Dr. Jerome “Jerry” “Skip” “Skipper” Arthur Blachowiak peacefully passed away in his sleep after being with loved ones in the early hours of January 3, 2025, at The Sycamore in River Falls, WI. He valiantly battled Parkinson’s disease for many years.

Jerry was born in South Milwaukee, WI, to Jerome V. and Doris Blachowiak on September 14, 1943. After graduating from South Milwaukee High School, he put himself through college, the School of Dentistry, and the Orthodontics specialty program at Marquette University. While in school, Jerry used his charm and polka dancing skills to sweep his future wife and best friend, Karen, off her feet. The pair married on June 21, 1969. As newlyweds, Jerry and Karen loved to spend time with friends and family and often surprised their nieces and nephew with fun activities.

After graduation, a job opportunity and the love of fishing brought Jerry and Karen to Chippewa Falls, WI, where Jerry owned his orthodontics practice for many years. He passed the value of hard work along to his children. He also shared his love of recreation with his kids, and it was on Lake Wissota that Jerry taught them how to fish, waterski, cross country ski, and ice skate. (In the summers, he also relished recklessly flinging kids off the tube or pulling them up on skis!) Jerry created some of the best Easter egg hunts for all the cousins, and everyone enjoyed family trips to the Twin Cities, ValleyFair, Great America, ski hills, zoos, and Milwaukee Brewers’ games.

Jerry was a man of hobbies, including photography, windsurfing, motorcycling, running, and weightlifting at the Chippewa Valley YMCA. He was a dedicated audiophile and spent hours digitizing music–he had his own streaming service before Napster ever existed! Jerry also had a passion for travel and traversed the US in a rusty RV, with family and friends in tow. He enjoyed other travel adventures and cruises with cousins Jim and Doris Ann, his mom Doris, and sister-in-law, Marilyn.

In retirement, Jerry and Karen built their dream home in Stone Lake, WI. On this property, Jerry created the world's best fishing hole and took pride in guiding friends and family. He also loved making trails on his tractor, farming trees, skiing, hunting deer, snowmobiling, and volunteering with the Stone Lake Lions Club. The house, pond, and land were truly Jerry’s oasis with his family and friends.

Later in retirement, Jerry and Karen wintered in Summerfield, FL, where he discovered pickleball and beach volleyball, and the couple enjoyed games and dinners with friends and neighbors. Jerry and Karen had fun hosting folks from up north, which included golf cart rides, trips to Disney World, and rounds of golf.
While Jerry’s legacy was creating beautiful smiles in the Chippewa Valley, his joy was his eleven grandchildren. He spent hours caring for them as babies–bouncing, rocking, and cradling to sleep, and often relieving exhausted parents. Over the years, Jerry and his grandkids shared countless hours of roughhousing, fishing, playing softball, pickleballing, and playing cards. Later on, Jerry enjoyed their concerts, musicals, dances, sporting events, and visits.

In his final years, Jerry loved watching westerns, eating good food (especially walleye), going on walks, making friends with his assisted living neighbors, seeing his family, and making people laugh. With an unmatched wit and dry sense of humor, Jerry was one of a kind; his deadpan one-liners were epic and will remain in the fondest memories of all who knew him.

Jerry was preceded in death by his wife of over 50 years, Karen, cousin Doris Ann Barbian, parents, and sisters Florence (Jack) Bonorato and Theresa Blachowiak. He is survived by his children Anna Burns, Becky (John) Maher, Christopher (Stephanie) Blachowiak, David (Tiersa) Blachowiak, his grandchildren Avery, Samantha, Addison, Carolina, Leah, Jackson, Embry, Laney, Carley, Grant, and Bryn. He is also survived by lifelong friend Jim Barbian and sister-in-law Marilyn, friends John and Lynn Maher, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Jerry had excellent caretakers, nurses, and doctors. A special thank you to the teams at The Sycamore and Lakeview Hospice.

A celebration of life will be held in Stone Lake WI, on April 25th, 2025 with a mass at St.Philips at 1 pm, followed by a fish fry at Pine Ridge. All are welcome. Please dress in your favorite overalls, Leinenkugel’s, Badgers, Brewers, Bucks, Packers or other casual gear, as Jerry would not have it any other way. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research or the Chippewa Valley YMCA.

Last Update: Jan 14, 2025 11:28 am CST