Helen C. Cieslewicz

Helen A. Cieslewicz

Helen A. Cieslewicz, 93, of Wittenberg passed away peacefully surrounded by members of her family at North Crest Assisted Living Center under the care of Ascension Hospice, on Tuesday, March 10, 2020. Helen was the daughter of the late Leon Bruski and Frances Frydach Bruski. She was born July 13, 1926, in the Town of Franzen. She attended Birch Grove School in Marathon County, St. Adalbert School in Rosholt, and high school in Bevent and Rosholt.

After graduation Helen moved to Chicago to work as part of the war effort at Felt and Tarrant Comptometer on N. Paulina Street. She wrote every day to Vince who was fighting with the South West Pacific Theatre of World War II. She sealed each letter with a kiss. She and Vince liked to sing songs popular during that era especially their signature songs "Sentimental Journey" and "You Are My Sunshine".

Helen married Vincent "Vince" Cieslewicz on November 16, 1946, at St. Adalbert Church in Rosholt, WI. Their nuptial mass was concelebrated by Vince's two uncles, Father Casimer Cieslewicz and Father Marion Cieslewicz. Vince and Helen moved to Chicago to work and start their family. After the death of Helen's mother, they moved back to Rosholt to care for Helen's father and two youngest sisters. Subsequently, they bought a dairy farm near Galloway. The dairy farm was converted to a potato operation and when the farm became incorporated, Helen took on the role of secretary/treasurer of the business. About the time the business was sold, Helen went to work at Herrschners in Stevens Point, where she worked for 15 years before retiring.

Helen was deeply committed to her Catholic faith and to the church community of St. Adalbert. She would help her father, who was the caretaker/custodian of the church and school, with the snow removal, cleaning, and ringing the bells. She was a long-time member of the Rosary Society and choir.  She contributed regularly to U.S. missions, religious orders, and shrines, with a special devotion to St. Jude.

Helen enjoyed traveling with Vince and visiting family around the United States, but she also liked staying close to home where their local "tours" usually included taking someone to lunch, dropping off fresh produce from their fields and garden, and stopping at the cemetery to pray and water flowers. She loved opening her home to friends and family for holidays, birthdays, or just an evening meal. She was an excellent cook and a proponent of the farm to table movement. She was a skilled seamstress and an accomplished crafter. Her needlework pictures would often carry a message on the back that they were "stitched with love". Countless Christmas ornaments were made to decorate her family's Christmas trees. Fabric remnants were made into quilts. And to say Helen was an avid Packer fan would be an understatement.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband of 70 years who died in 2016; five sisters, Mary Stankowski, Anna Kaminski, Suzanne Yach Lenard, Frances Kurszewski, and Josephine Wendlandt; four brothers, Leo, Clarence, Joseph, and Daniel; two infant siblings; son-in-law Joe Cahill; and two infant grandsons.

Survivors include; her sons Joe (Diane) Cieslewicz, Wittenberg; Jon (Christine) Cieslewicz, Franklinton, NC; her daughters Lin (Joe) Vogel, Plover; Patti Cahill, Plover; Maria (Stephen) Bestul, Kronenwetter; Jane (John) Laub, Athens; grandsons Mark (Amy) Petersen, Michael Vogel, Jess Vogel, Erik (Margie Roche) Cieslewicz, Luke (Heather Maclean) Cieslewicz, Bryan (Megan) Bestul, Paul (Marna) Bestul, Joshua ( fiancée Janelle Margetta) Bestul, Matthew Laub, David Laub, Jakob Laub, John Laub Jr.; granddaughters Jill (Perry) Stewart, Kimberly (Jason) Kopplin, Nicolette Bestul; eight great-grandchildren, Ashley, Mitchell, Trevor, Ryan, Sophia, Joey, Levi, and Evalynn; brother; Edward (Joyce) Bruski; sister; Leone Bruski; and many loving nieces, nephews, and other relatives.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, March 19, 2020, at St. Adalbert Church, 3315 St. Adalbert Road, Rosholt.   Rev. Thomas Nirappel will officiate. Visitation will be at the church from 9:00 A.M. until the time of the mass. A general rosary will be prayed in the church at 10:00 A.M.

Helen's family wish to thank everyone who helped Helen through her journey for their unselfish care and support. Special thanks to her friends at Oak Heights in Kronenwetter, staff at St. Clare's Hospital, caregivers at North Ridge Assisted Living, compassion and guidance of Ascension Hospice, pastors Chaplin Mark and Fr. Thomas, and prayerful parishioners of St. Adalbert's.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial will be established at a later date for St. Adalbert School where Helen and her children attended school.