Wednesday, October 9, 2024
William “Bill” L. Kowalski, 79, of Peshtigo, WI passed away on Thursday, September 26, 2024, at Rennes East after a battle with Bulbar Onset ALS. He was born on April 23, 1945, to the late William and Ruth (Mund) Kowalski in lower Michigan. Bill graduated from Montague High School in 1963, where he lettered in golf, basketball, and cross country. He attended Muskegon Community College where his cross country team won the 1963 NJCAA National Championship. He then attended Grand Valley State College earning a B.S. in Physical Education. He was proud to have lettered in sports in college and to have been inducted into the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame. Bill joined the US Navy Reserve, serving two years active duty 1969-1971. Following service, he went back to school at Grand Valley State and earned a degree in Environmental Science, and furthered that with his Masters at Michigan Tech. On April 21, 1979, Bill married Linda Gustafson in Shawano while working for the USDA as a Soil Scientist, moving around Wisconsin until settling in Peshtigo in 1990. He worked as the Marinette County Conservationist and later became the Marinette County Veterans Service Officer, retiring in May of 2016. He loved the outdoors, hiking, golfing, basketball, running, and presenting at conferences. He was a member of Little River Country Club, and won several Senior Tournament events.
Bill is survived by his wife of 45 years, Linda Kowalski of Peshtigo; sons, Paul and Byron of Milwaukee; sister, Lenee (Conrad) Owens of Florida; brother, Bruce (Vicki) Kowalski of Whitehall, MI; brother in law, Gary (Mary) Gustafson of Zionsville, IN; and nieces and nephew.
At Bill’s request no services will be held. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery in Peshtigo.
