Sauk Prairie Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of a fundraising committee for the Sauk City United Church of Christ, as well as heading up the local United Way campaign.

Prior to Valley’s successful acquisition by M&I in 1994, Wayne felt it was time to retire from banking. After an enjoyable stint selling cars with Gene Olson Ford Mercury in Sauk City, he moved to Madison in 2001, and accepted a position as a Vice President of MIG Commercial Real Estate, working with his son Bradley. As the MIG Liaison to the State of Wisconsin Department of Corrections Administrative Offices, Wayne oversaw the operations and leasing activities for MIG at the former American Family Headquarters at 3099 East Washington Avenue in Madison. Wayne smoothly coordinated State requests and ongoing renovations at the 255,000 square foot facility which housed as many as 780 workers during his tenure. After a successful two decades in this role with MIG, Wayne retired from commercial real estate in 2021.

Wayne was married to Corine Hill for thirty years, raising two children: Bradley Hutter of Middleton WI, and Miami Beach, FL, and Shelly Hutter, of Vero Beach, FL.

Wayne was a selfless parent, who devoted his adult life to spending quality time with his children, working tirelessly to build a supportive foundation for his family. Up before 5:00 a.m. every day of his life, while building multiple successful careers, Wayne chose to spend any free time he might find with his kids.

An avid gardener, bird hunter and fisherman, Wayne taught his children the love of the outdoors. Whether teaching his kids how to grow “winter” flowers in trays in the basement under homebuilt sunlamps during cold Wisconsin winters, to use a rototiller to cultivate a near half – acre vegetable garden in his back yard, or how to tie a hook for a walleye jig or properly flush a pheasant while hunting with his beloved Shorthair Pointer Patches, he used every opportunity to teach his kids how to both love nature, as well as survive in it.

He was blessed to spend his later life with Kathleen Ash, his significant other for more than 20-years.

Wayne is survived by his half sister-in-law, Betty (Rodney “Bud” LaVerne Hutter) of Sauk City, WI; Wayne’s children, Bradley and Shelly Hutter (Mike Bartus); his grandchildren: Lauren of Eugene, OR, and Grace of Corvallis, OR, as well as Kathleen Ash’s children: Bobbi and Eric. Wayne is also survived by loving in-laws, nieces, nephews, and a host of long-time friends.

He is met in heaven by Kathy, as well as his beloved pets: Mutzie, Mickey, Waif, Patches, Scamper, Bailey, Riley, Lily and Coco.

It is Wayne’s wish for his family and friends to hold a celebration of his life at a later date, yet to be determined. His cremated remains will be spread over the beautiful waters of North Gull Lake in the Cat River System, Kenora, Ontario.

In lieu of flowers, or other memorials, the family asks that gifts be made in honor of Wayne’s life in the form of charitable contribution to the Dane County Humane Society www.giveshelter.org.