Daniel Edwin Rucinski

We are now celebrating God calling home his son Daniel Edwin Rucinski on Sunday, February 3, 2019 at the age of 88.  His family shared his final struggles with Alzheimer’s-dementia and a series of strokes and their effects on his body.  He was born October 26, 1930 to the late Joseph and Lucille (Abitz) Rucinski.

Dan served as a Sergeant in the Korean Conflict and was company clerk.  Although he did not pick up a rifle to fire at another human being, he was not spared the pain of reports that contained casualties of other service men including one third of the men he trained with.  Though this was tragic, he later found out some companies were wiped out completely.

Among dad’s favorite times were, a reunion with his Army contemporaries, the Never Forgotten Honor Flight to Washington DC on October 22, 2012 and his prized pilgrimage to Israel in 2008.

When he returned home from Korea, he met and married Patricia Elaine Nemke on September 27, 1952 at St. Therese Catholic Church, Rothschild.  She battled breast cancer the last eleven years of their 45 ½ year marriage and is waiting with open arms for him with our Savior at the Gates of Heaven.  Dan held Patsy as she breathed her last breath, smiled and was released from her earthly pain.

The Lord saw fit to bless dad with his large, supportive and loving family.  Dad had the rough hands of a carpenter like our Savior and his own dad, making his living to provide for his family.  Dad’s testimony is his life in our Lord Jesus Christ.  One of the greatest gifts his family gave him was the time they spent with him keeping him up on family events, reading scriptures to him, saying prayers and singing and reciting the Our Father.  Just before Dan passed through the Pearly Gates of Heaven, he left a sign of peace for us.  He exhaled his last breath here and his next sight was the angels in heaven greeting him as a son of God.  When mom died it was a smile.  When dad left on his journey, it was a tear in his eye of happiness seeing Mom beyond the gates.  At the same time the longing to let us know Jesus chose this time even if Dan felt the need to stay with his family to guide us.  His biggest regret was spanking; however, his words of discipline remain with us even until today.  His guidance was appropriate to our needs.  He will be missed.

He was preceded in death by his four brothers, Gerry, Joe, Bob and Jim, two sons-in-law, Jerry Nechuta and Richard Ryskiewicz, a granddaughter, Kimberly Kuklinski and two great grandchildren, Lila Beth Nevienski and Jaxon Pempek.  The legacy of his life is carried on through his sharing of his testimony of our Savior and through his three sons, Richard Alan (Susan), David John (Roberta) and William Walter (Christine); and his seven daughters, Mary Jane (Armand) Carver, Diane Lee (Gerald) Ryskiewicz-Kuhr, Joyce Ann Nechuta, Tammy Ann (Mark) Bennett, Lori Sue (Eddie) Kuklinski, Susan St. Germaine and Jean Marie (Duzer) Pochinski; 26 grandchildren, Joshua, Sarah, Neil, Joseph, Katie, Jessica, Adam, Wesley, Jacinta, Rebecca, John, Michael, Jennifer, Sheila, Christopher, Thomas, Andrew, Mark II, Bethany, Tiffany, Benjamin, Jacob, Bradley, Nicole, Alexandria, Adrian and over 50 great grandchildren, and a handful of great great ones.  He is further survived by his five sisters, Lucy Delinsky, Darlene Konkol, Marian Matsche of Wisconsin, Cecilia Phillips of Colorado and Therese Jones of Washington State, numerous extended family members, friends and church family.

First, we want to thank St. Rita’s Home and the Hospice nurses for their most excellent care of our father and all the support and love they showed not only to him, but us too.  God bless you all.  Second, a special thank you goes out to all the many employers for excusing us during one of our most difficult times and yet for a total celebration of Dan’s life.  Third, we want to thank all of dad’s family and good friends over the years.  He has often talked of many of you and your deeds toward him.  God bless you all and thank you for your prayers.  Please come and share your stories of our dad with us.  We would love to hear them all.

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Thursday February 21, 2019 at Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, 1302 Sixth Street, Wausau.  Rev. Robin Wilde will officiate.  Burial will be in Restlawn Memorial Park, where full Military Honors will be conducted by the American Legion, Montgomery-Plant-Dudley Post No. 10.  Visitation will be on Wednesday February 20, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and again on Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of services at the Sixth Street funeral home.  In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund is being established.  Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com

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