Surnames: Zielinski, Cain, Henaman, Hanck, VanArk, Nagorski, Peoples, Muehlbauer

----Source: Marshfield News Herald (Marshfield, Wood County, Wis.) Saturday, 8 Nov. 2008

Zielinski, Stephen A. (6 Dec. 1926 - 6 Nov. 2008)

Colby, Wis. -- Stephen A. "Steve" Zielinski, 81, of Colby, died Thursday, Nov. 6, 2008, in the Critical Care Unit of Saint Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield after being admitted Nov. 2, 2008.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 10, 2008, at Nazareth Lutheran Church in Withee. Pastor Bonnie J. Cain, authorized minister, will officiate. Burial will follow in Riverside Cemetery in the town of Hixon will full military honors.

Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9, 2008, at the Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home in Owen and from 10 a.m. until time of services Monday at the church in Withee. Serving as his active pallbearers will be David, Steven, and James Henaman, Dennis, Josh and Zeb Zielinski, Michael Hanck and Larry VanArk. His honorary pallbearers will be Tanya Hanck and Julie VanArk.

Steve was born Dec. 6, 1926, to John and Amellia (Nagorski) Zielinski on the family farm in the town of Hixon in Clark County. He received his education at Pineland and Timberland country schools in rural Withee and later attended Gilman and Withee High Schools. He returned to his parents' farm for a short period of time to help out with farming chores and then joined the Civilian Conservation Corps. Steve served his country by entering the U.S. Army in 1945 and worked in the Ordinance Division maintaining and repairing tank turrets during World War II. He was honorably discharged from the Army in 1947. Later that same year Steve married Joyce Peoples in Dillon, S.C., on June 14, 1947. They moved to Chicago where Steve was first employed as a cab driver then later became a millwright for Western Electric Telephone Company located in Cicero, Ill. Steve and Joyce moved to LaGrange, Ill., until his retirement in 1986. Following his retirement, they moved to the Withee area to rejoin some of his family.

In 2007, Steve and Joyce had celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

In his spare time, Steve enjoyed camping and model railroading. By far one of his greatest loves, beside his family, was his love for playing the concertina for local events. Spending time with his family, going snowmobiling, or fishing were things Steve enjoyed. Retired life in general felt good to Steve and he loved every moment of it. Steve was a member of the Withee Loins Club and member of the Boom Town Snow Chasers Club of Curtiss and a former member of the American Legion of Chicago, Illinois.

Steve is lovingly survived by his wife, Joyce of Colby; his children, Dennis and Jane Zielinski of Mosinee, Darlene and Nick Hanck of Elmhurst, Ill., and Betty and Joe Muehlbauer of Spencer; 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. He is further survived by a twin brother, Leon (Ethel) Zielinski of Inverness, Fla.; and other nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Steve was preceded in death by his parents; and five brothers, Joseph, Edward, Frank, Stanley and Walter.