Obit: Barna, Tekla (1920 - 2023)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Barna, Harhay, Paraszczak, Lencz, Conway, Bormann, Lannoye, Curran, Austad, Slowka, Mahaj, Koltalo, Struk, Klarr

----Source: Cuddie Funeral Home (Thorp, Clark Co., WI) 2/10/2023

Barna, Tekla (19 December 1920 – 5 February 2023)

Tekla Barna, 102, of Thorp, passed away on Sunday, February 5, 2023, at Oakbrook Health & Rehab in Thorp.

Tekla Paraszczak was born on December 19, 1920, in Radoszye, Poland, the daughter of John and Maria (Harhay) Paraszczak. She was raised in Poland until the German occupation of Poland in 1940, when she was forced into labor on farms outside of Regensburg, Germany. Tekla was united in marriage to Atanas "Tony" Barna on August 29, 1949 in Hauzendorf, Germany. In 1950, they immigrated to the U.S. on Labor Day, and were sponsored by her aunt and uncle, Steve and Mary Lencz. They took the train to Lublin, where they lived for a few years before moving to Merrill, and then Medford. In the Spring of 1956, they purchased a farm in the Town of Maplehurst, Taylor County. They farmed until her husband's death in 1982, when she moved into Withee in a house they had just bought.

She was a member of Holy Assumption Orthodox Church. Tekla had many interests in addition to church and farming, but especially enjoyed knitting and quilting, often sending items back to family in Ukraine. She always planted a big garden, canning many of the items she raised, and loved to cook, with pierogi's being her specialty.

Tekla is survived by her three children John (Linda) Barna of Owen, Mike Barna (Deb Conway) of Withee, Irene (Russell) Bormann of Medford; three grandchildren: Seth (Amy) Barna of Holman, Jenna (Travis) Lannoye of Madison and Nick (Sara) Barna of Withee; Cheryl Barna of Dalton, mother of Jenna and Nick; seven great-grandchildren: Addison, Ezra, Meryl, Marshall, Jack, Emma Tekla, and Joe; two step grandchildren: Sarah (Phil) Curran of Medford, and Leah (Travis) Austad of Rice Lake; four step great-grandchildren: Kaitlyn, Jace, Blake and Ariella; and one step great-great granddaughter: Adalynn; several nieces, nephews, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Tony; one son, Mykalo; one daughter, Anna in infancy; four sisters: Paraskvia Slowka, Anna Mahaj, Eva Koltalo, and Maria Struk; and three brothers: Andrew, Frank and Wasyl Paraszczak.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 11, 2023, at Holy Assumption Orthodox Church in Lublin, WI. Fr. Hermann Klarr will officiate, and burial will follow in Holy Assumption Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Seth Barna, Nick Barna, Addison Barna, Ezra Barna, Jenna and Travis Lannoye. Visitation will be held at the church, on Saturday, from 9am until time of service.

Tekla's family would like to thank the staff at Oakbrook Health & Rehab for the compassionate care given to her over the past 7 1/2 years.