About Dad

Please enjoy these songs I have choosen as you visit with our family here.

Video 1: Harry Chapin, "Cat's in the Cradle" reminds me of much of our family life until Dads retirement.

Video 2: Cat Stevens, "Father and Son" has some feeling of connection in our lives.

Viedo 3: Cat Stevens, "Child for a Day" provokes deeper thoughts, but also reminds me of Dad with his grandchildren, the pleasure of seeing him interact with them and how much he loved them, the evidence of this is more in the title of the song than the song itself.

Gerald Phillip Worzella

May 26, 1939 to July 15, 2010

Gerald P. Worzella, 71, of 5777 Clark St., Stevens Point, died Thursday, July 15, 2010, at Ministry Saint Michael's Hospital, Stevens Point.

A funeral Mass will take place at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Peter Catholic Church, Stevens Point, with the Rev. George Thayilkuzhithottu officiating. Burial will take place later. A visitation will take place Sunday at Boston Funeral Home, Stevens Point, from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m., and again Monday in the St. Faustina Room, St. Peter Catholic Church, from 10 a.m. until the time of services. A rosary will be prayed at 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

Gerald was born May 26, 1939, in Marshfield, to the late Charles and Regina (Trezbiatowski) Worzella. He grew up and went through schools in Auburndale, graduating from Columbus High School in Marshfield in 1957. He attended St. Lawrence Seminary and then college in Dubuque, Iowa.

He worked in banking for many years, and then owned and operated Point Supply until retirement.

Gerald married Genevieve Rose Kaiser in 1960. She preceded him in death Oct. 10, 1984. He married Bonnie Soik on Feb. 18, 1986, in Las Vegas. She survives.

Gerald was a member of Knights of Columbus Council No. 1170. He was past member of the Elks Club, Lions Club, Moose Club and Izaak Walton League. In earlier years, he enjoyed trap shooting, golf and softball. He helped to start a baseball league in Marshfield in the 1960s and began the J Trap Club. He also enjoyed traveling, playing cards and fishing.

Survivors, besides his wife, Bonnie, include children, Thomas Worzella of Stevens Point, Maria Worzella-Arce of Orlando, Fla., Robert (Julie) Worzella of Stevens Point, Jane Repinski of Wausau, Alan (Janine) Worzella of Plover, and Laurie (Franco) Terango of Calabasas, Calif.; and one sister, Frances (Gerald) Beyerl of Marshfield. He was further survived by 18 grandchildren, Travis, David, Maria, Rebecca, Steven, Alexander, Nicholas, Jeremy, Andrew, Vincent, Kaylee, Kaytlyn, Jenna, Cody, Roman, Sophia, Aria and Nicolo.

Gerald was preceded in death, besides his first wife and parents, by a son, David in 1961; and a brother and sister.

Link to Stevens Point Journal Obituary

Humor/Discipline

a true story from oldest son Thomas

Dad had a way of disciplining us that helped us choose where the battle grounds should be as we got older... at home it was kind of a let us have it way. But if we were smart enough to go into his office at work he used a more enlightening approach...

I remember in my late teens, Dad called me to come to his office. He had learned that I was squealing tires around town with his truck the evening before... foolish me, there was no way possible anyone could not notice that one of a kind king cab vehicle, everyone knew whose truck it was.

So when I sat down he looked at me and said "Tom, do you know what happens when you squeal the tires on the truck?" I was quiet and somehow surprised he found out, imagine that?

He took a pencil from his pencil cup. I remember it had a brand new eraser on it. He turned it upside down and dragged it across his desk matt leaving a trail of eraser dust. "That's what happens every time you squeal the tires, you wear the rubber right off tires, and do you what tires cost?" He didn't say much after that and didn't have to, his demonstration hit home with me. It also stayed with me to this day. That moment is one of many moments that has inspired me in the way I communicate today. Thank goodness he didn't hear about my friends mooning out the windows as we drove through downtown!

More

Jerry & Jenny Jerry & Bonnie

24 years 24 years

Dad grew up in Auburndale Wisconsin a small town near Marshfield where his family owned the Auburndale General Store.

It's true Dad attended Seminary School, hard to believe if you knew him well, but he came full circle in his life - smile!

Dad built the first home we all lived in at 3309 Center in Stevens Point. He also did much of the work on our second home at 5459 Oriole Lane in BlueBird Acres in Stevens Point. I beleive we moved there in 1973.

We lost our mom to an auto accident October 10th 1984 and Dad eventually remarried to Bonnie Soik, They were married in Las Vegas, Bonnie smiled when she told us they where married in casual attire wearing their tennis shoes. Bonnie has become a loved second mom to us and a wonderful wife for my dad.

A song that recently seemed to cheer dad up is

"The Entertainer"

The Entertainer is a 1902 classic piano rag written by Scott Joplin.

One of the classics of ragtime, it returned to top international prominence as part of the ragtime revival in the 1970s, when it was used as the theme music for the 1973 Oscar-winning film The Sting. Composer and pianist Marvin Hamlisch's adaptation reached number three on the Billboard pop chart in 1974 and spent a week at number one on the adult contemporary chart that same year.

Dad also loved oldies tunes from the 50's and 60's, a love passed down to his children listening to the old 45's on a juke box in the basement of their first home. I remember some of the songs like The Duke of Earl, Moon River, Little Nash Rambler and so many more.

He was an avid sports fan and very active in baseball and basket ball in his younger days. I remember him telling me stories of how he started his own teams, he sure had all the equipment. We used to play with it as kids setting up his bases in the feild across from the house, dragging out his collection of many bats and trying on the catchers equipment. He also enjoyed golf, shooting trap and fishing.

He had a long career in banking beggining before he was married. I remember the roll top desk he had back when he was with the Amherst Junction Bank. The scene kind of reminds me of a bank that might be in "Petticoat Junction" a TV show from the early 60's.

In the early 70"s he was instrumental in starting the Bank of Park Ridge were he was bank president. Dad had the opportunity to meet and help many people over his years in banking. Many of them still remain friends of our family.

Around 1990 Dad joined the family in The Point Supply, a business he helped his son Thomas start in 1982. It had become a family run business. Even after retirement he still remained active in the business until his passing. The business is now operated by his son Robert who has been a part of the business since near it's beggining.

Older Family Photo

Dad, Aunt Joyce, Aunt Pat, Uncle Fritz

Dad and Grandma Kaiser

I will be adding more content as our family takes more time to reflect.

You are welcome to join me on facebook.

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Thomas Worzella

Staying Plugged In!