Anita Louise Gruber

SUN PRAIRIE- Anita Louise (Sullinger) Gruber passed away Friday, August 3rd, 2018 at age 80 after battling congestive heart failure for many years. She was a Texas native, born in Luling, Texas on June 7, 1938, the daughter of Burnie and Adele (Yarbrough) Sullinger. She was raised in Denison, Texas and graduated from Denison High School. While in Denison, Anita met Mike Gruber, the love of her life, who was stationed at nearby Perrin Air Force Base. They married in St. Patrick’s Catholic Church on December 29th, 1956 in Denison.  During their years together, Mike’s work took them to Chicago, IL, Fort Worth TX, Livermore, CA, Albuquerque, NM, back to Denison, TX, and finally Green Bay, WI, where they spent 25 years before retiring to Madison, WI in 2000.  Anita spent her early years with Mike raising their three children, later joining the work force in various jobs, eventually working for and retiring from Georgia Pacific (formerly Fort Howard Paper Co.) in Green Bay.After Mike’s death in a car accident in 2004, Anita traveled extensively with family and friends in the United States and abroad. She was a snowbird, spending winters split between her two daughters and their families in Garland, Texas and Mandeville, Louisiana, while spending summers in Wisconsin near her son and his family. Anita loved her family and was always there for them to lend her support – attending family events and generously assisting her children and grandchildren however she could.  She loved to socialize, forming many lasting friendships through bingo, St Dennis Birthday Lunch Club, and Red Hat Society. She also loved casino gaming and took many trips to Las Vegas with friends.  When she gave up her home in Madison to move to New Perspective Senior Living in Sun Prairie, she discovered and gained a new circle of friends with whom she very much enjoyed spending time and sharing stories over the past four years.Anita was preceded in death by her beloved husband, parents, and brother, Weldon (Ted) Sullinger. She is survived by her three children, Gary (Pat Farrell) Gruber, Cindy (Ephrim) Braley, and DeAnn (Laura Beth Decker) Gruber and her sister-in-law, Frances Sullinger, who was more like a sister to her.  She is also survived by six grandchildren: Jennifer (Rob) Scott, Robert (Kaycee) Braley, Hunter (Laura) Dorn, Dana Gruber, Skyler Dorn, and Brittany (Bo Cox) Gruber, and five great grandchildren:  Skylar, Bella, Kylie, Sophia, and Eddy. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ST. DENNIS CATHOLIC CHURCH, 505 Dempsey Rd., Madison, at 11 a.m., on Thursday, August 9, 2018, with Father Randy Timmerman presiding. Burial will be held at Sun Prairie Memory Garden. Visitation will be held at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of the Mass on Thursday. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Agrace Hospice in Madison, Wisconsin. Anita and family wish to extend a heartfelt thank you to April, Jenny L., Jenny A. and the rest of the Red Team of Agrace Hospice, and to the wonderful staff at New Perspective Senior Living in Sun Prairie for the loving care they gave to Anita. In addition, a big thanks for all the excellent care Anita received over the years as a patient of UW Hospitals and Clinics. Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care 5203 Monona Drive  608-221-5420