Geraldine A. 'Geri' Wicklund

ARKDALE, Wis. - Geraldine A. "Geri" Wicklund, 78, of Arkdale, formerly of Hurley, passed peacefully with family by her side on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, at Aspirus Riverview Hospital in Wisconsin Rapids.

Geri was born on Sept. 4, 1945, in Ironwood, Michigan, the daughter of the late John and Jean Kopacz. She grew up on Cary Road in Hurley, and graduated from J.E. Murphy High School in Hurley in 1963. After high school graduation, Geri moved to the Milwaukee area, where she began her more than 30-year career at Northwestern Mutual Insurance Company. She retired in 2000.

Geri married the love of her life, Glenn "Mishko" Wicklund, on Nov. 16, 1968, at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Milwaukee. For 30 years, they made their home in New Berlin. Glenn and Geri, and their dogs, Dusty and Ruffles, valued spending weekends at their lake home on the Petenwell Flowage in Arkdale, and the many friends and neighbors they met through the years. Together they enjoyed traveling, the Green Bay Packers, fishing trips to Canada and hunting trips up north. Geri was a devoted and loyal caregiver to Glenn through his battle with ALS to which the Wicklund family is forever grateful for.

Geri is survived by her brother, Jack Kopacz; two brothers-in-law, Dale Wicklund and Jim (Kate) Wicklund; and her sister-in-law, Bonnie Sawicki. Geri is further survived by many cherished nieces, nephews and friends.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Glenn, on April 12, 2005; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Mauri and Helen Wicklund; her sister-in-law, Sue Kopacz; her brother-in-law, John Sawicki; and her special companion, Dick Breitenbach.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, Oct. 21, at 11 a.m., preceded by visitation at 10 a.m., at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 404 Iron St., in Hurley, with the Rev. Hrudaya Raju Sunkara, celebrant.

Rite of Committal and interment will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery in Hurley.

Luncheon will be served at the parish hall immediately upon return from the cemetery.

"I'd like the memory of me to be a happy one. I'd like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is done. I'd like to leave an echo whispering softly down the ways, of happy and laughing times and bright and sunny days. I'd like the tears of those who grieve, to dry before the sun of happy memories that I leave when life is done."

Jerald Rocco, owner and manager of Lakeside Memorial Chapel Inc., in Wakefield, Michigan, is assisting the family. To send online condolences, please go to lakesidememorialchapel.com.