Wyette Carl Kraucunas

Wyette C. Kraucunas

Wyette C. Kraucunas passed away peacefully in his sleep at age 92 on February 15, 2020 at his home with the support and care of his wife Jo (Erwin) of 68 years and children Robert and Leslie.
Wyette was born on June 5, 1927 unto the late Joseph and Valeria Kraucunas, Lithuanian immigrants who settled in Edgewood, Illinois where Wyette would be born in this farming community. Wyette was the last sibling as William (New Jersey), Peter (Nebraska), Charles (Edgewood – who died in combat at Iwo Jima – WW II), Joseph (Edgewood LaClede), Mary Russell (Wisconsin), Anthony (Missouri), John (Illinois), Helen Baillie (Illinois), Constantine (Wisconsin), who have all preceded Wyette in death.
The rural farming community provided a one room school house where Wyette excelled academically. He would graduate from Farina High School with teaching aspirations in mind. He began his collegiate studies in education at Eastern Illinois Teacher’s College (now the nationally recognized University). After two years of study, Wyette would return to his country one room school house and work as the teacher. Experiencing great changes/events in his young adult life, he would also work different jobs, notably in the Southern Illinois oil fields and installing newly invented rotary dial phone systems for General Telephone Co. Here he would meet his future wife who was a telephone operator in Flora, Il. They soon married and launched a happily lived marriage of 68 years together.
Wyette joined the Illinois National Guard in college, and shortly thereafter, the Korean War broke out. His National Guard unit was called up and Wyette and Jo would drive to California for him to be shipped out to Korea. Wyette fought in combat in a rifle company in the U.S. Army’s 5th Army Infantry Division. Upon war’s end, he would return safely home and resumed work at the phone company. This work however, required Wyette & Jo (and also a newly arrived baby) to travel across all of Southern Illinois. They chose subsequently to end this and moved to Charleston – where Wyette resumed his college studies full time, graduating with his Bachelor’s Degree in Education and earning his teaching credentials. He then accepted a teaching position in Indianapolis as the industrial arts teacher at Indpls. Public Elementary school 57. Only there a short while, he was recommended for a brand new suburban high school. Wyette would teach at Arlington High School for his entire career (lasting 30 years) as woodworking & construction instructor. In the early part of this career, Wyette attained his Master’s Degree from Butler University.
In addition to his educational career, Wyette would continue his military career with US Army. Post war, he continued his service throughout his entire adult life with the US Army Reserves. Through these decades, he would travel the country in service and would continually receive rank promotions, retiring as a Lt. Colonel.
Wyette was the epitome of the American success story. Raising himself up from meager beginnings, achieving high education, two successful life-long careers, a happy life-long marriage of 68 years, raising productive children, and enjoying the many fruits of his labors. In youth he missed out on athletic school sports due to arduous farm life. But in adulthood be became a water & snow skier, enjoyed bowling, camping & hiking, became a respectable golfer, was an avid hunter & fisherman – catching trophy walleye & northern in Canada. He even became a scuba diver, exploring scary shipwrecks and colorful coral reefs at Grand Cayman in the Caribbean. In later retirement years, Wyette & Jo would travel internationally as well as domestically across the entire country.
Wyette will always be remembered for his many attributes: ambition, generosity to his family near and far, tenacity, and perseverance. We will remember his wry humor, his quiet nature, and egoless humility.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Paralyzed Hoosier Veterans P.O. Box 19057, Indianapolis, IN 46219.
Please leave a personal remembrance, story, or condolences to Wyette’s page at www.flannerbuchanan.com
Visitation will be Monday Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. at Flanner Buchanan-Oaklawn Memorial Gardens (Conner Suite), 9700 Allisonville Rd. The funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. The burial service will follow directly after.