Full Obituary

Joseph C Pawlak, age 91, died on Saturday, March 31, 2018 at his home in Thorp. Funeral services will be held 11:00am on Saturday, April 7, 2018 at St. Bernard-St. Hedwig's Catholic Church in Thorp with Rev. Don Meuret officiating. Inurnment will take place at a later date in Old St. Hedwig's Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the church on Saturday from 10:00am until time of service.
Joseph Clarence Pawlak was born on February 11, 1927 in the same brick house on Lincoln Street to Joseph J. and Rose (Anyzewski) Pawlak. He attended Thorp Elementary School and graduated from Thorp High School in 1945. During high school, Joe was a member of the first Thorp High School basketball team to win the Cloverbelt Championship.
After graduation, Joe served in Korea for two years with the U.S. Army. Upon discharge he returned to Thorp where he met Theresa Devine. They were married in 1951 and would live together in Thorp for the next 65 years.
He was a member of the Red Arrow Division of the Wisconsin National Guard, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During the Berlin crisis of 1961, his unit was called up for active duty and he served for nine months at Fort Lewis, Washington. Joe worked in several area banks and later was a salesman for the New York Life Insurance Company. Later in life he earned a bachelor’s degree from UW- Eau Claire.
Joe will be remembered for his jokes and storytelling abilities. He loved to talk about his childhood growing up in Thorp as well as the adventures he and his friends had as teenagers. He was instrumental in founding the Thorp Alumni Association.
He is survived by his daughter Jody (Dan) Beighley; son Greg (Stacey) Pawlak; granddaughters Sarah Beighley and Alice Beighley; grandson David Pawlak; and great-grandson Jonathan Beighley.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents; his wife: Theresa, on October 1, 2016; and his brother: Edward Pawlak.