Memorials › Richard M. "Dick" Jolkowski
Richard M. "Dick" Jolkowski
18 Feb 1929 – 5 Nov 2011
| Birth | 18 Feb 1929 |
| Death | 5 Nov 2011 |
| Cemetery | Westlawn Memorial Cemetery Grand Island , Hall County , Nebraska , USA |
| Added by | Kay Cynova on 14 Jul 2012 |
| FaG | https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/80001625 |
Bio
Richard M. "Dick" Jolkowski, 82, of Grand Island died Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011, at the Grand Island Nebraska Veterans Home. Dick was born on Feb. 18, 1929, on a farm near Arcadia to John and Vivian (Kaminski) Jolkowski. Survivors are: wife of 59 years, Betty; daughters, Sue Hovland, Mary Graves and daughter and son-in-law, Jean and Dean Kaslon, all of Grand Island; sons and daughters-in-law, Jim and Kelly Jolkowski, Ken and Sue Jolkowski, Doug and Jeanette Jolkowski, all of Omaha; sister and brother-in-law, Renie and Bud Gerweck of Falls City; brother-in-law, Robert Blair of Lincoln; 17 grandchildren; 3 step-grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and a host of relatives and friends. As a child, he lived on a farm with his family and attended grade school in Valley County. He moved with his family to Bridgeport in 1941 and to Grand Island in 1945. He graduated from St. Mary's Cathedral High School, Grand Island, in 1947. Dick became an apprentice brick mason in 1948, receiving his journeyman license in 1950. He entered the U.S. Army in January 1951, becoming a paratrooper with the 11th Airborne Division, and was stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky., where he served as a heavy drop instructor in the Aerial Supply Division. While stationed in Kentucky, his unit participated in Operation Buster-Jangle, testing of nuclear devices held in the Nevada desert. He was honorably discharged in January 1953. Dick and Betty Rombach were united in marriage on July 7, 1952, at St. Mary's Cathedral in Grand Island. After his discharge from the service, they lived in various communities in Nebraska, following his trade as a brick mason. They moved to Grand Forks, N.D., in 1958 and moved back to Grand Island in 1959. He worked more than 40 years in construction, helping build many schools and business establishments in and around Grand Island. Due to ill health, he retired in 1991. Following his retirement he volunteered for many years at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center and St. Francis Medical Center and on the funeral dinner committee at St. Mary's. Dick was a member of St. Mary's Cathedral, serving on the Parish Church Board, Stephen Ministry, as a reader and Eucharist minister. He and his wife were honored with the St. Mary's Volunteer of the Year award in 1997. He served as a Cub Scout master and a baseball coach for Little League when his boys were young. He was an Honorary Life Member of the Third Degree of the Knights of Columbus, Council No. 1159 ,and was a past Grand Knight. He belonged to the Bricklayers Union No. 8, serving as a state secretary and officer in the local union. Dick was proud of his Polish heritage and enjoyed listening to polka music, playing games on the computer and playing cards. He loved playing cribbage and entering tournaments, and taught all of his children the game. Dick was preceded in death by: son, Michael in 1986; grandson, John Elrod in 2005; daughter-in-law, Lynette Kelly in 2010; two infant granddaughters; and an infant great-granddaughter. Burial was in the Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Grand Island, NE. with military honors by the United Veterans Honor Guard and the Nebraska National Army Honor Guard. Published in The Grand Island Independent on November 7, 2011
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