Jennie A. Schultz, age 100, of Mauston, WI, passed away on Friday, October 18, 2024, at Fair View in Mauston after suffering a fall.  She was born in Millville, MA, on August 9, 1924, to John and Honora (Laczka) Polesky.  

Jennie had an independent spirit; at age 16 she left school and went to work to support herself and help a younger sister. When she was 18, she met a handsome soldier, Robert Schultz, who was stationed at a nearby Army base. They married three years later in 1945 and Jennie, a small-town girl, became a farmer in Columbus, WI. Robert, who passed away in 2017 at age 100, was a native of Mauston.Jennie and Robert moved to the Schultz family farm in Cattail Valley (Mauston)in 1954, where they lived until 2008 when they moved into Mauston.

Jennie thrived on the farm where she gardened, foraged for berries and nuts, canned and froze the bounty she harvested, fed hungry farm crews, and milked cows. Even though she didn’t graduate from high school, Jennie was a continuing learner. She read widely and took several week-long summer classes at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

For many years, Jennie and Robert were reliable volunteers at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Mauston. They taught Sunday School, and Jennie was especially good at organizing potlucks and funeral receptions. She also volunteered at the Hospital Thrift Store, where she always had an eye for a bargain.

For her 100th birthday, Jennie enjoyed celebrations with family and friends who gathered from many places to honor her. Jennie is survived by her daughter Carol Schultz (Craig Adams) of San Diego and a number of nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband Robert, daughter Barbara Schultz, sisters Julia Long and Stella Gray, and brother Walter Polesky.

 

The funeral will be at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 517 Grayside Avenue, Mauston, at 11:00 AM Thursday, October 24, 2024. Visitation at the church will precede the service from 10:00-11:00 AM Thursday. After the church service, a graveside service will take place at the Mauston-Oakwood Cemetery on Attewell Street, followed by a lunch reception at the church.

 

In lieu of flowers or memorial gifts, please consider a donation to a charity of your choosing in Jennie’s memory.