Robert Kaczmarowski of Sturgeon Bay peacefully fell asleep in death on April 1, 2016. He was 81. Bob was born in South Milwaukee, WI on January 23, 1935 to Louis and Mary Kaczmarowski. He was one of fourteen children. He married the love of his life, Mary Margaret (Peggy) Scherer on June 23, 1956. Together they had six children – Bob (Sherry) Kaczmarowski of Sturgeon Bay, Bill (Karen) Kaczmarowski of Manitowoc, Theresa (Leon) Sleger of Sheboygan Falls, Ann (Clif) Sleger of Oshkosh, John Kaczmarowski of Vancouver, Canada and Jim Kaczmarowski of Sheboygan. Bob especially loved the time he spent with his 21 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, eight siblings, and his granddaughter Hannah Rose Sleger.
Bob’s professional career began when he negotiated a deal with his father. He asked Pa if he could quit school at 17. Pa said yes with the condition he enter an apprenticeship program. However, prior to starting this he served in the United States Army and was eventually stationed in Germany during the Korean conflict.
Upon being honorably discharged from the Army, he started his welder apprenticeship program and eventually went on to serve as the General Manager of the Manitowoc Company’s Crane Division. One of the highlights of his career was to supervise the design and fabrication of Bay Shipbuilding Corporation’s “Big Blue” graving dock crane. Yet, throughout his life, if you asked him what he did for a living, he would simply say “I’m a welder”.
In his later years, Bob greatly enjoyed living in Door County. He was a frequent visitor to the parks, music and theatre venues, and the Door County Library. He was also well known for his intricate word-search puzzles that he shared with many.
Bob was baptized as an ordained minister of Jehovah’s Witnesses on July 9, 1994. In recent years, he didn’t allow his confinement in a wheelchair to prevent him from sharing his faith in Jehovah’s promises of the future earthly paradise brought about by God’s Kingdom. He did this by writing personal letters to individuals in the community regarding this Bible based hope for the future. Bob’s strong conviction in God’s resurrection promise was a comfort to himself and to his family and congregation.
Bob was a very appreciative and generous man who shared throughout his life both his time and resources with family and friends. He never complained about his failing health and continued to keep his sense of humor right through the last hours of his life.
He is already deeply missed by his family and congregation.
At Bob’s request, there will be no visitation or funeral services. Simply Cremation of Green Bay, WI assisted with the arrangements.