Obit: Lewandowski, Susan #2 (1899 - 2005)

Contact:  Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Lewandowski, Lemanski, Piosikowski, VerBunker, Sweetana, Nelson, Leibelt, Pavich, Titschler, Rake, Braun, Sopiarz

----Sources: Thorp Courier (Thorp, WI.) July 13, 2005

Lewandowski, Susan (September 20, 1899 - July 7, 2005)

Susan Lewandowski, age 105, of Thorp, passed away at Oakbrook Health and Rehab, in Thorp, on Thursday, July 7, 2005.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, July 15, 2005 at St. Bernard-St. Hedwig’s Catholic Church, in Thorp. Father Keith Apfelbeck will officiate and burial will follow in Old St. Hedwig’s Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the church, on Friday, from 9:00 a.m. until time of service.

Susan Lemanski was born on September 20, 1899, in Beaver Dam, WI, the daughter of Joseph and Minnie (Piosikowski) Lemanski. She was raised on the family farm and received her education in the Beaver Dam area. After completing her education, Susan worked on the family farm and also at a cheese factory in Fox Lake, WI. While on a trip to visit her sister in Thorp, she met Stephen W. Lewandowski. They were united in marriage on July 8, 1924 in Beaver Dam, WI. The couple moved back to Thorp and farmed until the untimely death of her husband on June 29, 1944. She remained on the farm, with her children and continued farming. After selling the farm to her son, Robert, Susan moved off the farm to a home just down the road. She lived there until entering the nursing home in October of 1993, where she resided until the time of her death.

Susan was a member of St. Bernard-St. Hedwig’s Catholic Church, a charter member of the Thorp American Legion Auxiliary since 1934, and loved spending time with her family, gardening, cooking, baking, sewing and scrapbooking.

The joy and treasure of her family was with her through the years. Her legacy is her family and extended family, which made her very proud. She was a gentle lady always approaching situations with a kindness and calmness. She has enriched our lives and we will go forward treasuring the many memories together and lessons of life she has instilled in us.

She will be sadly missed by two sons: Robert (Mary Ann) of Thorp and Vernon (Valeria) of Thorp; three daughters: Marian VerBunker of New Berlin; Constance (Andrew) Sweetana of Bloomington, IN, and Margaret Nelson of Salina, KS; nineteen grandchildren and twenty-two great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Stephen; one daughter Helen Leibelt; two brothers: Emil and Floyd Lemanski; and five sisters: Ella Pavich, Anna Titschler, Stella Rake, Helen Braun, Agnes in infancy; and four sons-in-law: William VerBunker, John Leibelt, Dee Nelson and Frank Sopiarz.

Thorp Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.