MARVIN GORSKI

Marvin Leon Gorski passed away on Sept. 29, 2023, after living courageously with prostate cancer for more than 20 years. Marv was born on Aug. 19, 1938, in Mosinee, WI, to Felix Gorski and Veronica Woznicki. The following year, the family moved to Bevent, WI, to live on the family homestead settled in 1888. After graduating from Mosinee High School in 1956, Marv moved to Milwaukee to study engineering at UW-Milwaukee. On Aug. 13, 1960, he married Phyllis Mullen at St. Michael Catholic Church in Wausau. They spent 55 joyous years together until Phyllis's death in October 2015.

In October 1961, Marv was mobilized to Fort Lewis, WA, as a member of the Wisconsin Army National Guard 32nd “Red Arrow” Infantry Division. After his service, he and Phyllis returned to Wisconsin, eventually settling in Neenah in 1967. Marv worked in Infant Care Engineering at Kimberly Clark Corporation for 34 years; when he retired in 2001, he devoted even more time to his many interests and hobbies. Marv loved dogs, hunting, photography, old cars, tractors, polka music, and spending time at his and Phyllis's “piece of heaven”—the Gorski family farm near Bevent. He was a member of the American Legion Hawley-Dieckhoff Post 33, and served as a DNR Hunter Education instructor from 2001, the year he retired, until 2022. He also loved his Polish Heritage, taking Polish language classes throughout his life and visiting Poland (along with 10 other countries) with Phyllis.

His greatest passion, though, was polka dancing. Phyllis shared this passion, and the pair went dancing nearly every week until Phyllis fell ill in 2015. In 2016, Caroline Sondelski came into Marv's life, and the two of them continued to go dancing whenever the band was playing a style that they both loved.

In addition to Phyllis, Marv was preceded in death by his brother Richard Gorski (Caroline) and his brother-in-law Roger Bramm. He leaves behind his sister, Alvina Bramm, of Neenah; his son, Gregory (Joanne) of Hortonville, and grandchildren, Adam, Anna, and Katherine; and his son, Patrick (Madeline Fisher) of Madison.

Marv hoped to be remembered as a genuine person, and most of all, as a devoted husband to Phyllis. After Phyllis died, Marv found this prayer tucked into her daily prayer book: “I thank Thee, O my God, with all my heart, for all Thou hast done for me. I thank Thee especially for my husband, who with Your help has made possible so many joys and such great happiness in my life. Bless him, Dear God, and love him always and lead him to eternal life.”

A memorial mass for Marv will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, October 12, 2023 at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 620 Division St., Neenah with Fr. Nonito Barra officiating. A visitation will be held at church from 9:30 A.M. until the hour of service. Marv will join Phyllis in rest at St. Ladislaus Cemetery in Bevent.