Steven R. Fruetel

Steven (Steve) Fruetel, 69, of Grand Forks, ND, passed away peacefully Sunday, November 2, 2025, in his daughter's home, surrounded by love, with both of his children by his side.Steve fought an extremely hard and tough battle with a rare neurological disease in which he was diagnosed with the last year of his life.

Steve Fruetel was born February 23, 1956, to Herman (Bob) and Velma (Johnson) Fruetel in Valley City, ND. He attended school in various cities in ND as a young child until moving to Grand Forks where he graduated from Grand Forks Central High School in 1974. Steve went on to work in the automotive industry his entire life, working for companies such as Wilcox & Malm, Smith Auto and Rydells.

In 1978 Steve married Brenda Kerley. Together they resided in Manvel, ND for many years on the Montgomery Ranch. Steve and Brenda had 2 children together, Kathryn (Katie), and Andrew (Andy).

Steve was an avid sportsman. In his younger years Steve took up trap shooting at the Grand Forks Gun Club, along with his father, brother, several close friends, his father-in-law at the time, and many others. Steve excelled at this. Shooting was his passion and he was good at it. Steve also was an avid hunter from a very young age. Steve carried on this passion for hunting to his children. He took such pride in teaching them to hunt and watching them successfully harvest game year after year. He always said, if he never hunted again himself, being able to watch his children, and now grandchildren hunt was what made him happy. Steve was also very passionate about weight lifting and his time spent in the gym. From years ago lifting at Center Court, to recent years lifting at Iron Works, the gym was his outlet and his favorite pastime. Friends from Iron Works would joke that when Steve showed up to the gym, it just added an extra hour to everyone's workout because he liked to talk so much! Towards the end of Steve's disease, the owner of Iron Works, Adam Suedel, provided Steve with the best Physical Therapy care, which still gave him the ability to be in the gym, where he loved being the most.

Steve is survived by his mother, Velma Fruetel, East Grand Forks, his daughter, Katie Fruetel, Grand Forks, his son, Andy (Kailee) Fruetel, East Grand Forks, brother Mike (Vicki) Fruetel, Manvel, 6 grandchildren, Jada, Ryder, Tillie, Kinsley, James, and Hunter Fruetel, niece Kayla Fruetel, nephews Kyle (Anne) Fruetel, and Robby Fruetel, maternal aunt, Doris Orr, and half nieces and nephew, Diane Haedt-Fuller, Jody (Tim) Paden, Tim (Krhis) Haedt, and many other cousins and close friends.

Steve is preceded in death by his father, Herman (Bob) Fruetel, a half sister, Marlous Hawkins, Cousins Gary Orr and Allen Wibstad, several aunts and uncles, and longtime friends, Andy Larson, Troy Srnsky, Hal Rugroden and Charlie Kelly.

Because Steve's neurological disease was so rare, roughly only 20,000 known cases in the United States, he and his family gave the biggest gift possible to continue research and study to find a cause, preventative medication, and a cure for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, and donated his brain to the CurePSP foundation for science. This foundation has a brain bank located inside Mayo Clinic, and they do extensive study and research on this terrible disease to hopefully one day keep a person and family from suffering the same awful fate Steve and his family have.

In Lieu of flowers or memorials, please consider a donation to the CurePSP Organization in their efforts to continue research to one day find a cure for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.

Steve's family would like to extend a very heartfelt thank you to the staff at HIA Hospice. Their excellent care, compassion, and support during the last weeks of Steve's life fills their hearts with enormous gratitude. The time and selflessness they provided gave the family the opportunity to focus their time on spending it with Steve. Steve's daughter, Katie, would also like to extend a huge thank you to her very close friends, Amanda Holweger, Amber Janssen, and Danielle Rubash for their unwavering support during Steve's last days while on Hospice. They did not leave Katie's side but provided her and Steve with round the clock help, love, and comfort. They ensured Katie, Andy and Steve were never alone. To say thank you, will never even come close to the gratitude felt.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday December 13th, 2025 at the Eagles Club in East Grand Forks, from 2pm-5pm