Robert W. Knishka

Robert Wayne “Bob” Knishka, 90, of Kronenwetter, Wisconsin, passed away on Friday May 3, 2024, his loving wife at his side.  He was born on April 10, 1934, to Joseph Jr and Susan Knishka in Park Falls, Wisconsin.   After graduating from Park Falls High School Bob volunteered for the U.S. Navy from 1953 to 1957 achieving the rank of Petty Officer First Class.   During this period, he served in Alaska on the Aleutian Islands, and later on the aircraft carrier USS Princeton.

After the Navy he moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he was employed at the Milwaukee Gas Company.    It was in Milwaukee that he met his wife Veronica “Verna” Grabko.   They were married on September 12, 1959 at St. Ladislaus Catholic Church in Bevent, Wisconsin and settled in Park Falls where he worked for the Flambeau Paper Mill.   It was also during this time that they had their children; James “Jim” in June of 1960 and Traci in December of 1963.   

In 1965 the family moved to Wausau so that Bob could attend college.   He graduated in 1969 from U.W. Stevens Point with a degree in Economics.    Bob accepted a job as a Computer Programmer in the very early days of the profession at Wausau Insurance Company where he worked until his retirement in 1995 as a Systems Analyst.

Bob enjoyed taking the family on many camping trips to the islands on the Flambeau Flowage and the lakes in the Chequamegon National Forest.   He and Verna also enjoyed traveling.   They would get the car packed up and then decide north, south, east or west!    After retirement they traveled to Marble Falls, Texas and later Lake Placid, Florida for the winter to golf and enjoy the warmth.    Bob was a lifelong Catholic and a member of St. Mark Catholic Church in Rothschild.  He enjoyed watching the Brewers, Packers, and Badgers.   Bob also loved reading and his favorite topic was American History encompassing the Revolutionary War, Civil War, and WWI and WWII.

Bob is survived by his wife, Verna Knishka and their children James (Anita) Knishka, Madison; and Traci (Perry) Landowski, Ringle.  He is further survived by grandchildren Kaitlyn (Travis) Inda, Madison; Alex Knishka, Madison; Ethan Landowski, Ringle; and Madeline (Somsai) Aphayrath, Appleton; and his great-grandchildren Lennea Knishka, Averie and Graysen Inda, and Amelia Lipschitz.  In addition, Bob’s brothers and sisters-in-law Elsie Knishka, Irene Loberg, Violet Grabko-Woodell, Joseph (Annie) Grabko, Clarence (Francis) Grabko, and former daughter-in-law Lori (Bob) Parker.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph Jr and Susan Knishka, his parents-in-law Alexander and Elizabeth Grabko, his brother Thomas Knishka, and his brothers and sisters-in-law Ray (Evelyn) Grabko, Tony (Rosemary) Grabko, Casper Loberg, Pauline (Vernon) Fellbaum, Cal Woodell, Emmerich Wojtalewicz and Albert Dombrowski.

The funeral mass for Bob will be held on Friday May 17, 2024,  at St. Mark Catholic Church in Rothschild, WI.   Visitation will take place at the church beginning at 9:30 am followed by a Mass at 11:30 am.  

The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at U.W. Hospital, Madison, Meriter Hospital, Madison, and at Aspirus Hospital in Wausau.   Also, a special thank you to the Doctors and Nurses of the Hospice unit with Aspirus.