George Henry Czerwonka, 95, Oconomowoc, a town of Sharon
native, died Monday, Jan. 4, 2016, at his home.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan.
12, at St. Adalbert Catholic Church in Rosholt, with the Rev. Gregory Michaud officiating.
Burial will be in the St. Adalbert Cemetery.

Visitation will be at the church from 9 a.m. Saturday until
the Mass.

Donations may be made in his memory to the Wounded Warrior
Project at https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org.

Pagenkopf Funeral Home in Oconomowoc assisted with
arrangements. Condolences may be offered online at www.pagenkopf.com.

Mr. Czerwonka was born April 18, 1920, on the Czerwonka Farm
in the town of Sharon, a son of the late Joseph and Antonia (Yenter) Czerwonka.
He attended St. Adalbert Catholic Elementary School and Rosholt public schools.

He enlisted in the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) in 1937,
serving as assistant foreman in the Forestry Department at Camp Blue Lake, Wis.
He was discharged in 1939 to attend the Chicago Aircraft Institute (later to
become Illinois Institute of Technology), and graduated with a certificate in
aircraft metal design and fabrication.

He went to work at Empire Metal Products in Chicago.

He was married to Barbara Firkus of Plover Feb. 22, 1941.
She died Aug. 24, 2014.

He entered the U.S. Navy in 1944 and served as an “Airedale”
on the USS Charger (CV-30), leading a firefighting team during launch and
recovery air operations during World War II.

He worked in many roles to support his family of 14
children.

After the war, he started a tavern business in Watertown,
serving returning veterans; moved to farming in Portage County; then moved on
to Rockford Screw Products as a machinist (tool and die maker); and, finished
his career as the lead manufacturing and plant millwright at American
Motors/Chrysler in Milwaukee.

He was active in the education of his family and served as co-president
of the Parent Teacher Association at Sacred Heart School in Milwaukee.

After his retirement in 1983, he and his wife settled in Fox
Lake, becoming snow birds and visiting children and grandchildren from Florida
to California each year. After the driving became too much for him, they moved
to Lake Arrowhead near Wisconsin Rapids.

He had a lifetime membership with the Knights of Columbus,
American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Survivors include children, Patricia (Matthew) Formanek,
Greenfield, George (Sharon) Czerwonka Jr., Spokane, Wash., Robert (Ann)
Czerwonka, Cameron Park, Calif., Geri Ploch, Watertown, Dotti Plantz, Wisconsin
Rapids, Carl (Cathy) Czerwonka, Delafield, Rod (Louann) Czerwonka, Batavia, Ill.,
Jeffery (Cynthia) Czerwonka, Jefferson, Ga., Anita (George) Muckerheidi, Adell,
Susan (Thomas) Bandle, Eau Claire, and Rene (David) Schneider, Oshkosh; 33
grandchildren; 69 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandson.

He was also preceded in death by three children, Joseph
Michael, Angela Mary and Gregory Allen; and six brothers and sisters,
Maximillian, Cornelia, Sophia, Leander, Delores and Baby Czerwonka.