Obit: Olejniczak, Robert Melvin (1939 - 2023)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Olejniczak, Witkus, Norysiewicz, Petersen Walker, Jarocki, Koney

----Source: Cuddie Funeral Home (Thorp, Clark Co., WI) 2/25/2023

Olejniczak, Robert Melvin (8 May 1939 – 24 February 2023)

Robert M. Olejniczak, age 83, of Withee, passed away at his home on Friday, February 24, 2023, surrounded by his family.

Robert Melvin Olejniczak was born on May 8, 1939, in Kenosha, the son of Michael and Veronica (Witkus) Olejniczak. At the age of 6, his family moved to a farm in the Town of Roosevelt, rural Lublin, where he was raised. He received his education at Lublin Grade School, and graduated from Thorp High School in 1958. After high school, Bob moved to Rochester, MN and worked for the Rochester Silo Company. He was united in marriage to Jane M. Norysiewicz on August 1, 1959, at St. Hedwig's Catholic Church in Thorp. They lived in Rochester until moving to Racine, in 1963. Bob worked at Walker Forge, in Racine, as a maintenance welder until retiring in 1998. After retiring, he spent much of his time at property they had purchased in the early 1990's, in the Town of Longwood. In 2003, he began building a home on the property, which they moved into in 2005. Bob loved his home and the land around it, where he planted 18,000 trees. He resided at home until his passing.

He had many interests, but especially loved being in the woods, making firewood, hunting, fishing, gardening, his lawn, sitting by the fireplace sipping a blackberry brandy, playing the concertina, and playing in parades.

Bob was a member and past president of the Central Wisconsin Concertina Club, and was inducted into the Concertina Hall of Fame.

He will be dearly missed by his wife, Jane, of Withee; his three children: Craig Olejniczak of Racine, Dale (Karmen) Olejniczak of Oconto, and Diane (Mark) Petersen of Racine; two granddaughters: Antonia "Toni" Olejniczak and Katie (Luke) Walker; two great-grandsons: Gaven Olejniczak and Brigg Robert Walker; one sister: Sandra (George) Jarocki of Thorp; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents; his stepfather: John Koney; and two brothers: Roger and Lawrence Olejniczak.

Per Bob's wishes, a private family service will be held at a later date.