James “Jim” Joseph Golla, 89 of Stevens Point, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family on December 31, 2025. He was born April 15, 1936 in Stevens Point, WI. He is the son of the late Joseph & Martha (Tryba) Golla. He married his sweetheart, Virginia Litzer, on May 3, 1958 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church.

Jim enjoyed life on the North Side of Stevens Point. He was happy to have family close by and he was grateful for the people that helped him along the way. As a young man, Jim was an altar boy and worked at the Black & White store, which is now The CO-OP, and also at Nigbor Furs. In junior high & high school, he worked for Ed Sommers earning an apprenticeship under Joe Barwick. He took a break from painting and joined the Army National Guard, which took him and his young family to the state of Washington. He returned to painting and built his own business, Golla Painting & Papering, where his attention to detail earned him the trust of many return customers. He could fix anything & was always willing to take on a challenge when someone asked for his help.

He was a life-long member of St. Peter’s church, and he painted and repaired items in the rectory, church, and school. He was a faithful usher at church and a member of the Knights of Columbus.

Jim’s favorite place to spend time was in his garage stripping, glueing, or staining items needed for a job. He enjoyed restoring furniture and machinery and he found peace sanding or applying just one more coat of stain. Jim also enjoyed fishing, deer hunting, traveling with Virg, casino trips, spending time “up north”, and time with his family, including siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, in-laws, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Jim will be remembered for always having a smile on his face and a joke or a story to share with people around him. His advice was to enjoy life and remember good times. “Life is short and time passes. Enjoy the little things because they go by just like that (snap)”

Survivors include his daughters: Denise (Doug) Ostrowski, Jacqueline Meyer, Jill (Pat) Platta, Mary Jo (Tim) Smiley, Joleen (Pete) Larsen; Grandchildren Alyson (Tyler) Milanowski, Samantha (Johann) Gonzalez, Douglas James (Erin) Ostrowski, April (Steve) Burclaw, Jenni (Jeff) Welp, Joe (Abby) Blanke, Jim Blanke, Lizzie (Todd) Beaster, Jake (Ashley) Smiley, Alex Smiley, Ben (Sara) Larsen, Megan (Frank) Vruwink, John (Myah) Larsen, and 20 great grandchildren.; Sisters Rita Lewandowski, MaryAnn Pavelski, Virg Clausen, and Faye Schultz.

He was preceded in death by his wife Virginia, brother Chester Golla, sisters Marge Wanta and Irene Miskowski, sister-in-law Dorothy Golla, brothers-in-law Alfred Lewandowski, Hank Wanta, Jim Miskowski, Jim Pavelski, Cal Clausen, and Vic Schultz, and step-brother William Kubisiak.

The family would like to thank the staff at North Crest and Lakeland Hospice for their loving care.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Jim will be at 11:00 AM on Friday, January 9, 2026 at St. Peter's Catholic Church, 800 Fourth Avenue, Stevens Point. The visitation will be on Friday from 9:00 AM until the time of service in the Saint Faustina Room at the church. A rosary will be prayed to start the visitation by the Knights of Columbus. Military honors will be performed at the church immediately following mass. A private burial will be held at a later date. Pisarski Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Golla Family.

We invite and encourage those wishing to order flowers for the Golla Family to do so directly on the Pisarski Funeral Home website which will take you to a local florist. This will ensure timely delivery.