Obituary of Darlene M. Jicinsky

Darlene Marie (Rachu) Jicinsky, 81, of Spencer died peacefully at House of the Dove in Marshfield on Friday, March 23, 2018.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11AM on Tuesday, April 3, 2018 at Christ The King Catholic Church in Spencer with Rev. Samuel Martin officiating.  Burial will follow in West Spencer Cemetery.  Family and friends are invited to gather on Monday at Life Tributes Funeral Home in Spencer from 4PM until; 8PM and again on Tuesday at the church from 10AM until time of services.

A parish prayer service will be held at 7:30PM on Monday evening at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be grandsons: Adam and Derek Vaughan, Brian Jicinsky, Matthew Zinsli, Jordan Tyznik, Nick and Max Johnson.  Honorary Pallbearers will be granddaughters: Beth and Kelly Zinsli, Lisa Weston and Maci Altmann.

Darlene Marie was born July 5, 1936 in the Township of Emmet to Ervin and Evelyn (Kurtzweil) Rachu. She attended Enterprise School in the Township of Brighton, Wisconsin, later graduating from Unity High School in 1954. Darlene married Kenneth George Jicinsky, August 11, 1956 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Colby, WI.  They were blessed with eight children: Allen, Debra, Darla, Rhonda, Terry, Christopher, Sherry and Michelle.

Darlene worked at Weinbrenner’s Shoe Factory, Marshfield and then at Land ‘O Lakes, Spencer, retiring in 1996. Darlene was an active member of PCCW and St. Veronica Circle at Christ the King Catholic church in Spencer. She also served as a Girl Scout troop leader and participated in card clubs.  Darlene loved playing cards, reading, bowling, gardening, canning, picking berries, baking, doing puzzles, visiting casinos and traveling. She loved watching her children and later her grandchildren participate in school drama, music and sporting activities. 

Darlene was a very hard worker all her life. Darlene and Ken helped to build the home they lived in most of their married life. She spent many days with Ken ‘down in the woods’ making firewood and was a self-taught wood crafter making furniture and countless numbers of bean bag toss games. Ken and Darlene built a spec house in Spencer and remodeled a house in Stratford as a rental property. 

In retirement, Ken and Darlene wintered nine years in Alamo, Texas and treasured the friendships made there. They also had a wonderful group of Spencer friends.  Darlene especially looked forward to the visits from these friends over the past few months as her health declined.

Darlene’s greatest joy was her family. She loved getting together regularly to play cards with her siblings and their spouses. She was a devoted mother and grandmother and lovingly helped her children in whatever way she was able to over the years and she most appreciated the opportunity to spend time talking with and playing with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Darlene is survived by her husband and her best friend of over 61 years, Ken Jicinsky of Spencer, their eight children: Allen (Gail) Jicinsky, Spencer, Deb (Jon) Zinzli, Verona, Darla (Tim Hovre)Tyznik, Marshfield, Rhonda (Tom Jordens) Jicinsky, Rhinelander, Terry Jicinsky, Las Vegas, NV, Chris (Lisa) Jicinsky, Dayton, OH, Sherry (Scott) Bridges, Las Vegas, NV and Michelle (Tom) Johnson, Marshfield. Her surviving siblings: Glenn (Darlene) Rachu, Donnie (Phyllis) Rachu, Ray (Sharon) Rachu, Sharon (Jerry) Teige and Gloria (Jerry) Butterfield and surviving in-laws: Charles Jicinsky and Delores Petersen.  She will also be dearly missed by her eleven grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren, relatives and friends.

Darlene was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, William Rachu, sister-in-law, Donna Jicinsky and son-in-law, Duane Tyznik.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Darlene’s name are being accepted by her family for a charity to be determined.

Funeral arrangements are under the care of Life Tributes Funeral Home-Spencer.