Alice “Sue” Tobbe Nowak, age 72 of Beaver Dam, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 5, 2016 at UW-Hospital in Madison.
Sue was born on September 6, 1943 in Chicago, IL, the daughter of Richard J. and Elsie T. (May) Tobbe. She attended St. Brendan School in Chicago, graduated from Visitation Catholic High School in Chicago and earned a bachelor’s degree from UW-Oshkosh. On July 15, 1967, Sue was united in marriage to Joseph J. Nowak at St. Rita of Cascia Catholic Church in Chicago. Sue worked in the billing department at Beaver Dam Community Hospital until her retirement. Sue was a member of St. Katharine Drexel Parish and represented St. Patrick’s Catholic Church during her time spent serving on the Catholic School Consolidation board. She was also a licensed amateur radio operator, known as KB9UYL to many.
Sue had a compassionate heart and was always eager to help others. She loved spending time with her children and grandchildren, and was also very fond of her “fur grand-babies”. She triumphantly climbed the mountains in Rattlesnake Wilderness in Missoula, MT and loved collecting pink flamingos.
Sue is survived by her husband, Joseph of Beaver Dam; her children, Joseph T. (Lisa Butterbrodt) Nowak of Beaver Dam, Therese (Joshua) Draeger of Jefferson and Elizabeth “Beth” (Matthew) Nowak-Schaefer of Stevensville, MT; her grandchildren, Henry and Sonja Schaefer, Mark R. Butterbrodt, Mindy Stilen and Megan Josephs; great-grandchildren, Allison, Damien and Isabella Stilen; her sister, Clare (Russell) Shumaker of Bath, ME; her brother-in-law, Robert Nowak of Princeton, MN; sister-in-law and special friend, Barbara Nowak of Princeton, MN; and further survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Sue was preceded in death by her parents, Richard Tobbe and Elsie (Tom) Legac; brother-in-law, Jerry Nowak and other relatives.
Visitation for Sue will be held on Monday, April 11, 2016 from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. at St. Katharine Drexel Parish, 511 S. Spring St., Beaver Dam with Fr. Mike Erwin as celebrant. Burial will take place at St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery immediately following the Mass.
Memorials in Sue’s name may be directed to St. Labre Indian School (www.stlabre.org) or St. Joseph’s Indian School (www.stjo.org), two Indian schools that held a special place in Sue’s heart.
Cornerstone Funeral & Cremation Services, 135 Keller Blvd., Beaver Dam is honored to be serving the family. You may send private online condolences or sign the family’s guest book at www.cstonefs.com
