Olive Strachota died on July 14, 2016 at The Kathy Hospice in West Bend, Wisconsin. She was born March 16, 1924 in Milwaukee to parents Joseph and Lea Heroux (nee Venne), but was raised and spent half of her adult life in Wausau before moving to West Bend with her husband Roger and children in 1966.
After completing her high school education in Wausau, she graduated from teacher’s college and spent many years as a teacher and teacher’s aide in Wausau and West Bend parochial and pubic schools. An aspiring writer, Olive enjoyed writing poetry and short stories in addition to bird watching, nature walking and participating in Homemakers’ and Red Hat clubs.
Olive was active in church activities and she and her husband were founding members of St Matthews Catholic Church in Wausau. She much appreciated the spiritual and personal guidance offered by Catholic clergy and nuns; in particular that of Fr. Joe Hornacek, family friend and former pastor at St. Mary’s Immaculate Church in West Bend.
She is survived by her sister Lea Rose Risch, daughter Pat Francis (Roger), sons Dennis (Ann Stephani) and Dave (Elaine), grandchildren Jeff Cole, Rick and Scott Francis, Adam and Matthew Strachota, and Alex and Jacci Alemi, eight great grandchildren and many other loving family members and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Eugene, sister Yvonne Peterson, husband Roger and daughter Janet.
The family will greet relatives and friends during a period of visitation at St. Mary’s Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 406 Jefferson Street, West Bend, on Tuesday, July 19 from 2:30 until 3:45 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 4 p.m. with her nephew Father Mike Strachota presiding. Interment will be on Wednesday in Restlawn Memorial Park at 4710 N. Troy Street in Wausau with a prayer service in the cemetery chapel at 11 a.m..
The Strachota family would like to extend its appreciation to Dr. Lawrence Gill and the staff at the Kathy Hospice for their attentive and kind care.
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages bequests in her name to The Kathy Hospice Endowment Fund, 3200 Pleasant Valley Road, West Bend, WI 53095.
The Schmidt Funeral Home of West Bend is serving the family.