Pauline (Polly) Rolnicki

Pauline M. (Polly) Rolnicki

Our heavenly Father saw she was getting tired and whispered “Come with Me”.  Pauline (Polly) Rolnicki, age 99 yrs., died on Sunday November 10, 2019 at Benedictine Manor, Wausau, WI. She was born June 14, 1920 to Julius and Frances (Trzebiatowski) Lewandoski in the Town of Ried, Marathon County, WI .  She was born at home, assisted by her grandmother Josephine Trzebiatowski,  a midwife in the Bevent area.  She was the middle child of eleven children born to her parents.  She happily helped raise her brothers and sisters and helped in the planting and harvesting of family gardens and fields, adopting her lifelong strong work ethic.  She was the third generation on the Lewandoski homestead on Crooked Lake (now Mission Lake).   She attended Washington School and St. Ladislaus Catholic school in Bevent, WI, sometimes walking the two miles to and from school or being driven to school in the horse and buggy by her “Pa”.  She was proud of her Polish Heritage and spoke both Polish and English throughout her life.  As was the custom in those days, Polly left home in her later teens to help her family, by working in homes in Wausau.

Polly married Edward Rolnicki on September 1941 at her family church in Bevent, WI.  As a young bride, for over 3 years, she endured her husband’s deployment to the South Pacific in WWII.  She worked for the War effort at the Marathon Rubber Plant in Wausau, making raincoats for our troops.  After his return, three children were born to Polly & Eddie: Catherine  (Earl) Molstad of Harrison Hills, WI., Thomas (deceased in 2009) and Don (Cherye) Rolnicki of Stevens Point, WI.  

Polly was a founding member of the St. Anne Parish and a lifetime member of the Fatima Council.  She volunteered at the church fish fries, Polka Fest and putting together bulletins. She enjoyed playing cards with the “Sociables” of St. Annes.  She prided herself in working in the homes of the Hammes, Kraft Vachreau & Gibson families of Wausau and enjoyed the family’s friendship.  Polly worked for the Democratic Party at the voting polls for a number of years.  In later years she herself provided in-home care for Eddie as he became bedridden. She did this with loving care and determination. Polly volunteered for 12 years at Marywood Nursing Home (now the Benedictine Living Center) prior to her eventually becoming a resident there herself.  She loved “Marywood” and would not ever think of going anywhere else when it came time for her to leave her home. We miss mom’s wonderful baked goods, dinners and polka music playing on her stereo when we visited. 

Polly loved her children and their spouses, her siblings, her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren and will be sadly missed. She is survived by her children: Catherine and Don, grandchildren: Ann (Ray) Hessil and their children Thomas and Emma;  Pam (Tim) Koch and their children Carson, Kiley and Connor.  She is further survived by her sister,  Delphine Gabrielski,  her Godchildren: Mary Chaston, David Nevinski, Marcia McKloskey and Mark Lewandowski;  special family friend Al Heider,  plus numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.    

Polly is sharing eternity with her parents Julius and Frances, husband Eddie and devoted son Tom; plus those brothers and sisters and Godson that went before her: Edmund, Henry and Florian Lewandoski, Irene Nevinski, Theresa Dombeck, Esther Soczka, Virginia Kristof, Anna Lewandoski, Mayme Rozmenoski and Godson Ernest Rozmenoski Jr..

We thank Benedictine Manor angels for their loving care of Polly while she made her home there, as well as Dr. Frank Rubino, &  Mary Jo RN and  Dr. Kevin O’Connell for their excellent and kind care of Polly over the years.

Visitation will be held at St. Anne Catholic Church, Wausau, Friday November 15, 2019 from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. with Funeral Mass at 4:00 p.m.  Private family Burial will take place at Restlawn Cemetery­­­­ Monday, Nov. 18,  2019.  Memorials can be directed to St. Anne Library, and/or Benedictine Activity Department.

Peterson Kraemer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com

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