Full Obituary

LAWRENCE A. "LARRY" GOSTOMSKI, age 87, of Thorp, WI, passed away on Tuesday, August 5, 2014 at the Clark County Health Care Center in Owen. Funeral services will be held at 11am on Friday, August 8, 2014 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Thorp. Rev. Paul Bittner and Rev. Donald Sprengler will co-officiate and burial will follow in East Thorp Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Tom Sprengler, Scott Sprengler, Kevin Butek, Michael Haas, John Gostomski, Curvin Brubaker, Mike Abramczak and Mark Abramowicz. Visitation will be held at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, on Friday, from 9:30am until time of service.
Lawrence Alois Gostomski was born in the Town of Brighton, Marathon County, WI on June 21, 1927 to Frank and Rose (Gliniecke) Gostomski. When he was a young boy, his family moved to a farm south of Thorp, where he attended Reseburg Grade School.
Larry owned his own welding and machine shop 3 miles east of Thorp, known as Industrial Iron Works. For a few years, he closed the business and moved to Wahoo, NE, with a couple of his brothers, where they manufactured "Jet Star" snowmobiles. One of these snowmobiles is in Elvis Presley's Museum in Memphis, TN. But, Larry felt his calling from God was to open up his workshop in rural Thorp again. He was an inventor and he made many machines, and fixed anything for everybody. If Larry couldn't fix it, nobody could. He never really retired, and always kept busy.
On October 26, 1968, he was united in marriage to Shirley G. Sprengler. They enjoyed almost 46 happy years together on "THE LIL FARM."
Lawrence's faith was an important part of his life. He was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church and a trustee for many years. He was grateful for his many blessings. Larry was a caring husband, a good neighbor, and will be dearly missed.
He is survived by his wife, Shirley; three brothers: John (Mary) Gostomski, Victor (Linda) Gostomski, and Richard (Gael) Gostomski; five sisters: Edith Staron, Harriet Shay, Rosemary (Edmund) Abramowicz, Phyllis (Leonard) Butek, and Rita (Jerry) Haas; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers: Arnold, Frank Jr. and Dennis Gostomski; and one sister: Lorraine Graikowski.