In Loving Memory of Irene and Günther Grötchen – Reunited Again in Love
Irene (née Quintal) and Günther Grötchen, devoted partners in life for 54 years, passed away peacefully in 2025 within months of each other in Stein am Rhein, Switzerland, surrounded by the love of their family.
Irene was born on May 20, 1942, in Springfield, Massachusetts. The beloved daughter of Robert and Violet (Haesaert) Quintal, she grew up in the Aldenville section of Chicopee, MA, where she graduated from Precious Blood Catholic High School in Holyoke, MA.
Full of joy for life, courage, and energy, she loved traveling from a young age to discover the world. As a newly qualified medical laboratory technician, she spent a year in New Mexico working at a mission to care for underprivileged Native Americans. She loved gardening, reading, poetry, and caring for all the pets her children brought home over the years.
Faith was an important part of Irene’s life. For decades, she sang in the church choir in Stein am Rhein and taught as a catechist. Her faith gave her strength during difficult times. Deep and thoughtful, Irene was curious about what she saw, read, or heard, and she always asked "why" to try to understand the meaning of our world.
Günther was born on January 20, 1941, in Deuringen, near Augsburg, Bavaria during the Second World War. He moved to Switzerland at the age of 18. The devoted son of Paul and Anna Grötchen, he was a master mechanic whose career spanned over 40 years at the International Watch Company (IWC) in Schaffhausen, Switzerland where he played a decisive role in various groundbreaking projects. In retirement, he continued his life’s work by providing tours of IWC for visitors from all over the world for many years.
As a young boy, Günther survived several Allied bombings of Augsburg. After the worst air raid in February 1944, his family looked out from a self-dug earth bunker and saw the city burning for days—a memory he always carried—along with the loss of his older brother, Paul, in 1943 on the Eastern Front.
Günther was a compassionate and helpful man who had a beautiful, powerful voice. He joined the church choir in 1962 as a tenor where he loyally sang for 60 years and served as president of the parish council and choir. He was a member of the town’s fire brigade who enjoyed forests, animals, and the beauty of the mountains. He loved hiking immensely—regardless of weather conditions or the length of the path.
In 1969, Irene and Günther met when she was traveling through Europe with a friend. Irene was instantly smitten and they continued to exchange letters when she returned home. Günther proposed in a Valentine letter in 1970. They married in 1971 at Sainte Rose de Lima Church in Aldenville. During summer holidays they enjoyed time with family and friends at their beloved Camp on Little Alum Lake in Brimfield, MA.
After marriage, they moved to Switzerland to begin their new adventure together and raise a beautiful family in peace and harmony. For Irene, Switzerland was a country she barely knew and whose language she didn’t speak. The needs of her family always came first—hers only afterwards. Neighborhood kids fondly remember visiting their home where they learned their first English phrases—like “close the door!” — sometimes even before they started school language studies.
Irene and Günther remained devoted to one another throughout their lives. Irene passed on June 25, 2025, and they were reunited after Günther passed on November 19, 2025. They are interred together at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Stein am Rhein, Switzerland.
They leave their three dear children, Christina Wehrli Grötchen; Susan Grötchen and her partner, Bruno Opprecht; and Robert Grötchen and his partner, Corinne Trüb; and three cherished grandchildren, Samantha Weber and her husband, Reto, and Joshua and Nicolas Grötchen. Irene also leaves her sisters, Jacqueline Quintal of Milan, New Hampshire, and Theresa Malone of Chicopee, Massachusetts, as well as their much-loved nieces and nephews and a wide circle of friends around the world.
The Grötchen family wishes to thank their parent’s many family and friends for their heartfelt support. For more details and to leave the family condolence messages, please visit: www.stpierrephaneuf.com