Full Obituary

     DOLORES J. ZUKOWSKI, age 86, of Thorp, WI, entered eternal life on Friday, July 19, 2019 at the Marshfield Medical Center in Marshfield, WI.  Funeral services will be held at 12pm on Wednesday, July 24, 2019 at St. Bernard-St. Hedwig's Catholic Church in Thorp.  Rev. Janusz Kowalski and Msgr. Matthew Malnar will concelebrate the Mass of Christian Burial.  Burial will follow in New St. Hedwig's Catholic Cemetery in Thorp.  Pallbearers are: Robert J. Zukowski, David Carriveau, Andre Carriveau, Jamison Bishop, Derek Dietmeier, and Drew McIlquham.  Visitation will be held at the church, on Wednesday, from 10:30am until time of service.
     Dolores Jean Malnar was born to earthly life in Cook County, Chicago, IL on February 11, 1933.  She was the second child born to Matt and Mary (Briski) Malnar.  When she was three years old the family moved to Willard, WI.  Dolores received her elementary education at Willard State Graded School.  She then attended high school in Greenwood where she graduated with the class of 1950 as salutatorian.
     Dolores then enrolled at the University of La Crosse to begin her studies, graduating summa cum laude in 1954 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education.  During summer vacations she worked in the Clark County Clerk's Office at the courthouse in Neillsville.
     On December 29, 1953 Dolores married Robert Kenneth Zukowski at Holy Family Catholic Church in Willard.  Their marriage would encompass 62 years.
     Her first teaching assignment was at the same school from which she graduated, namely, Willard State Graded.  Her husband Robert was inducted into the Army and was sent to France for a tour of two years.  Dolores finished her year of teaching and joined him in Fouras, Charent-Maritime, France in 1955.  Their first child, Robert James, was born in La Rochelle, France.
     The family returned to the States in 1956 and Dolores then taught her second year in Willard.  They bought the family farm in the Town of Reseburg in 1957.  Dolores began teaching at St. Bernard's Catholic School that same year where she remained for two years being the first lay teacher at the school.  She then decided to stay at home to raise the rest of the children: Julianne Marie was born in 1959, Janelle Marie was born in 1961, and Ann-Marie was born in 1965.
     In 1967 Dolores returned to teaching, this time at Owen-Withee High School, and later at O-W Elementary where she would remain for the next 22 years.  Many life-long friendships were bonded during those years.
     Dolores enjoyed traveling throughout her life.  While living in Europe she was in Paris twice, and London, England.  There were trips to Span, Monaco, Germany, and Rome, Italy.  Back home trips were made to Canada and Mexico, but perhaps the most enjoyable was a trip to Alaska in 1977 with her husband to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.  The trip was sponsored by FARM JOURNAL and the participants were all farmers of every kind such as, dairy, grain, cotton, truck (vegetables), and beef cattle.  Another great trip abroad was to Turkey in 1976 along with her daughter Janelle.  Two weeks were spent in Turkey and a week in Israel visiting the Holy Land.
     The dairy farm in Reseburg was sold in 1989 and Robert and Dolores built a new home in a special corner of the woods in Butler where they both resided with nature itself until Bob's death in 2015, and Dolores continued to live until her passing.
     During her life the greatest past-time for Dolores was free-lance writing and composing poetry.  Some of her achievements were published.  A sonnet "Encomium" (tribute to the Holstein cow) was published in the WISCONSIN HOLSTEIN NEWS, February, 1984; "The Case of the Stymied Sausage Stuffers" in the WISCONSIN AGRICULTURIST in April, 1985; "Holiday Recollections, French Yule Simple, Memorable". a reflection on Christmas at the Army Base in Rochefort, France, in the Marshfield News-Herald in 1986; Wisconsin's winner in the sequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's TREASURE ISLAND in 1989.  She also wrote blue ribbon articles for the Legion Auxiliary published in THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRE, and for the past few years "Cecil Sounds Off" in conjunction with her husband published in THE THORP COURIER.  Dolores also wrote her Christmas Letters in rhyme for several years which were summaries of the year's past events along with photos.  Dolores also enjoyed calligraphy, designing invitations, and art projects.
     She is survived by one son: Robert James Zukowski of Marshfield, WI; three daughters: Julianne (David) Carriveau of Marathon, Janelle Zukowski of Thorp, Ann-Marie Zukowski of Black Creek; six grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and one brother: Msgr. Matthew G. Malnar of La Crosse.
     Dolores was predeceased by her husband, Robert; her parents; two daughters in infancy, Rosanne Marie and Annette Marie; and one sister, Rose Marie Krultz.