Edith Szymkowiak

Edith M. “Edie” Szymkowiak, 90, of La Crosse, passed peacefully on Saturday, June 2, 2017, at Bethany on Cass.

She was born on December 20, 1926, in Menominee, Mich., to Clarence and Bertha (Martell) Strom. She married the love of her life, Adolph “Murphy” Szymkowiak on July 17, 1948, in Milwaukee, Wis. Adolph preceded her in death on December 2, 2010.

Edith’s loves were her family, sewing, cooking, crafts and baking; and she chose not to pursue a career in sewing and interior design. Her love of sewing had her sewing dresses for her daughter, granddaughters, great granddaughters and other friends and family. With all the things she sewed, her best creations were the wedding dresses for her granddaughters. Her interior design talent was evident in the beauty of the homes in which she lived.

While living in the La Crosse area, Edith was a member of the Red Hat Society, Catholic Daughters, and also an active member of Blessed Sacrament Women’s Club and sewed Baptismal bibs while she was able.

In addition to her husband, she was also preceded in death by an infant daughter, Kathleen; a son, Keith; one brother, Arthur Strom; and one sister, Charlotte Dryja; and her parents.

She is survived by her daughter, Karen (Gaylord) Perry; five grandchildren, Samantha (Tony) Zielke, Anthony Szymkowiak, Stephanie (Ben) Knutson, Patrick Szymkowiak and Caitlyn Szymkowiak; seven great grandchildren, Hayley Perry, Anthony Szymkowiak, Jr., Damon Zielke, Madelyn Fry, Jackson Fry, Arianna Szymkowiak and Tristan Szymkowiak; two siblings, Evelyn (Lee) Wing and Donald (Cloma) Strom; a sister-in-law, Barbara Strom; and nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, June 8 ^th , at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 130 Losey Blvd. So., La Crosse. Rev. Peter Raj will officiate. Burial will follow in Oak Grove Cemetery. Family and friends may call from 9:30 a.m. until the time of Mass on Thursday at the church. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the ALS Foundation (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), the American Diabetes Association or Gundersen Health System Hospice.

The family would like to thank the entire staff at Bethany on Cass for their kind, compassionate care of Edith, also the Hospice team and the entire staff at Hungry Peddler every Sunday for breakfast.

Edith’s favorite saying in these final years was, “I had a good life and now it stinks”, which it did and now she is at peace and will be greatly missed.