Obit: Barski, John Tom (1917 - 2014)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Barski, Kolackowski, Bandach, Henke, Wasvick, White, Novak, Talaga

----Source: Thorp Courier (Thorp, Clark Co, WI) 8/27/2014

Barski, John Tom (14 February 1917 - 21 August, 2014)

John T. Barski, age 97, of Thorp, WI, passed away on Thursday, August 21, 2014, at Our Lady of Victory Hospital in Stanley. A Memorial Service was held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 27, 2014, at St. Mary’s Polish National Catholic Church in Lublin. Rev. Marian Talaga officiated and burial of cremains followed in St. Mary’s Cemetery. Visitation was held at Thorp Funeral Home on Tuesday, August 26, 2014, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and again at the church, on Wednesday, from 9:30 a.m. until time of service.

John Tom was born in Taylor County, WI on February 14, 1917, a son of the late Pauline (Kolackowski) and John Barski, Sr. As a young child, John’s family moved to the Town of Withee, rural Thorp, where he was raised on a farm. He attended Sterling School and graduated from Thorp High School in 1937. He was united in marriage to Delores M. Bandach on November 4, 1967, at St. Mary’s Polish National Catholic Church in Lublin. John farmed until retiring in 1992. In addition to farming, he also worked at the Teledyne Post Company in Owen, WI for 13 years.

In his spare time, John loved to draw, paint and did carpentry work. Starting in 1961, he drew editorial cartoons for The Thorp Courier Newspaper. His true love, though, was the game of baseball. John always looked forward to listening to the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs on the radio. He was a member of St. Mary’s Polish National Catholic Church in Lublin.

John is survived by his daughter, Paulette (Gary) Henke of Thorp; two nieces: Nancy Barski of Lino Lakes, MN and Pauline (Jim) Wasvick of St. Paul, MN; and one nephew, Gerald (Kathy) White of Mokena, IL.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Delores, on September 27, 2008; two brothers: Edward Barski and Walter Barski, in infancy; four step-brothers: George Barski, Frank Barski, Tom Barski, and Adam Novak; and one step sister: Evelyn Novak.

Online condolences May be expressed at www.cuddiefh.com.  Thorp Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.