Surnames: Achtel, Bishop, Caruso, Knaak, Noziska, Seymour, Sillars, Simek, Tracy, Willger

----Source: The Star News (Medford, Taylor Co., Wisconsin) Thursday, November 4, 2010, online edition

Simek, Frances L. (Bishop) (September 3, 1928 - November 1, 2010)

Frances L. Simek, 82, Medford, died Monday, Nov. 1 at her home.

Funeral services will be held Monday, Nov. 8 at 10:30 a.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Medford, with Father Gerard Willger and Deacon Joseph Stefancin officiating. Burial will be at Mt. Olive Cemetery in Westboro. Pallbearers will be Seth, Quaid, Landin, Jeff and Tony Simek and William Noziska Jr.

Visitation will be held at the church on Sunday, Nov. 7 from 3:30 to 8 p.m., with a 7:30 p.m. rosary service, and on Monday from 9 to 10:15 a.m.

The former Frances Bishop was born September 3, 1928 in Chicago, Ill. to the late Edward A. and Lillian G. (Knaak) Bishop. She attended Chicago public schools.

On August 29, 1947 in Chicago, she married Joseph "Pep" L. Simek Sr., who survives.

After school she worked at a World War II defense factory in Chicago where she assembled walkie talkies for three years. Then her family moved to the Westboro area where she worked as a maid at Fayette Motel in Medford for about a year. Her family then moved to the Edgar area where she worked at the Edgar Basket Factory where she made laundry baskets by hand until August of 1947 when she and Pep moved to Chicago where she worked nights at Spiegel's Catalog Company processing orders for 1-1/2 years, then sold Tupperware at home parties. In 1960 they moved to the Medford area where she sold Avon for 3-1/2 years, then in July 1962 she became one of the four founding members of Tombstone Pizza of Medford. She was the manager of the production area until the business was sold and upon her retirement in 1986. After her retirement, she began her Philanthropic Services with donations to the Medford Public Library, Medford Fire Department, Holy Rosary School and helped numerous, numerous individuals in the community.

She was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church, and past member of the Klossner-Dietzler VFW Post No. 5729 of Medford. She enjoyed golfing, bowling, traveling, sewing, needlework, baking, cooking and interior design.

In addition to her husband, survivors include three children, Joseph Jr. (Donna) of San Diego, Calif., Lauren (fiancé Dennis Caruso) Simek of Jim Falls and Richard (Ann) of Tucson, Ariz.; four sisters, Rita Seymour, Alice Sillars, Patsy (Neil) Tracy and Anne Bishop, all of Wausau; two brothers, Ed (Noni) of California and John of Cherokee Village, Ark.; four grandchildren, Shannon Achtel of San Diego, Calif., Quaid (Jenny) Simek of Tucson, Seth (Nicole) Simek of Los Angeles, Calif., and Landin (Tina) Simek of Austin, Texas; three great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews; and other relatives and friends.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by three sisters, Laura, Margie and Marie; and three brothers, Bob, Tom and Paul in infancy.

The family requests no flowers please, and to make any memorial donations to the Medford Area Fire Department.

Online condolences may be made at www.hemerfuneralservice.com.

Hemer Funeral Service of Medford assisted the family with arrangements.