Obit: Polacek, Mary A. (1912 - 2015)

Contact: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Brown, Haluska, Hanson, Heffner, Polacek

----Source: The Star News (Medford, WI) 1/15/2015

Polacek, Mary A. (Haluska) (7 MAR 1912 - 14 JAN 2015)

Mary A. Polacek, 102, Rib Lake, died on Wednesday, Jan. 14 at Golden LivingCenter in Rib Lake, where she had resided the past 14 months.

Funeral services were held on Monday, Jan. 19 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Rib Lake, with Rev. James Heffner officiating. Interment was at Lakeview Cemetery in Rib Lake. Active pallbearers were her grandsons, Mark, Guy, Doug, Kelly, Brian and Todd Polacek. Honorary pallbearers were all her grandchildren.

Hemer Funeral Homes of Medford and Rib Lake assisted the family with arrangements.

The former Mary Haluska was born on March 7, 1912 in Ladysmith to the late John and Anna (Brown) Haluska. She attended Rib Lake Elementary School. She worked as a nanny in the Chicago area.

On June 15, 1937 at St. John's Lutheran Church, she married Thomas J. Polacek, who preceded her in death on May 30, 2002. They resided out west where they worked for seasonal farms, then moved to the town of Rib Lake where they farmed from 1938 to 1980. While farming she also worked at Rib Lake Cheese Factory and Gem Products in Rib Lake. During retirement, she continued to work at the four-generation family farm.

She was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church and past member of its Ladies Aid Group, past member of Fawn Valley Mother's Club, and a past leader of Fawn Valley 4-H Club. She enjoyed gardening, flowers, feeding the birds, baking pies and bread, making soup, polka dancing, traveling, dart leagues and following the Green Bay Packers.

Survivors include a daughter, Sandra (Earl) Hanson of Tomahawk; five sons, Michael (Barb Becker) Polacek of Daytona Beach, Fla., Doug (Janet) Polacek, Gary (Debra) Polacek and Gene (Chris) Polacek, all of Rib Lake, and Tom (Linda) Polacek Jr. of Cape Coral, Fla.; 15 grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by three brothers, John, George and Michael, and two sisters, Susan and Ann.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be given to the family for future designation.

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