Clarence W. Straka

Clarence W. Straka, age 88, of Fennimore, died on Saturday morning, Jan. 6, 2018, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison. Clarence was born on Nov. 10, 1929 in Eden Township, Iowa County, WI the second son of Wencel and Margaret (Winters) Straka.

Clarence lost his mother when he was seven years old, went to live with his aunt and uncle for two years before his father was able to get the family back home together. Times were hard so he was only able to finish the eighth grade. He then went to work doing many odd jobs off the farm besides helping his father on the farm. Clarence continued working both on and off the farm until he began renting from his dad in 1950.

Clarence married Evelyn Graham on Feb. 12, 1952 and together they rented the Straka farm until 1960 when they moved to Fennimore renting the Chester Graham farm, Evelyn’s home place. In 1965, they moved back to the Straka homestead and purchased it from his dad. Clarence farmed there for 50 years until he sold the farm moving to Fennimore in April 1997.

He worked at The Butcher Shop in Fennimore for 13 years. Clarence was a hard worker all his life, and was always there to help others. He enjoyed hunting deer, squirrel and rabbit but cherished dancing with Evelyn. He loved to fish with his children and grandchildren when they were small and in later years was able to spend a week each year with some of them fishing up north. Clarence was a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters since 1946 and liked to work at the fish fry’s at St. Thomas in Montfort and St. Mary’s in Fennimore.

Clarence is survived by his beloved wife Evelyn of Fennimore, eight children, 22 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren; Marcia (Kevin) Shafer of Lisbon, CT with children Angela Shafer and her children Dylan and Cassie McGuire and Jeremy (Mary) Shafer and their daughter Anna; Roger (Eileen) Straka of Bagley with children Sasha Straka and her son Jutu Hasan and Ken (Holly) Straka and their children Jude and Thomas; James (Sally) Straka of Norman, OK with children Joshua (Dedra) Straka and their children Julienne, Trevor, Samantha and Johnathon, Isaac (Emelia) Straka, Matthew (Marissa) Straka, Leah (Andrew) Satterfield and Austin (fiancé Allie) Perkins; Edward (Mary) Straka of Wood Dale, IL with children Douglas (Liliia) and Heidi (fiancé John) Straka; Victoria (Larry) Latiolais of Brooklyn Park, MN with children Rebecca Latiolais and Jessica (Beau) Wright and their children Shayla, Donovan and Aria; Jane (Andrew) Robbins of Lancaster, WI with children Brian (Tracy) Allen, Carey (Matt) Kreul and their children Megan and Michael, Kelly (Mark) Hanke and their children Paxton, Nolan and Brooklyn, Stacy (Doug) Wiedenbeck and their children Allen, Lucas, Vada, Charles and David, and Nathan (Chasity) Allen and their children Lydia Mason and Londyn and Lennyx Allen; Kathleen (Steve) Peterson of Dodgeville, WI with children Michael (Melissa) Peterson and their children Brenden and Laney and Michelle Peterson; Donna (Ernst) Saunders of Brodhead, WI with children Justin (Ashlee) Saunders and their children Emery and Abigail and Monica (Adam MacGeen) Saunders. Clarence is also survived by four sisters; Helen (David) Kite of Montfort, Mary (Joe) Martin of Highland, Blanche (Bernard) Schuld of Marshfield and Lillian Zimmer of Glen Haven and sister-in-laws Hazel and Julie Straka, both of Dodgeville.

Clarence was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Charles and Joseph Straka, sister Margaret Straka and brother-in-law Francis Zimmer.

Funeral services will be held at 10:55 A.M. on Tuesday Jan. 9, 2018 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Fennimore with burial to follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4:00 – 7:00 P.M. on Monday evening Jan. 8, 2018 at Larson Family Funeral Home in Fennimore where a Parish Rosary will be held at 3:30 P.M. Visitation will also be held from 9:30 – 10:30 A.M. on Tuesday morning at the funeral home. In lieu of plants and flowers, a memorial fund is being established in loving memory of Clarence W. Straka.