PEARL DREWA

Pearl Drewa, age 93 of Menasha, went to her eternal home on Thursday, November 29, 2018. Pearl was born on November 1, 1925 in Amherst, WI to the late Frank and Clara (Trzebiatowski) Patoka. On October 20, 1945, Pearl married Anton “Tony” J. Drewa and they were blessed with four children and shared 43 years together before Tony's death in 1988.

Pearl and Tony were members of St. John's Catholic Church in Menasha where she was a lifetime member of the Rosary Society. Their greatest joy came from spending time at their trailer on Shawano Lake fishing for blue gills. Many hours were spent with friends playing cards, setting puzzles, and “puttsing” in the kitchen. Pearl made the best soups in town. She loved traveling to different areas with her husband on the tour buses. In later years, she was asked to host the tours and would often entertain many passengers with her yodeling talent. Pearl was also a volunteer and lifetime member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the DAV Chapter 18. She took pride in her work at St. Elizabeth's Hospital, where she was employed for 11 years. After her retirement, Pearl enjoyed meeting old and new friends at the Menasha Senior Center as a volunteer for 14 years. She was a caring and selfless person who always put the need of others before her own.

Pearl truly was a gem and will be dearly missed by her son, Robert (Sharon) Drewa of Appleton; and her three daughters: Elaine (Ralph) Arndt of Oshkosh; Karen (Jim) Werner of Buckeye, AZ; and Toni (Bruce) Schinke of Menasha; as well as by six grandchildren: Daniel (Gina) Arndt; Amy Wysocki; Dennie (Joe) Kekuna; Joachim Werner; Jesse Schinke; and Rebecca (Adam) Thurman; five great-grandchildren: Joshua (Lisha) Fuller; Amber Wysocki; Brenton Arndt; Danielle Arndt; and Soroosh Karamyar; and three great-great-grandchild; Clara Fay Berger, Trenton Berger; and Austin Marie Thurman. She is further survived by two brothers: John (Terry) Patoka of Menasha, and Eugene (Debbie) Patoka of Plover; as well as my nieces and nephews.

Pearl was preceded in death by her husband Tony; four sisters: Bridget Kent; Delores Galloway; Violet Roberts; and Betty Repinski; brother, Frank Patoka, Jr.; brothers-in-law: Bob Roberts and Larry Repinski; and sister-in-law, Dorothy Patoka.

A Funeral Service for Pearl will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Monday, December 3, 2018 at Menasha's Westgor Funeral Home. A visitation will be held from 9:30 A.M. until the hour of service. Pearl will be laid to rest with Tony at St. John Cemetery in Menasha.

The family would like to thank the entire staff at Oakridge Gardens Rehabilitation and Memory Center for their compassionate care and attention to Pearl's needs. Additionally, the family would like to thank Heartland Hospice for their guidance and support.