Obituaries are a service of Brainard Funeral Home, with locations in Wausau and Weston.
Sara “Sally” Lewitzke
Funeral Service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 15, 2018, at Zion Lutheran Church, 709 Sixth St., Wausau. Rev. Dr. Steven K. Gjerde will officiate. Visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services at the church.
Emily Flood
Emily A. Flood, 42, died Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018, in Madison.
Emily was born June 29, 1976, in Wausau, daughter of Andrew and Debbie (Peterson) Flood. After growing up in Texas and spending time living on the East Coast, she settled back in Wausau close to family.
Emily cared about and was truly kind to everyone she met. She enjoyed knitting club and loved to travel. With her degree in human services, Emily worked as a provider for people with disabilities, sharing with them her love, kindness and joy. She took it beyond just work and made it a part of who she was, loving completely and unconditionally.
Survivors include her parents, Andrew and Debbie Flood; siblings, Nora (Noah Wangerin) Flood and Alan (Rachael) Flood; long time partner, Stephen Britton; niece and nephew, Mollie and Elliot; grandmother, Lee Peterson and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
She was preceded in death by her grandfather, Norman Peterson.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018, at Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, 3400 Stewart Ave., Wausau. Visitation will be Monday from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. and again on Tuesday from 10 a.m. until the time of services, all at the Stewart Avenue funeral home. Private burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery. Everyone is encouraged to wear colorful attire to both the visitation and funeral service.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Easter Seals Wisconsin (https://giving.eastersealswisconsin.com/tribute-or-memorial/). By choosing “Camps” and donating in Emily’s name, gifts will be directed to the camp she loved so much.
John Kohnhorst
John R. Kohnhorst, 65, Wausau, died Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018, surrounded by his loving family while under the care of Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Services at the Hospice House, Wausau.
He was born Jan. 24, 1953, in Wausau, son of Ralph Kohnhorst, Wausau and the late Lois (Steiner) Kohnhorst. On Sept. 22, 2004, he married Lorrene Randall in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. She survives.
John worked at Wausau Papers in Brokaw until his retirement. He enjoyed being a member of the Rib Mountain Bowmen and also the Brokaw Skeet and Trap Club. John’s true passions in life were hunting and fishing. He spent lots of summers in the U.P. fishing, especially on his favorite place, Chaney Lake. John also cherished the time he spent hunting with his family near Tomahawk.
Survivors include his wife, Lorrene Kohnhorst, Wausau, his father, Ralph (Clarice) Kohnhorst, Wausau, his brother, Mike (Pam) Kohnhorst, Wausau, special friend and sister-in-law, Toni Ann (Jerry) Anderson, Wakefield, Michigan, his fur babies, BooBoo and Patches, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, step sisters, step brothers and brothers-in-law.
Besides his mother he was preceded in death by his sister, Ann Holtz.
A Memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15, 2018, at the Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, 1302 Sixth St., Wausau. Friends may call on Monday from 3 p.m. until the time of services all at the Sixth Street funeral home. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com.
A special request from John before he passed was to have all his friends and family to wear plaid or flannel to the funeral home on Monday to honor his love of the outdoors.
Jean Brzezinski
Jean J. Brzezinski, 87, Wausau, died unexpectedly Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018, at her home. Jean was born Aug. 12, 1931, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to the late Alexander and Wanda (Glodoski) Peplinski.
She was raised in Amherst, Wisconsin, where she attended a one-room school. She graduated from Amherst High School in 1949. Jean and her six siblings enjoyed many happy times playing and working at the family’s supper club, Pep’s Café on the Tomorrow River. She moved to Wausau and earned her RN degree from St. Mary’s School of Nursing in 1954. She enjoyed the majority of her nursing career taking care of babies in the Newborn Nursery. She married Robert Brzezinski in Amherst in 1954 and they were blessed with six children.
Jean liked spending time with friends at the former American Legion and a trip to the casino was always welcomed. She was a night owl who enjoyed crocheting and was an avid reader. She was extremely generous, loved her family, and was especially proud to be called Busha by her grandchildren. Jean had a very strong faith, saying the rosary daily. She enjoyed watching sports and was an avid Packers, Brewers and Badgers fan.
Survivors include five children, Barbe (Roman) Murkowski, Madison, Karen (Richard) Gugel, Waunakee, Nancy (Steve Hodges) Brzezinski, Madison, Robert “Rob” Brzezinski, Schofield, and Joy (Bob Karls), Middleton; eight grandchildren, Luke and Sarah Gugel, Christopher and Jordan Brzezinski, Alexis, Cassidy and Ian Ruchti and Victor Murkowski; three great-grandchildren, Ayden, Chloe and Logan and siblings: Sister Jeanette Peplinski (Green Bay), Bob Peplinski (Big Bend) and Annette Horvath (Green Bay). In-laws: Cheryl Peplinski, Sally Peplinski, Mary Jane Fayyaz, Paul Brzezinski and many nieces and nephews. Jean was preceded in death by her husband Bob Brzezinski of 61 years, daughter Judy and siblings Delores, Alex and Sister Clairann.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 15, 2018, at St. Michael Catholic Church, Wausau. Rev. Msgr. Mark Pierce will preside. Burial will be at Restlawn Memorial Park, Wausau. Friends may call from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. on Sunday at Peterson Kraemer Funeral Home, 1302 Sixth St., Wausau, and again on Monday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service at the church.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com.
John Dornbrack
John Steven Dornbrack, 70, of Kronenwetter passed away on Oct. 11, 2018, at home, under the care of his wife and family with assistance from Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Services.
He was born on Oct. 21, 1947, in Wausau to the late John and Mable (Norman) Dornbrack. John grew up and spent his life in this area, graduating from Wausau Senior High. In September of 1979, he married Mary Lapinski in Wausau. He completed his career with Greenheck Fan Corp. in 2008, after 39 years.
John was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Kronenwetter. He enjoyed the outdoors and liked to spend time trout fishing, bird hunting, especially grouse, and deer hunting. John also liked to spend time in his rusty pickup truck listening to the blues when he was on the way to his cabin or out in the woods.
Survivors include his wife, Mary; son, Nick (Lisa) Meurett of Hudson; grandchildren, Max and Owen Meurett; and sister, Carol (Robert) Wierzba.
He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Judi Bluhm.
A gathering to celebrate John’s life will be on Monday, Oct. 15, 2018, at Helke Funeral Home, 302 Spruce St., Wausau, beginning at 4 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. A private family service will be held at a later date.
You may sign the family guestbook at www.helke.com.
Darryl Groholski Jr.
Darryl Groholski Jr., 53, of Iola passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018, unexpectedly but peacefully due to an aggressive form of cancer.
He was born on Dec. 4, 1964, in Milwaukee, the loving son of Gail (Stoltz) Groholski and the late Darryl “Dick” Groholski Sr.
Darryl was a very special person and loved everyone. He was a very social person and always saw the goodness in everyone. Some quotes from Facebook include, “He had an infectious smile and it was hard not to be happy around him”; “He loved and was kind to everyone and was always smiling”. Darryl never spoke a bad word of anyone, and was the most forgiving person in the world. He enjoyed sports, especially the Badgers, Brewers and Packers. If there was a game on, you would hear him screaming. Darryl was also known as the weatherman and could give you a full report at any time.
Darryl will be loved and missed by all.
He is survived by his loving mother, Gail Groholski; his much loved sister Deena and his very specially loved niece, Avigail, as well as many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018, at Schmidt & Schulta Funeral Home, Wittenberg. Interment will follow at Hillcrest Cemetery, Norrie. Visitation will be on Saturday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sunday from noon until the time of service at the funeral home.
Memories and condolences may be shared at schmidtschulta.com and at Schmidt & Schulta Funeral Home on Facebook.
