Emilie Valeria Tomaszek

obit template2018-11-29T12:10:12+00:00

Emilie Valeria
Tomaszek

Emilie V. Tomaszek
Emilie Valeria Tomaszek went home to the Lord on Monday, Jan. 12, 2015. She was a faithful daughter of God, serving her family and her church for 95 years.
Emilie was born in Chicago, Illinois, on Jan. 1, 1920, to Jozef and Catherine Bzdon. As a young woman, she enjoyed spending time with friends at the beach and bowling. She started working as a housekeeper and then became a beloved employee at National Biscuit Company.
Emilie married Joseph Tomaszek on July 15, 1945, and she was a devoted mom to their four children. The family lived in Chicago and Bellwood, Illinois, before moving to Michigan City, Indiana. There, Emilie found a career at Al’s Supermarket, where she worked for 17 years. She was a dedicated, active member of St. Mary’s Church and later St. Stanislaus Church.
In retirement, Emilie became a pastoral minister at St. Anthony Hospital, and took up painting and ceramics. After Joe’s death, she moved to Franklin, Wisconsin, to live near her son. She found a new place to volunteer her time: St. Mary’s Church of Hales Corners. She was church sacristan, and leader of the Young at Heart senior citizens group and the church decorating team. After attending daily Mass, she spent hours “taking care of God’s house.” She also volunteered at Sacred Heart Monastery.
Emilie relocated with her son and daughter-in-law to West Linn, Oregon, in 2004, and she quickly adopted the Pacific Northwest as her new home.
Emilie was always full of energy and cheerful, and she was quick to make friends wherever she went. She never hesitated to take charge of a project or offer help to someone in need. A perfectionist, she was meticulous in her appearance, and in the way she kept her house, her flowers and her yard. She had a soft spot in her heart for all animals. And there was never enough dark chocolate, pastry or ice cream to satisfy her sweet tooth.

She was a very nurturing person, not only to her children but also her grandchildren. She enjoyed playing with them when they were little and planning action-packed family gatherings. Always learning and evolving, she kept up with the latest political, health and nutrition news. Above all, she was deeply spiritual – God was always at the center of her life.

Emilie was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph, who died in 1983. Left to cherish her memory are her children Carol (John) O’Brien of Detroit, Michigan; Tom (Kimi) Tomaszek of West Linn, Oregon; Mary Tomaszek, also of West Linn; and Cindie (Pat) Mills of Sylvania, Ohio. She also leaves five grandchildren: Maureen O’Brien of North Miami, Florida; Megan O’Brien of Miami, Florida; Kevin O’Brien of Detroit; Peter Mills of Niles, Ohio; and Daniel Mills of Sylvania.

Family and friends may call at Heritage Funeral Home, 4800 S. 84th St. Greenfield, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 18, with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m.
Visitation will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 19, at St. Mary’s Church, 9553 West Edgerton Ave., Hales Corners. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow.
Burial will be in St. Adalbert’s Cemetery in Milwaukee.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Xaverian Missionaries, 4500 Xavier Drive, Franklin, WI 53132.

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