Wallace W Guptill 89, passed away peacefully on September 17, 2023.

Wally was born on December 7, 1933, in Hinckley Minnesota to Alvin and Agnes (Davidson) Guptill.

He graduated from Hinckley High School and later joined the Army. During his service in the Army, he married Donna James and moved back to the Midwest where he worked for a variety of radio stations. In 1969, He and Donna relocated their family to Hinckley where they owned the Hinckley and Sandstone Laundromats. Wally took the opportunity to build a small A&W drive-in restaurant on undeveloped land near the I-35 exit. This small restaurant was a bustling family business from the beginning, so in 1975 a larger building was needed with even more seating added three years later. Besides his children, many teenagers in the area got their first job at the A&W.

Even though Wally worked hard, he was always looking for an adventure. Fishing trips to Canada were a Guptill tradition. He and Donna were fortunate to be able to spend time in Canada with family and friends into their 80s. Deer hunting was another tradition; he taught his kids to hunt in Cloverdale but later had a family hunting cabin in Duxbury for friends and family to enjoy. They retired in 1992 and as soon as deer hunting was over, he and Donna headed south. Wally was a skilled driver into his 80s and many of his happiest days were driving across country in his motorhome.

Family, friends, faith, and fun were important to Wally. Many who knew him would soon quote one of his funny sayings. He spent the last year of his life in the caring community of Rusheba in Rush City.

Besides his parents, Wally was preceded in death by his wife Donna and sister Ethel Shober.

He is survived by his daughter Cathleen (Stephen) Ahner and sons Wallace (Yvonne), William (Margaret) and Gary (Kathryn Tiede); ten grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren; brother James (Patricia) Guptill, niece Renee Kohler and many other relatives.

Services will be held at First Lutheran Church in Hinckley MN on Monday, September 25 at 11:00 with visitation at 10:00.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Lutheran Church.