Demeter Schruin

Demeter Schruin passed away peacefully in his sleep at his rural Mankato home on Sunday, January 24, 2010.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 Thursday, January 28, 2010 at SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Mankato. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday at Mankato Mortuary with a 3:45 p.m. prayer service. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.

Demeter Schruin was born September 12, 1926 in Poland to Anna and John. Matt was the youngest of six children. He came to the United States in 1949 and worked for Walter Stenzel in Minnesota Lake doing construction. On December 27, 1958, he married Christa B. Panowitsch at SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, where he was a longtime member. In 1966, Matt started his own construction business building homes in the Mankato area until he retired. His hobbies included fishing, gardening, politics, playing cards, sports, the news, history, tree trimming (whether the tree needed it or not) and fixing things. He also enjoyed his daily coffee with his Mankato area friends, but his true passion was his family and his faith.

Survivors include his wife, Christa of Mankato; four children all of Mankato and their families, Ramona (Douglas) Coopman and children, Christopher (Lynn) Coopman, Natalie Coopman, Emily (Clayton) Hoehn; Pammy (Douglas) Seys and children, Jeremy, Jacob (special friend Abby), Chelsey Seys; Lisa (John) Kuether and their children, Kyle, Tyler, and Matthew Woitas; John (Bonnie) Schruin and their children, Samuel and Noah.

Matt was preceded in death by his parents; five siblings; grandson, Oliver; and his mother-in-law.