Obit: Pawlak, Joseph J. (1890 - 1965)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Pawlak, Anyzewski, Gronek

----Source: THORP COURIER (Thorp, Clark County, Wis.) 15 Apr 1965

Pawlak, Joseph J. (3 JAN 1890 - 8 APR 1965)

Funeral services were conducted at the Thorp funeral Home here, a Requiem Mass by the Rev. Ed Masalewicz at ten o'clock Monday morning, April 12th, for Joseph J. Pawlak who passed away at his home in the city (Thorp, Clark Co., Wis.) on Thursday, April 8, 1965, after a lingering illness. He had reached the age of 75 years, 3 months and 5 days.

Mr. Pawlak was born in Poland Jan. 3, 1890, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Anton Pawlak (deceased).

As a boy he came to America with his parents in 1898 and lived in Pennsylvania, returning to Poland again for a period of two years. After coming back to the United States the family resided in Pennsylvania for a while and in 1906 came to Thorp (Clark Co., Wis.) and settled on a farm. Young Joe worked in a lumber camp near butternut for two winters, adn then at the J.S. Owen Lumber Mill at Owen from 1910 to 1913, when he became a clerk at the large store of the Thorp Mercantile Co. in Thorp.

He was united in marriage to Rose Anyzewski at St. Hedwig's Church here on Sept. 22, 1915.

In 1916 Mr. Pawlak, in partnership with his brother-in-law, Frank Anyzewski, bought out the Thorp Hardware Co. and continued with the hardware and tinsmith business. In 1922 he sold out to his partner and went into the hardware, plumbing, heating and sheet metal work. He built a new brick store which is now the Pabich Super Mart. Mr. Pawlak discontinued his business in 1938, when he sold his property to Pabich and Papierniak, and since that time has worked in various place in Thorp and Milwaukee. During the past thirteen years, until he became sick last July, he was employed with the Fisher Plumbing and Heating Store in Thorp.

The deceased was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Frank, Walter and Andrew Pawlak, and one sister, Mary.

Besides his wife Rose, he is survived by two sons, Edward F. Pawlak, 325 Russell St., Baraboo, Wis., and Joseph C. Pawlak of Thorp; three brothers, Steve of Withee, Wis., John of Los Angeles, Calif., and Mike of Oak Lawn, Ill., one sister, Mrs. Stella Gronek of Abbotsford, Wis., and three grandchildren.