Surnames: Kuzjak, Gordon, Attoe, Jahn, Counsell, Dorsey, Goessl

----Source: Marshfield News Herald (Marshfield, Wood County, Wis.) Thursday, January 24, 2008

Kuzjak, Mick (4 Dec. 1945 - 21 Jan. 2008)

Mick Kuzjak

NEILLSVILLE -- Mick Kuzjak, 62, of Neillsville died Monday, Jan. 21, 2008, at his home.

Funeral services for Mick will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, 2008, at the Gesche Funeral Home in Neillsville. The Rev. James Gordon will officiate. Music will be provided by Wendell and Kathy Attoe.

Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until service time Saturday at the Gesche Funeral Home. Military Rites will be accorded by the Neillsville Veterans Council.

Casket bearers will be his nephews.

Mick Kuzjak was born Dec. 4, 1945, in Landshut, Bavaria, Germany, the son of Paul and Ella (Jahn) Kuzjak. In August 1949, they immigrated to the United States to Troy, Pa., then in 1950 moved to Chicago, until 1953. Then they moved to Neillsville. Mick attended and graduated from Neillsville High School in 1964. He was drafted into the U.S. Army and later was honorably discharged. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and graduated in 1971.

Following graduation, he moved to Milwaukee and Chicago and worked as an insurance agent and adjuster until 1988, when he moved back to the farm in Neillsville and raised beef cattle. In 1991, he joined the staff at the Clark County Press as a reporter and eventually became editor.

In his spare time, Mick loved running, enjoyed beef farming, cross-country skiing, fishing and spending time with his family and special companion, Tootie.

He is survived by a brother, Valentin (Joyce) Kuzjak of Marshfield; a sister, Helen (David) Counsell of Neillsville and a twin sister, Maria (John) Dorsey of Eau Claire; a niece, Kathleen (Mark) Goessl; nephews, Michael (Jennifer) Kuzjak, Gregory Kuzjak, Jeffrey Kuzjak, Ryan (Lara) Kuzjak, Paul (Tamara) Counsell, Dan (Nicole) Counsell, Jay Dorsey; four great-nieces and seven great-nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Victor.