Obit: Knight, Mary Jo (1944 - 2015)

Contact: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Arndt, Carlson, Edens, Gebauer, Giese, Knight, Makovsky, Pelczynski, Pipkorn, Rabehl, Sackman, Schaetzl, Van Beck, Willms, Wojcik

----Source: The Hemer Funeral Home (Medford & Rib Lake, WI) 9/10/2015

Knight, Mary Jo (Pelczynski) Willms (17 NOV 1944 - 3 SEP 2015)

Mary Jo Knight, age 70, passed away on Thursday, September 3 at her residence in the Town of Westboro under the loving care of her family and Hope Hospice.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 PM Tuesday, September 8 at First Lutheran Church, Westboro, with Rev. Dr. Bob Giese officiating. Interment will be at Mount Olive Cemetery, Westboro.

Visitation will be at 11:00 AM until the time of services at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, September 8 at First Lutheran Church, Westboro

Mary was born on November 17, 1944 at Milwaukee, to Leonard Michael and Mary Magdalene (Van Beck) Pelczynski.

She attended Cudahy elementary schools and was a graduate of a Cudahy High School

Mary married Kenneth Willms on July 28, 1962 and they were later divorced. She then married Stanley “Stosh” Knight on January 7, 1989 and he preceded her in death July 6, 2001.

She Moved from Raymond Center in Racine, to Westboro in 1977 where they owned Ken & Jo's Corner Bar where many of her customers called her "Ma-Jo". She worked as a cook at Harper Lake Resort, Chelsea Conservation Club, Rib Lake Nursing Home, she was a CNA & did Homecare for Price County, and later worked for Life Net.

On January 7th 1989 she married "the love of her life" Stanley “Stosh” Knight. They enjoyed camping, fishing, gardening, grandkids and adventurous travels. They raised two grandsons Joshua and Zachary Willms. After retirement she moved to Westboro with her son Keith and fur grandbabies Sammie & Charlie.

She loved spending time with her buddies Sue Schaetzl, Liz Edens, Joan and Janet Arndt. She enjoyed gambling with her friends Sharon Wojcik and Sue Schaetzl, and especially her trips to Las Vegas with her sister in law Sharon Wojcik. She loved sharing meals with friends & family, she was a mother to many. She cared for her great grandchildren-Dalen & Kendall right up until 2 months before her passing.

Mary is survived by a brother, John (Donna) Pelczynski of Cudahy, WI, her children, Dawn (Bob) Pipkorn of Westboro, Tony Willms of Racine, Bev (Mark) Carlson of Medford, Keith Willms of Westboro, Rhonda (Tracy) Sackman of Westboro, Renee Willms of Westboro, grandchildren, Wendy (Luke) Gebauer, Bobbi (Sheldon Rabehl) Pipkorn, Randell Pipkorn, Joshua Willms, Zachary Willms, Kayla Carlson, Nicholas Willms and Trenton Willms Makovsky, great grandchildren, Dalen & Kendall Gebauer, Maxwell Willms, and fur grandbabies, Sami, Charlie, Abby, Kelly & Bella.

She is predeceased by her parents, Leonard Michael and Mary Magdalene (Van Beck) Pelczynski, and her sister-in-law, Sharon Wojcik.