Obit: Glowacki, Paul (1873 - 1956)

Contact: Stan

Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Glowacki, Kaminski, McGinley, Bacher, Rybacki, Lowell, Gonsler, Kenniston

----Source: THORP COURIER (Thorp, Clark County, Wis.) 03/29/1956

Glowacki, Paul (1 JAN 1873 - 22 MAR 1956)

Funeral services were held on Monday for Paul Glowacki, 83, a resident of Thorp (Clark Co., Wis.) for 40 years and a former leader in business and community affairs.

Mr. Glowacki died suddenly last Thursday at the home of a son, Matt, in Chicago.  He had been in reasonably good health up to the time of his death which resulted from a stroke.

Services were at St. Hedwig’s Church, with the Rev. Francis Piekarski officiating.  Burial was in the church cemetery.

Mr. Glowacki was born in Poland, Jan. 1, 1873, and came to this country as a young man.  He worked for several years in Mount Pleasant, Penn., where he was married to Mary Kaminski in 1897.  Mrs. Glowacki preceded her husband in death in Feb. 1939.

The couple and two children came to Thorp in 1901, settling as pioneers on uncleared land northwest of the city.

After converting his land to a successful farm, Mr. Glowacki became active in business affairs of the community.  He was one of the founders of the Thorp Dairy Co. in the early 1900’s and a founder of the Thorp Produce Co. in 1916.  He served as manager of the firm for many years and eventually purchased the business, now known as the Thorp Flour and Feed Co.  He was a member of the Thorp Businessmen’s Club for many years.

In 1935, after nearly six years of trying to carry on the business during depression times, he sold his mill and farm. He was in the tavern business for several years here and in Eau Claire.  He retired in 1942 and had been living with sons and daughters in Chicago and on the West Coast.

With Mrs. Glowacki, he founded Group 645 of the Polish National Alliance in Thorp.  He was honored here as one of two remaining charter members during the group’s 50^th anniversary two years ago.  He was the PNA’s district delegate to it national convention in Scranton, Penn.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Pearl Olejniczak March 1, 1953, and two children who died in their infancy.

Surviving are six sons, Ted of Thorp, Matt, Anton and Joe of Chicago and Leon and Stanley of Janesville, Wis.; six daughters, Mrs. Alvina McGinley and Mrs. Helen Bacher of Eau Claire, Mrs. Harriet Rybacki and Mrs. Mary Lowell of Chicago, Mrs. William Gonsler of Flint, Mich., and Mrs. Rosalie Kenniston, Los Angeles; three brothers, Jacob of Pittsburgh, Penn., Frank of Chicago; and Dominic of Phoenix, Ariz., and a sister who lives in Poland; 36 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Tom Polnaszek, John Papierniak, Walter, Zurakowski, Victor Zielinski, Paul Konieczny, and Peter Jenkot.