John A. Waletski

John Waletski, age 72 of Bowlus, MN passed away Saturday, January 19, 2008 at his home in Two Rivers Township. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday, January 23, 2008 at 10:30 A.M. at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Bowlus. Visitation will be held from 4:00-8:00 P.M. Tuesday and from 9:00-10:30 A.M. Wednesday at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church. Parish prayers will be held at 5:30 P.M. Tuesday evening at the church in Bowlus, followed by Bowlus American Legion Rosary at 7:00 P.M. John A. Waletski was born March 23, 1935 in Morrison County, MN to the late Alex and Sophie (Opatz) Waletski. He grew up on the family farm in Two Rivers Township. He attended country school in District 8 and graduated from Royalton High School with the Class of 1954. Between his Junior and Senior year of high school, John worked on a ship on the Great Lakes. He entered the United States Army on July 21, 1954 in Minneapolis, MN and received an Honorable Discharge on June 7, 1956 at Fort Sheridan, IL. While in the military, he earned the National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal. After returning from the service, John worked construction stuccoing buildings. He was united in marriage to Helaine Kuklok on September 2, 1959 at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Opole, MN. Following their marriage, John and Helaine lived for 1-1/2 years in St. Cloud then moving to the Waletski Century Family Farm in Two Rivers Township, Morrison County, MN where he resided until his death. John attended Moller Barber College in Minneapolis, MN. He worked one year in Pierz, MN, 15 years at Gene's Barber Shoppe in St. Cloud and then as a custodian for the Royalton School District. John enjoyed working on and restoring Farmall Tractors, woodworking, snowmobiling, puzzles, auctions, volunteering at his church, working the soil during the spring planting season and spending time with his grandchildren. He was a member of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Bowlus and the Bowlus American Legion. John is survived by his wife, Helaine; daughter & son, Lynn Lesnau & husband, Richard, of Garfield, MN, David Waletski & wife, Judith, of Royalton, MN; son-in-law, Larry Parsons of Sartell, MN; brothers, James Waletski & wife, Rita, of Chanhassen, MN, Robert Waletski & wife, Carol, of Brooklyn Park, MN; grandchildren, Paul, Ryan & Sara Lesnau, Kayla & Heidi Parsons and Allyson & Amanda Waletski. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Ann Parsons in 1994; parents, Alex & Sophie Waletski; brother Delmar "Butch" Waletski and sisters, Lorraine Surma and Delores Booth. Casketbearers are Paul Lesnau, Ryan Lesnau, Scott Paggen, Eric Waletski, Jeremy Dombrovski, Wade Wittwer, Brian Waletski & Donald Surma.