Obit: Grajkowski, Evelyn "Jeanne" J. (1920 - 2007)

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

Surnames: Grajkowski, Broeren, Schmidt, Lan, Hoeser, Braun, Shaffer, Gilbert, Neuman

----Sources: Thorp Courier (Thorp, Clark Co., WI.) December 26, 2007

Grajkowski, Evelyn "Jeanne" J. (April 23, 1920 - December 19, 2007)

Evelyn "Jeanne" J. Grajkowski, age 87, of Thorp, died at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield, on Wednesday, December 19, 2007.

Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 22, 2007, at St. Bernard-St. Hedwig Catholic Church in Thorp. Fr. Keith Apfelbeck officiated and burial followed in St. Bernard’s Catholic Cemetery.

Pallbearers were her grandchildren. Visitation was held at Thorp Funeral Home on Friday, December 21, 2007, from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., with a 7:00 p.m. Rosary service, and at church on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of service.

Evelyn J. Schmidt was born April 23, 1920 in Thorp, WI to John A. and Minnie D. (Broeren) Schmidt. She was raised on the family farm and received her education at St. Bernard’s Catholic School and graduated from Thorp High School in 1937. Evelyn then went to work at the Thorp Telephone Company as a telephone operator.

She was united in marriage to Victor Grajkowski on August 28, 1945 at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Thorp. They farmed in Thorp and Evelyn also worked as a cook for the Thorp Public Schools for many years. They retired from farming in 1986. Evelyn then began cooking for weddings, funerals and many other social events. In 2002, she moved to Morgan Plaza, where she resided until her death.

Evelyn was a member of St. Bernard-St. Hedwig Catholic Church, and its PCCW, and was a 4-H leader for many years. She had many interests, but especially loved spending time with her grandchildren, gardening, flowers, quilting, playing cards and socializing.

She will be sadly missed by her children: Doris Grajkowski of Fond du Lac, WI; Gerald (Hsiu Lan) Grajkowski of Thorp, WI; Kenneth (Donna) Grajkowski of Spencer, WI; Kathleen (James) Hoeser of Wauwatosa, WI; Elaine (David) Braun of Oregon, WI; Sharon (Frank) Shaffer of Sheridan, WY; Dianne Gilbert (Terry Neuman) of Spencer, WI; 16 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and one sister-in-law, Lorraine Grajkowski.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Victor, on April 16, 2001; two sons: Joel and Ronald; a grandson, Robert Hoeser; three brothers: William, Frank and Norbert Schmidt; and two sisters: Sophie and Caroline Schmidt.