Grace Irene (Bilyeu) Strodthoff, 83 years old, left this world to be with the Lord on 11/12/17. She was born 11/19/33 to Margaret (Wheelock) and Raymond Bilyeu at their farm home near Birchdale , MN. She was second oldest of seven siblings.

Grace resided in West Allis, WI until she moved to Wausau, WI in 1968. She worked for Wausau Insurance Company (Employers Insurance) for 27 years, proudly working through those years from a secretarial position to a senior underwriter .In her retirement she loved to travel seeing sites in Australia, Russia, Ireland and Austria to name a few.

She was an avid reader and belonged to many book clubs. She enjoyed playing cards, especially bridge and sheephead. She loved gardening and photography. Grace loved the outdoors in any season whether it be golfing, cross country skiing or just walking. She also belonged to the curling club.

Her faith was important to her. She has belonged to Wesley United Methodist church since 1968 and encouraged her children and grandchildren in their faith journeys.. She served there in many capacities, on boards and committees, her favorite being the Angel Tree project.

Grace's legacy is her love of family. She especially enjoyed a full house with boisterous children and people having fun. She was a loving single mother and raised three successful children. She deeply loved her grandchildren taking them each on special trips as they grew. She was enamored by her eight great grandchildren...all boys!

Grace was preceded in death by her parents, Brother Robert Bilyeu, Sister June Chenoweth and her grandson Noah. She leaves behind with loving memories sisters Lois Dobbins and Barbara Gutterud ,brothers Doug Bilyeu and Arnie Bilyeu, children Debra and Mark Strodthoff Kopp, George and Terry Strodthoff, Lee and Lori Strodthoff, her 10 grandchildren and the eight great-grandchildren (soon to be nine).

A celebration of life will take place on what would have been her 84th birthday: Sunday November 19th, 2017 at 1:00 in the afternoon at Wesley United Methodist Church in Wausau, WI. Interment will be held at 11:30 AM on Monday, November 20, 2017 at the Rest Lawn Cemetery in Wausau, Wisconsin. A visitation will be held from 10:30- 11:30 AM at the cemetery inside the chapel.