Rita M. Patoka, 81, 1920 Ellis Road, Custer, died Tuesday, March 27, 2012, at her home following a long battle with cancer, while under the care of Aspirus Comfort Care & Hospice.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Polonia, with the Rev. Greg Michaud officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary of Mount Carmel Cemetery in Fancher.
Visitation will be at Pisarski/Dzikoski Funeral Home in Stevens Point from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, with a rosary at 7 p.m., and at the church from 9:30 a.m. Saturday until the Mass.
Memorials in her name will be established at a later date.
Condolences may be offered online at www.pisarskifuneralhome.com.
Mrs. Patoka was born May 31, 1930, in the town of Stockton, a daughter of the late Edward and Agnes (Gumney) Cieslewicz. She attended Prairie Grade school in the town of Stockton and graduated from P.J. Jacobs High School in 1948.
She was married to Clifford Patoka on May 13, 1950, at St. Mary of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Fancher.
The couple lived in Nelsonville most of their married life, moving to Custer in 2003.
She worked part-time in the summers at Del Monte in Plover for 22 years.
She was a member of the Sacred Heart and St. Mary’s Rosary Societies. She was past president of St. Mary’s Rosary Society and past secretary for the Sacred Heart Rosary Society. She served two years as president of the Stevens Point Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Deanery.
Survivors include her husband; two sons, William (Carol) and Robert (Mary), both of Amherst; one daughter, Barbara Jean (Kenneth) Richter, Rosholt; eight grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
She was also receded in death by one infant son and two brothers.
