Stephen A. Bogaczyk

Stephen A. Bogaczyk died peacefully at his home surrounded by his loving wife and family on the morning of January 26, 2025.

Stephen (Steve) was born April 18, 1932 at the upstairs family flat on North Second Street, Stevens Point, WI. Steve was the second of 3 children of Stephen Nicolas Bogaczyk and Alma Bogaczyk (Breitenstein). He was preceded in death by his father, mother, younger brother William and older sister Beverly. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Helen, and their 3 children, Beth VanSchoonhoven (Richard), Brian Bogaczyk (Becky) and Becky Edwards (Scott). He is also survived by 7 grandchildren Ty, Trey, Brenna, Ben, Tanna, Shawn and Eric), and 8 great grand children (Daniel, Mabel and Rhett, Tyler, Jayden, Shawn, Noah and Madison).

Steve was truly a "northside kid" growing up on the Public Square where his father owned and ran a harness and saddlery shop and dry-goods store, he attended church and school at St. Peters Catholic Church and Grade School, and chased fish, wildlife and possibly girls at the brand new Bukolt Park. Steve graduated from PJ Jacobs High School in 1949, and promptly enrolled at the Central State Teachers College (now known as UW-Stevens Point), graduating in 1953 with a BS in Education with an emphasis in Science. He took the first Conservation Class offered by Dr. Fred Schmeekle, showing an early interest in the fledgling conservation field.

After graduating from college, he was drafted and served in the Korean War, 1954-1956.  Due to his college degree and his dexterity with clerical skills, the Army assigned him to the 8th Army Headquarters Staff in Puson Korea, later transferring to Seoul. He was fond of saying he "fought the war with a typewriter instead of a gun".

Upon returning home to Stevens Point in 1956, he bought his parents their first house with money he'd saved while serving overseas and with the aid of a GI Bill loan. The home on Wisconsin Street served his parents well until they died. Steve lived there as well for a few years while getting his career started after the war. Steve landed his first teaching job in Medford, WI. After teaching 1956/1957 and 1957/58 school years in Medford, Steve transferred to the Stevens Point Public School System for the 1958/59 academic year at Roosevelt and McDill Elementary Schools. While at McDill School, Steve met the love of his life, Helen Nowicki, who was a music teacher there. While teaching, he simultaneously pursued a Masters of Education degree at UW- Madison, going to summer school from 1957 - 1961, degree conferred August, 1961.

Steve and Helen married in December 22, 1962 in Poniatowski, WI at Holy Family Catholic Church. They bought a home in Stevens Point, on Simonis Street, in 1963. They had 3 children, Beth, Brian and Becky, in rapid succession between October 1963 and July 1967. With a full house, a big mortgage and a challenging career, Steve promoted to principal for the 1963/64 academic year, and remained an elementary school principal in the Point School District for the rest of his career,

In 1979 Steve and Helen moved the family out to the Linwood Township hobby farm to enjoy "the good life", a bold move for a city boy from the North Side. Many the day Steve came home from principal-ing, changed out of his shirt and tie for a set of coveralls and work boots, and started into whatever fixup project or fence building or livestock wrangling needed done; often armed with 2 bottles of Point beer, one in each rear pocket of his coveralls. Steve retired after the 1990/91 school year, after 35 years as an educator, a worthy career! One of his proudest achievements was helping establish the Boston School Forest for the Point Schools, where Mr. B's Lodge is named in his honor. He served on the Forest's board of directors for an incredible 50 consecutive years, resigning in 2018!

Eventually the kids moved away and Steve and Helen continued the country life, turning a run-down farm into a spiffy-looking, fertile and productive homestead with a great orchard and vineyard, gardens (his and hers) and well-managed woodlands. Shortly after retirement, Steve attained another goal; to earn a Masters in Theology  (ever the scholar!). He completed that degree through the Catholic Diocese of LaCrosse. He immediately put that new knowledge to use doing prison ministry locally and throughout the state of WI for many years. He, along with Helen, formed a dynamic duo, serving in many different ministries throughout their later years.  Steve's list of talents and hobbies were many. With time on his hands, he turned to wood carving as an outlet for his creative talents. He also showed off his skills by painting the carvings. He also enjoyed, for varying periods of time, woodworking, fishing, rock-hounding, insect collecting, comic book collecting, and birding.

Steve never liked to travel, but he graciously allowed Helen to take him all around the world, visiting Poland, the Holy Land, a South American cruise via the Panama Canal, and so on. But we're sure actually enjoyed visiting the children and grandchildren in Texas, Alaska, Washington and the UP, selflessly sharing his talents with teaching the grandkids and working on various construction and remodeling projects.

The country life ended in 2019, when they moved into town, first to the Whiting Place Apartments, then in July of 2023, to the Riverview Lodge Assisted Living Center on Sherman Avenue. Steve was fortunate to qualify for hospice care, which enabled him to live together with Helen until the very end. He died peacefully at home, in his own bed, without any medical equipment, surrounded by his loving wife and other family members until the end.

Steve led a full, rewarding life of serving others. We loved him deeply and will miss his guiding hand, as we try  to carry on his selfless legacy. We can almost hear Jesus say these words: "well done, my good and faithful servant"; Matthew, Chapter 25, verse 21.

We would also like to thank the care staff at Riverview Lodge, and the team at Interim Hospice for taking great care of dad.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Stephen will be held at 11:00AM on Friday January 31, 2025 at St. Peter Catholic Church-800 4th Avenue Stevens Point. Visitation will take place in the St. Faustina Room of the Church from 9:30AM until the time of services. Fr. Todd Mlsna will be officiating. Burial with full military honors to follow mass in the St. Stephens Catholic Cemetery.

Pisarski Funeral Homes are honored to be serving the family. For online condolences please visit www.pisarskifuneralhome.com

In leu of flowers the family is requesting donations to be made to the Casa Hogar Orphanage in Lima Peru.

https://frjoesguild.org/donate/

Live stream of the Funeral mass will be available at the Facebook page of the St. Peter Website http://stpeter.us/

Here is the link to view St Peter Facebook Video:

https://www.facebook.com/SaintPeterStevensPoint/