Douglas Allan Kowalzek

Douglas “Dougie” Kowalzek, 56 year old resident of Pierz, MN, passed away at his home on July 27. A visitation will be held on Thursday, August 1 from 4:00 – 7:00 P.M. at Emblom Brenny Funeral Service in Pierz. A prayer service will be held at 7:00 P.M. on Thursday evening at Emblom Brenny Funeral Service. The burial will be held on Friday, August 2 at 10:00 A.M at St. John’s Nepomuk Cemetery in Lastrup.

Douglas “Dougie” Kowalzek was born October 7, 1967 in Little Falls, Minnesota to Del Roy “Barney” and Shirley (Tretter) Kowalzek. Doug grew up in the Lastrup area with two siblings, Kenny and Paula. He attended Pierz Healy High School. Doug started working right out of school doing various jobs and then proudly worked for Pierz Marine at the Pierz location for just over 15 years. After that, he was self-employed working with Larry Woitalla in the wood processing business for many, many years. After Larry passed away in 2021, he started working for Jeremy and Jessica Lucking (Lucking Farm and Forest Products) and worked there up until his death.

In addition to his immediate family, throughout the years Doug was part of two other families that meant the world to him. The Larry Woitalla family and the Jeremy and Jessica Lucking family. Larry and Doug were best friends. If you seen one, you would also see the other. Larry’s dad and sisters treated him as one of their own.

Doug began working for the Lucking family in June of 2021 and quickly became a part of their every day life. Doug thought of Jeremy and Jessica as his kids, and Jeremy and Jessica’s kids as his grandkids. They truly brought light to Doug’s days after Larry passed away and even got Doug to do things he never did before, such as jumping in the lake.

Doug was kind, generous, a loyal friend and a hard worker who loved his family, friends and neighbors. He enjoyed planting gigantic gardens, canning the vegetables and then sharing his famous pickles with everyone. He enjoyed driving around the neighborhood with friends and watching football every Sunday with them.

Doug is loved by so many and will be greatly missed.

Left to cherish his memory are his siblings Kenny (Kris) Kowalzek of Pierz, and Paula (Gary) Jutz of Pierz; Nephews, Robby Kowalzek of Hillman, Ryan Kowalzek of Pierz, Jeremy (Megan) Jutz of Foley; niece, KayLee (Gregorio) Salcedo of Jacksonville, Florida.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Shirley Kowalzek on November 12, 1997 and his dad, DelRoy “Barney” Kowalzek on February 17, 2013.

Emblom Brenny Funeral Service is Cherishing the Memory and Celebrating the Life of Douglas.