Jolanta D. (Micke) Grzeszkowiak
1939-2026
Jolanta, 86, passed away on Jan. 2, 2026, at Pride TLC Assisted Living of Myelodysplastic Syndrome or Blood Cancer. She was born on Aug. 21, 1939, in Thorp, at home with Dr. Neis as her doctor. She was the daughter of Kestutis (Kase) and Sophie (Rogus) Mikolainis. She went to Colby (Town of Reseburg) grade school to 5th grade and completed St. Hedwig’s Catholic grade school to 8th grade in Thorp. She graduated from Thorp High School in the class of 1957. After graduation, she was employed by Employers Mutual Insurance Company in Wausau.
She married Kenneth B. Micke of Gilman on Sept. 3, 1960, at St. Hedwig’s Catholic Church in rural Thorp. They farmed one mile west of Gilman called the Mile Away Swiss Farm raising registered Brown Swiss dairy cattle. She was a leader with the Poplar Grove 4-H Club and secretary of the Wisconsin Brown Swiss Association. She belonged to SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Gilman, taught CCD with 8 years as the CCD coordinator, served as a lay minister, and belonged to the Ladies Guild, Parish Council, and Rosary Society. They had two sons, Timothy Allen and David Edward. In 1976, they sold the farm to Ken’s brother, Neil and Linda Micke, because of Ken’s poor health.
On July 8, 1981, Ken passed away and she remained in Gilman continuing to work at the State Bank of Gilman for 22 years. Jolanta continued to be active in the Gilman community as well as participating in trips to Rome, Australia, Panama, and a Caribbean cruise.
In 1999, she met Ronald A. Grzeszkowiak of Sheldon at a polka dance and they were married May 6, 2000, at SS Peter and Paul Parish and remained members of the cluster where they sold tickets at every bazaar. They loved to dance and fish. They were members of the Miller Dam Lake Association and fished at Devil’s Lake in North Dakota and in Michigan. In 2017, they moved to Madison, where she was active in the Rosewood Living Community. They belonged to St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Middleton. Ron passed away Dec. 8, 2019, after being in memory care. In 2023, she moved to Birchwood Highlands in Weston, to be closer to her son, Tim, and her sister-in-law, Linda Micke, of Medford. She attended St. Therese Church, Rothschild.
She is survived by her sons, Tim (Sandy), of Beulah, Colo., and David (Michele), of Louisville, Ky.; stepchildren, Anita (Tim Coletta) Floyd, of Columbia, S.C., Karen (Ralph) Bormann, of Adrian, Mich., Mark (Kary) Grzeszkowiak, of Schaumburg, Ill., and Julie (Jim Batjes) Grzeszkowiak, of Adrian, Michigan; grandchildren, Kestutis (Tess Barton) Micke, of Denver, Colo., Samantha Micke, of Parker, Colo., McKenna Micke, Louisville, Ky., and Lauren Micke, Louisville, Ky.; stepgrandchildren, John Luke (Jasmine), of Bormann, Ariz., Zach Grzeszkowiak, of Illinois, Marisa (Josh) Marchok, of Illinois, Brian Grzeszkowiak, of Illinois, Samson Grzeszkowiak, of Illinois, and Skylar Grzeszkowiak, of Illinois; and step-great-grandchildren, Riley Bormann, of Ariz., and Theo and Nora Marchok, of Illinois.
Jolanta was preceded in death by her first husband, Kenneth in 1981; her second husband, Ronald in 2019; her parents, Kestutis and Sophie Mikolainis; and her brother, Donald Mikolainis, and his wives Darlene and Bernice.
She was a loving mother, stepmother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt to Carol, Robert, and Catherine, and a great friend to many.
In the spring, a celebration of life will be announced with a Mass of Christian Burial at SS Peter and Paul in Gilman and burial to follow at Meadowbrook Catholic Cemetery, Gilman. Honorary pallbearers will be the grandchildren.
Plombon Funeral Home, Gilman, is serving the family. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church of Gilman.
Special thanks are extended to her friends at Birchwood Highlands, staff at Pride TLC, and support from Aspirus Hospice, Wausau.
Paid Obituary 178674
