Joseph Henry Skarlupka III, age 77, of White Lake, died peacefully at home Saturday, May 9, 2015. He was born on June 3, 1937 in the Town of Harrison, Marathon County, a son of Joseph and Marie (Schisel) Skarlupka. He married Georgiann Barten on October 17, 1959 in West Allis. They had 55 wonderful years together.
He was an entrepreneur, innovator and patent holder of designs in the material handling industry. He invented many of the systems and equipment in use today by the United States Postal Service.
He started Skarlupka Manufacturing Inc., White Lake in 1976, a business that continues today under the management of his children. In retirement he continued innovating and served as a valuable resource to the business.
Joe valued education and hard work, two qualities he instilled in his children and grandchildren. He took great pride in their accomplishments and valued the time he spent with each of them.
He was an active community member having served on the White Lake Board of Education, was one of the early members of the White Lake Fisheree, a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks Lodge 662, Antigo and St. James and Stanislaus Catholic Parish - White Lake and Langlade.
His hobbies included collecting antique farm engines and Farmall tractors, hunting, fishing and mushrooming.
He is survived by his wife Georgiann, and five children: Lynn (Rob) D'Amato, White Lake, Joe Skarlupka IV, Cecil, Don (Renee) Skarlupka, Deerbrook, Sue (Tom) Stark, Highland Park, Illinois and Sandy (Randy) Rea, Bryant; 16 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; two sisters Irene Frisch, Antigo, MaryJane Fleischman, Crivitz; three brothers George (Carol) Skarlupka, David (Jean) Skarlupka, all of Pelican Lake and Andy (Phyllis) Skarlupka, Merrill.
He was preceded in death by a great-granddaughter Avalon Marilee Reetz; his parents, three sisters, Dorothy Rose, Virginia Laycock and Florence Skarlupka; a brother, Bernard Skarlupka.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Bradley Funeral Home with Deacon James Dennison from St. James and Stanislaus Parish officiating. Burial will take place in Langlade Cemetery. Visitation will be 3:30 - 7 p.m. on Friday at the Bradley Funeral Home and on Saturday from 9 a.m. until the time of services. The Knights of Columbus will recite the rosary at 5:30 p.m. and a parish wake service will be at 7 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation, www.MDA.org.
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Antigo, WI 54409
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Antigo, WI 54409
My sincere condolence for the family of my beloved cousin Joe whom I will always remember, he will be missed.
We are sorry for your loss. Our thoughts are with you and your family during these difficult times.
Prayers and condolences go out to Joe's family and friends. He was a humble man that had an amazing and gentle spirit. I will miss my conversations with him and the jokes we shared. Every time I saw him he had a smile on his face and kind words to say. And I will never forget the day I made him so proud of me. (Inappropriate story, but he sure got a kick out of something I did.) With love and friendship...Godspeed, Joe. ♡ Until we meet again...
Joe always put a smile on my face when he came into Black Bear, sometimes he told the funniest jokes :) RIP Joe!
Georgianne and family, you're in my thoughts and prayers.
Joe was on the school board while I was teaching in White Lake. I remember him as a reasonable and fair man. I also knew Joe outside of the school and enjoyed trap shooting at he range behind their house. My condolences to the Skarlupka family.
Look out heaven, there's a guy coming who already has his wings. I was saddened when told of his passing. Always will remember working on the home front, on the night shift, I sware he never slept. He'd knew when a machine wasn't running, he'd come out when he awoke and ask what the problem was. Well I was trying to make the machine run faster than it was programmed to do, and it sorta broke. He lectured me, but forgot about it just like it never happened. God speed Joe. My condolences to the family.
Good-by Joe! Anna and I grieve your passing with sad hearts.
The manufacturing skills you taught me, I passed on to my Polish students. You got credit for them.
Anna and I know that heaven may run better once you arrive.
Much Love, Anna and George Steed
You are in our thoughts and prayers! Joe was a great man, he'll be deeply missed!
Joe gave me confidence and encouragement during a very difficult time in my life. I will always be grateful for the chance that he gave me. Georgiann and family - please accept my sincere condolences.
Joe was my first employer and I started working for him in high school. He was very generous and inquisitive man. I remember back when his business Motion Systems was justa couple little buildings and one of them burnt down. My first job was to clean the mess up so we could re build. Being young and eager I showed up with my new steel toe boots and tons of ambition. Apparently I gave Joe the impression of "Li'l Abner" so Joe and his son Donnie both chuckled at me and I got to work. Then I was thinking, who's this "Li'l Abner" guy? Well we didn't have internet back then so it took me years to figure it out. Anyhow, I could carry on with stories but I think I'll keep them for myself.
I will leave this as I always addressed him Mr. Skarlupka, thank you for your character and I wish your family well at this time of grief.
Along with our teacher Mrs. Strong, I remember Joe well (and younger brother David) as classmates during the 1940's in the Eau Claire Valley country school in Harrison Township. It's hard to believe some 65 years have passed since then. My older brother, Wesley, knew Bernard
In our same grade were Karl Grosskurth and Betty Holy and for part of the time, Jeanine Archer. My heartfelt condolences to surviving family members, especially his wife and children.
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