Obit: Sowieja, Jerome C. #2 (1926 - 2009)
Contact: Audrey Roedl
Email: audero@charter.net

Surnames: Sowieja, Zwilling, Grabara, Scheuerman, Zahn

----Source: Loyal TRG 20 May 2009

Sowieja, Jerome C. #2 (2 NOV 1926 - 9 MAY 2009)

Jerome C. "Jerry" Sowieja, 82, Merrill, formerly of Greenwood, died on Saturday, May 9, 2009, at Kennedy Park Medical and Rehabilitation Center, Schofield. Visitation will be from 9"30 a.m. on Saturday, May 30, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Greenwood, until time of a memorial service at11 a.m. The Rev. Joseph Follmar will officiate. Burial will take place in the Greenwood Catholic Cemetery.

Jerome C. Sowieja was born on Nov. 2, 1926, in Duluth, Minn., to Vincent and Mary (nee Zwilling) Sowieja. He married Elizabeth J. "Elsie" Grabara on Feb. 21, 1948. She survives.

He enlisted in the United States Army on Jan. 29, 1945, and was honorably discharged on Nov. 17, 1946. He served in the Pacific Theater during World war ll. He was a lifetime American Legion member. He was commander of the Wallis-Hinker Post from 1978-08 and 1991-93. He represented the Legion Post on the Chamber Board for several years, and served as the group’s president for a term.

He began working for Clark Electric Cooperative in 1948, when he and his wife moved to Greenwood. He started as a mechanic, and went through the lineman apprenticeship program. He retired in 1989, as a superintendent. He received a statewide award from an electric industry organization for saving a fellow worker’s life while on the job as a lineman. He taught a class for hotline crews for the Chippewa Valley Technical College.

He was a longtime member of the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce. In 1999, he was named the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Citizen of the Year. He received this award for his contributions to Greenwood for more than 41 years. He was greenwood’s last justice of the peace before the job was eliminated throughout the state. He also served a term as a county representative to the Wisconsin Conservation Congress. He worked with the Greenwood police to deal with ordinance infractions. He was honored once again for his dedication to Greenwood when he was named the parade marshal for the 2003 Greenwood Dairy Days Committee. He was a corner monitor for the Greenwood Dairy Days 30 Bicycle Race/Tour. He firmly believed that "every citizen should pitch in to help make their town a better place.

Outside of his civic volunteer fireman for 29 years. He was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader. He was a member of the St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Greenwood, where he was an active volunteer in many of the church activities. He was an Honorary Life Member of the Knights of Columbus. He enjoyed bow hunting, fishing and building trailers. He was also a member of the Black River Bowmen’s Club for more than 40 years.

Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth "Elsie" Sowieja, Merrill; two daughters, Sue (Dick) Scheuerman, Hendersonville, N.C., and Carol Zahn, Carollton, Texas; tree sons, Donald (Terry) Sowieja, Tuscon, Ariz., Charles (Ginny) Sowieja, Merrill, and Mike (Brenda) Sowieja, Richfield; 12 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Preceding him in death were two sisters, Ramona Pavlow and Eleanor Lindenbergh; and three brothers, Eugene Sowieja, Ambrose Sowieja and James Sowieja.

Online condolences may be made at www.taylorstinefuneral home.com.

The Taylor-Stine Funeral Home, Merrill, is assisting the family with arrangements.