Marvin S. Piwoni, age 94 of Gilman, WI, passed away peacefully surrounded by
his family at Mayo Health System in Eau Claire, WI on Thursday, May 25, 2017.
Marvin was born on March 25, 1923, the third child of Teofil and Alice (nee
Melanczuk) Piwoni in the Town of Taft, Taylor Co., WI. He attended Red Brick
Grade School and graduated from Thorp High School, a member of the Class
of 1940. He was a Charter Member of the Thorp Future Farmers of America
(FFA) and served as the Chapter Secretary.
He was employed in Chicago for a year in the early 1940s but returned to help
on the family farm after his two brothers volunteered for WWII. Marvin met his
sweetheart, Katherine Peleschak, when he asked her for a dance at the Thorp
Legion Hall on July 3, 1941. They dated for five years and on June 9, 1946, at
Holy Assumption Orthodox Church in Lublin, WI, consecrated a marriage that
was to last for nearly 71 years.
Marvin worked at the Bellinger Dairy for a short time and logged with his father.
In the spring of 1952, the couple purchased a farm in rural Gilman and raised
MAR-KATH registered Holstein cattle. For 32 years, he worked for several
large asphalt highway construction firms throughout Wisconsin and northern
Illinois, rising to crew foreman, and was a proud member of Operating
Engineers Local 139 for over 63 years. Upon retirement, he purchased and
drove a school bus for the Gilman School District.
One of Marvin’s passions was baseball and he played shortstop for the Thorp
and Lublin baseball teams for many years. On fan was remembered saying,
“the way Piwoni rounds the bases, you’d think he had twin engines.” He also
loved to bowl and won a state championship. But most of all, he loved to
dance. Favoring Old Time music, the couple danced at venues around the
state for over 65 years.
Survivors include his wife, Katherine of Gilman; a sister, Marcella Major of
Deming, NM; five children: Dr. Marvin (Kelly) Piwoni of Champaign, IL, James
(Kathy) Piwoni of Milwaukee, WI, Dr. Richard Piwoni of Antigo, WI, Marilyn
(Tom) Day of Eau Claire, WI and Dr. Karilyn (Brian) Piwoni-Lippa of Rochester,
NY. He also leaves behind nine grandchildren: Michael (Kari) Piwoni , Jim
(Abbey) Day, Richard (Megan) Day, Brian (Danielle) Day, Dr. Betsy (Tyson)
Ester, Sarah (Samir Lakhani) Piwoni and Alexandra, Seraphina and Maribella
Lippa; and nine great-grandchildren: Keason, Will, Brady, Ellie, Arya, Evelyn,
Thomas, Juliet and Austen. He was preceded in death by three brothers:
Joseph, John and Edwin; and three sisters: Virginia, Marjorie and Patricia.
He will be remembered as a loving and providing husband, father, good friend
and a kind, humble and gentle man.
Funeral Services will be held on Monday, May 29, 2017 at 11:30 AM at Holy
Assumption Orthodox Church in Lublin, WI with Father Hermann Klarr
officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation was at the
Gilman Funeral Home on Sunday, May 28th from 4-8 PM with a 7:15 PM
Pankahida Service.