| Notes |
- Bob and Lena Polakowski of Kimberly will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary on September 6, 2015, with a picnic/family gathering. Lena Hakkert became the bride of Bob Polakowski on August 31, 1950, at Holy Name of Jesus Church, Kimberly. Bob was employed by Riverside Paper Corporation, Appleton, from 1947 until his retirement in 1987. Lena is a full-time, outstanding housewife/homemaker. The couple has six children: John (Cary), Neenah; Tom (Becky), Fond du Lac; Jim (Marta), Rockton, IL; Nancy (Jerry) Kobussen, Appleton, Paul (deceased); and Joan (Mike) Wettstein, Kimberly. There are ten grandchildren, ten step grandchildren, ten great grandchildren (plus one on the way), and three step great grandchildren.
Published in the Appleton Post-Crescent on August 30, 2015
- Helen Lena Polakowski, age 88 of Kimberly, was called home to heaven on Wednesday evening, February 28, 2018. Lena was born in Kimberly on April 26, 1929, daughter of the late Leonard and Gertrude (Schook) Hakkert. On August 31, 1950, she married Robert Polakowski - a co-worker from Riverside Papers - in a ceremony at Holy Name Catholic Church in Kimberly. One year later their first child arrived, and Lena took to being a mother and homemaker quite rapidly. Lenas cooking was second to none, and she was an excellent baker of breads and chocolate chip cookies. She was generous with her gifts, and there was always an open spot at the family table for a guest. Lena was a world-class nurse (without a license) and over the years offered care and comfort to family members, neighbors, and friends in need.
Longtime and faithful members of Holy Spirit Parish, Lena and Bob were active in a variety of ways. She shared her deep faith in God by parenting COR Weekend Retreats, as a prayer partner at Holy Name School, as a participant in weekly Bible study, by her involvement in the Cursillo movement in the Green Bay Diocese, as a Eucharistic Minister, and working closely with Althea Valentyn in the Valley Area Special Needs Religion Education Program, which began in the mid-1960s.
Survivors include her husband: Bob Polakowski of Kimberly; five children: John (Cary) Polakowski of Neenah, Tom (Becky) Polakowski of Fond du Lac, Jim (Marta) Polakowski of Rockton, Illinois, Nancy (Jerry) Kobussen of Appleton, and Joan (Mike) Wettstein of Kimberly. Lenas grandchildren are: Cyndi (Scott Dankmeyer) Polakowski, Lori (Zack) Reblin, Becki (John) Hendrick, Rebecca Gehrke, Melissa (Cris) Nash, Tim (Velma Fritz) Gehrke, Angie (Tom) Fasanello, Anthony (Ariel) Polakowski, Amanda (Jordan) Hoff, Chelsey Maahs, Courtney Nemitz, Hunter Nemitz, Brian (Jenny) Polakowski, Tim (Nick Pfleghaar) Polakowski, Kay (Scott) Gahr, Kurt Kobussen, Emily Olsen, Rachael (Alden Chung) Olsen, Katie (Tyson) Sargent, and Rosie Wettstein. Her great-grandchildren are Haylee, Brooke, Gwen, Maggie, Alice, Sam, Tyler, Claire, Georgia, Fiona, Leland, Melody, Lincoln, Vincent, Tessa, Gretchen, Grace, Kamden, and Emmitt. Other survivors include a brother: John (MaryAnn) Hakkert of Appleton and brother-in-law: Bill Polakowski of Greenville.
Lena was preceded in death by her parents, her son Paul in 2004, her siblings: Jake (Johanna) Hakkert, Chris (Rich) DeCoster, Minnie (Harry) Wulterkens, Coby (Dick) Ebben, and members of the extended Polakowski family.
The funeral liturgy for Lena will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, at HOLY SPIRIT PARISH - HOLY NAME CHURCH, 600 E. Kimberly Avenue, with Fr. David Pleier officiating. Interment will take place at a later date at the parish cemetery. Family and friends are invited to gather at the church on Tuesday morning from 9:00 AM until the time of the service.
|
1929 - 2018 (88 years)
