JOSEPH ZVOLENA, age 93, of Loyal, passed away at Marshfield Medical Center, in Marshfield, on Sunday, September 23, 2018. Funeral services will be held at 10:30am on Saturday, September 29, 2018 at York Center Methodist Church, rural Granton. Rev. Patsy Roe will officiate, and burial will follow in the York Center Cemetery. Pallbearers will be his grandchildren: Matt Tellock, Logan Zvolena, Danny Zvolena, Lee Zvolena Dusty Zvolena, Ben Kortokrax, and Melanie Rayhorn. Visitation will be held at the church on Friday, September 28, 2018 from 4pm to 8pm, and again on Saturday, from 9:30am until time of service.
Joseph Zvolena was born in Milladore, WI, to Paul and Theresa (Pecena) Zvolena. He was raised on the family farm and received his education in the Milladore area. After his schooling, Joe helped his dad on the farm, and worked for Joe Brandl building barns. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1946, and served overseas in Korea, until his honorable discharge. He was united in marriage to Leona I. Jadack in 1948 in Milladore. They farmed on his parents farm until 1952, at which time they purchased their own farm in the Town of York, south of Loyal. While farming in Loyal, Joe also worked at the St. Croix Fishing Pole factory in Loyal, Easy Camper and Black River Camper in Loyal, as well as owning and operating a backhoe business installing drain tiles in many farm fields, operated heavy equipment for a pipeline company in Rhinelander, and was the Town of York patrolman for several years. In 1985, they built a home in the Town of York and retired from farming. He resided at home until entering the Colonial Center, in Colby, in 2016.
He was a member of York Center Methodist Church, the Loyal American Legion Post #175, the Czech Slovak Singers, and the Black River Bowman’s Club for many years.
Joe had many interests, but especially loved spending time with his family, deer hunting, playing the button accordion, square dancing, traveling, and their many trips to Canada to fish, hunt moose, and pick blueberries.
He will be dearly missed by 3 daughters: Judy Lord (Wally Baehr) of Withee, Barbara (Bill) Kortokrax of Cedar Lake, IN, Cindy (Dan) Burns of Marshfield; 4 sons: Jesse (Yvette) Zvolena of Loyal, Mike (Nancy) Zvolena of Loyal, Ted (Pat) Zvolena of Loyal, Roger (Lori) Zvolena of Spencer; 22 grandchildren; 43 great-grandchildren; one daughter-in-law: Cindy Zvolena of Loyal; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Joe was preceded in death by his wife, Leona; his son, John J. Zvolena; his daughter-in-law: Pamela Zvolena; 2 brothers: Frank and Paul Zvolena; and 5 sisters: Nora Jadack, Emma Haasl, Mary Haasl, Ann Trottier, and Rose Derzinski.
His family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the staff at the Colonial Center and at the Marshfield Medical Center’s Palliative Care Unit for their compassionate care given to Joe during his stay with them.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the York Center United Methodist Church.