Dorothy Kolnik, 82, of Walworth, passed quietly from this life into the next May 13, 2015, and joined her beloved husband, mother, father, sisters, brothers, countless friends and family in eternal rest and peace.
Kolnik was born Aug. 15, 1932, in Woodstock, Ill., to Joseph and Dolly Montgomery.
Her children wrote this about their mother:
“Our mother was the last remaining member and youngest of Joseph and Dolly (Sefton) Montgomery’s 10 children. Mom was a dedicated wife and hard-working stay-at-home mother to the five of us. While she never served in the navy, Mom ran a tight ship – one that would have been the marvel of even the most experienced of admirals. As a disciplined homemaker, mom followed a routine that ordered the universe of her family’s life on the Big Foot Prairie throughout the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
“Mom’s weekly routine allowed her to overcome the chaos created by her dusty and hardworking husband, her five inventive and creative kids (who were inclined to hang out with even more inventive and creative neighbor kids), and, of course, her children’s impressive collection of 4H projects (hogs and cattle). Mondays were for washing; Tuesdays and Wednesdays, ironing; on Thursdays, she would be found running about town doing her errands; Fridays were for cleaning the home from top to bottom; Saturdays involved Mom’s weekly trip to the grocery store as well as her sacred trip to the beauty salon to “get her hair done;” and Sundays always found Mom in a pew at Immanuel United Church of Christ in Walworth before serving her family a big noontime dinner.
“Her tireless work and attention to the details of the home were a significant contribution to her partnership with our father, Ray. Their marriage, which lasted 59 years, was a testament to the way two distinctly different people can successfully complement each other. While Dad was the life of the party, Mom (or, as Dad would call her, ‘Toots’) preferred to make sure that the party’s food and drink were not running low. While Dad was an avid outdoorsman, Mom was an avid indoors-woman, preferring a thick novel to a fishing pole. And while Dad loved a good Chicago Bear’s game, Mom loved a good TV mini-series on CBS. In spite of their differences, they clearly enjoyed one another and cared very deeply about the other’s wellbeing. When Dad died nearly six years ago, though we mourned his passing, we were all especially sad to see the end of their partnership, which truly was something special.
Mom embodied many virtues including honesty, integrity and generosity. It was known that she would not hesitate to use a bar of soap to wash out a mouth that spoke improperly (or, perhaps, properly but with unnecessarily salty language). Mom was committed to raising her children with religious training and therefore, we rarely missed a Sunday morning service or youth group on Sunday nights. We were like the family depicted in the famous Norman Rockwell painting, ‘Gamble With Destiny’ – our dad was in his recliner reading the Chicago Tribune on Sunday mornings as our mom hustled all five of us to church!
As her five children gave her 22 grandchildren, who, in turn, gave her 40 great-grandchildren, Mom’s shopping efforts, for many years, during the holidays demonstrated both her generosity and her tenacity in tracking down just the right gift for each of us. On occasion, mom would secure the help of her friend, Fran Rahn, and together they would herd several little granddaughters on shopping adventures to Walmart and such.
“Mom enjoyed the many snowbird trips to the Hawk’s Nest, in the Florida Keys, that she and Dad took over the years. If you were lucky enough to have spent any time with them during one of their winter trips to Marathon, you would have loved the sunsets as much as the special cast of characters from around the country, who were their close friends.
“Many people may not know of the significant health issues that mom had to embrace early in her adult life, one of which had life-long implications. Mom approached the medical unknown with quiet fortitude and calm determination. As many may know, Dad tragically died on the eve of Mom’s emergency open-heart surgery. In spite of the formidable recovery that she then faced, Mom was resolute that nothing would keep her from attending Dad’s funeral scheduled for later that week. With grit and determination that only surprised those who did not know her well, she willed herself to the funeral home so that she could honor the love of her life and her partner in crime.
“Mom enjoyed a rich life with a faithful husband, five healthy children and then the richness of grandchildren and beyond. Without question, her greatest hope was that the fruit of her life, her family, each one of us, would grow to become decent, capable, and salt-of-the-earth people. Although sad for the separation that death causes, we are thankful to have been blessed by the life of such a faithful, capable and salt-of-the-earth lady. Rest in peace, Mom.
“Our family is very grateful to the kind and caring assisted living staff at the Golden Years of Walworth. We were a bit surprised as to how much teasing and verbal bantering she was capable of giving to all of you.”
Dorothy is survived by her children, Raymond (Jeanne), of Walworth, Mike (Gail), of Walworth, Linda (Rich) Austin, of Walworth, Joe (June), of Walworth, and Tim (Laura), of Sharon; 22 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Lynn Montgomery, of Benton; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond B. Kolnik, whom she married June 17, 1950; five sisters; and four brothers.
Visitation will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at Toynton’s Walworth Funeral Home, 328 Kenosha St. and again Tuesday at Immanuel United Church of Christ of Walworth, 111 Fremont St., from 10 a.m. until the time of service at 11 a.m. Entombment will follow at Roselawn Memory Gardens in Lake Geneva.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to Immanuel United Church of Christ of Walworth.
Toynton Funeral Home is assisting the family.
