Obit: Ogurek, Anastazy J. (1869 - 1937)

Contact:  Stan
Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: OGUREK JALOWY TECLAW LISIECKI GUNIA KRAJEWSKI

----Sources: THORP COURIER (Thorp, Clark County, Wis.) 4 Feb 1937

Ogurek, Anastazy J. (2 MAY 1869 - 27 JAN 1937)

The late Anastazy John Ogurek, 67, of Lublin (Taylor Co., Wis.), was born on May 2, 1869 in Makowarsk, Poland. He came to America in 1884 and settle in Chicago. In 1896 he was married to Kate Jalowy. The children born to that union were: George, Frank and Valera. Leaving the grocery and meat business in Chicago he moved to Wisconsin in 1902. There he pioneered in the southwest part of Roosevelt Township (Taylor Co.). He built a sawmill on the north fork of the Eau Claire River. In 1905 his wife died, leaving him with small children, so he again married in 1906 to Sophie Teclaw. In a pine forest firs 1908, his mille burned to the ground, leaving him penniless since no fire insurance was available. On borrowed money from friends he moved to a new site one mile north of the old location and rebuilt. Here he operated until 1913. When the forest became depleted, on the inducement of the late Marion Durski, he moved to Lublin and built and operated a saw mille, planning and shingle mille until 1917. At that time the lack of timber and the coming of the portable sawmills, caused him to enter the wholesale and retail lumber field. About 1921 he branched into the hardware and general merchandise business. This he operated under the name of A.J. Ogurek Merchandise Company, individually owned until March 1933. His forethought caused him to organize the Ogurek Merchandise Company, a corporation. This grew upon the foundation of good will and service to the public which he had carefully and diligently strive to establish. The deceased was an active member of the community government and the Polish National Alliance Group 1681 of Lublin. He helped to organize and plot out the village of Lublin and served as mayor for many years. In 1925 he was stricken with sugar diabetes. This ailment caused him much hardship and suffering. He lost his second wife on April 18, 1928. This left him to rear and educate Anastazy Jr., Sylvester, Wanda, Irene, Leon, Clara, Margaret, Roman and Henry, then minors. The others, Frank, George and Valeria were married. It was the one aim "to rear and see educated these children," that gave him strength and courage to carry on as long as he did. He was not active in business, for a short time only, preceding his death. In June 1936, he was forced to undergo a major operation which left him weakened and steadily lost strength until his calm and peaceful death at his home in Lublin, Jan. 27, 1937.

The funeral services were held at 10 a.m. at St. Stanislaus Church in Lublin, of which he was a member, Rev. Kolman of Gilman, officiating. The sons, namely: George, Frank, Henry, Roman, and Leon, and the sons-in-law, Florian Lisiecki, Edward Gunia and John Krajewski acted as pallbearers.

Those left to mourn his death are: George, 38, Frank, 36, Valeria, 34, Henry, 29, Margaret, 27, Roman, 26, Clara, 25, Leon, 20, Irene, 18, Wanda, 15, Sylvester, 10, and Anastazy Jr., 8.

Relatives attending the funeral services were: his brother, Joe Ogurek of Chicago; Mrs. A.W. Ogurek and children, John Zdrojkowski and family, the father-in-law, Stanley Teclaw and children, and other relatives and friends.