Rita I. Kowalski

Cuba City, Wisconsin Rita I. Kowalski, 88, of Cuba City, Wisconsin, died Monday, October 12, 2015, at Epione Pavilion in Cuba City. Services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, October 15, 2015, at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Cuba City with Rev. David Flanagan officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call from 3-8 p.m. Wednesday at Casey Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Cuba City where there will be a rosary at 2:45 p.m. led by the Catholic Daughters. Friends may also call from 9-10 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home before the service. Rita was born on January 7, 1927, in Kieler, Wisconsin, the daughter of Joseph and Mary Kaiser. She married Eugene "Gene" Kowalski on April 28, 1948, at Immaculate Conception Church in Kieler. Rita was devoted to her husband and family. Faith, family, neighbors and friends were important to her. She was a member of the St. Rose Altar Society, the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, the Catholic Order of Foresters, and was a meals-on-wheels volunteer. Her caring and unselfish qualities were an inspiration to her children and grandchildren. Rita gave much and asked for little. Her sweet and simple demeanor won the trust and hearts of many and will always be remembered. Survivors include her husband of 67 years, Gene; four daughters, Mary Kay (Russ) Leonard, of Madison, WI, Jane (Terry) Timmerman, of Dickeyville, WI, Lori (Tom) Foht, of Germantown, WI, Nancy (Chris) Manley, of Muskego, WI; one son, Dale (Becky) Kowalski, of Prairie Du Sac, WI; a daughter-in-law, Janet Kowalski, of Cuba City, WI; two brothers-in-law, Isadore (Diane) Kowalski, of Cuba City, and Virgil Jansen, of Kieler; 14 grandchildren; and 9 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; two sons, Robert "Bob" and Kevin; two sisters, Bertilla Leibfried and Rosalia Droeszler; a brother, Elmer Kaiser; brothers and sisters-in-law, James Leibfried, Francis Droeszler, Dorothy Kaiser, Gene and Dolores Quinn, Joseph and Ramona Bode, Bernadette Jansen, Victor and Doris Kowalski, Norbert and Lillian Kowalski, Leroy Kowalski and Helen Kowalski. Memorials may be given to St. Rose Parish or the Cuba City Rescue Squad. The family is deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, prayers and support in many heartfelt forms, especially from the staff at Park Place, Epione Pavilion and Southwest Health Center. Online condolences for the family may be left at www.caseyfuneralhome.net.