Patricia A. (Hintz) Stroik, 90, of Galloway, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, at 6:11 p.m. at Marshfield-Medical Center in Weston, surrounded by family.
Pat was born on Jan. 8, 1934, in Galloway, Town of Franzen, to John and Bernice (Schultz) Hintz. She was raised on a farm between Shanty Town and Bevent. She attended Polk School, which was a one-room schoolhouse with grades 1-8.
In 1949, at the age of 15, she had to quit school to help raise her eight younger siblings when her mother got sick with tuberculosis and was admitted to the River Pines Sanatorium, located in the Village of Whiting, for three years.
On Sept. 21,1953, Pat was united in marriage to Raymond Stroik at St. Ladislaus Catholic Church in Bevent. Ray preceded her in death on Jan. 22, 2012. They were blessed with 12 children.
Pat started driving school bus in 1972, after Ray became disabled. She drove for 38 years and gained many friends including her close friend, Cheri Klapste. She also taught CCD at St. Joseph Church for about 30 years and was a communion minister for many years. Pat started the Czarnina Dinner at the church in Galloway, which lasted close to 50 years. She was also a co-founder of Galloway Days in 1969, which has grown considerably and continues to celebrate the Galloway area.
Pat is survived by 11 children, Paul (Kari), Mike (Julie), Joe (Cindy), Charmayne Paap (Ron), Pam (Mark) Smith, Lorraine Skibba (Conrad), John, Monica (Todd) Abt, Frank (Shelly), Sam (Kristi), Sally (Tom) Barlament; 26 grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren with another one due in February.
She is also survived by siblings, Sylvester (Patricia) Hintz, Delphine Wrycza, Daniel (Shirley) Hintz, Helen (Bill) Mullozzi.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Raymond; daughter, Mary Ann in infancy; parents, John and Bernice (Schultz) Hintz; siblings, Phyllis in infancy, Bernice (Junie), Susie, Lucille, Stanley, Jack and John.
Our hearts are broken, but we were blessed to have known her and to be raised by her. We have learned many valuable lessons from her that we will carry throughout our lives and that we can pass on to our own children and grandchildren just as she would have wanted.
Thank you to the wonderful staff at Marshfield-Medical Center in Weston for the care and support of our mother.
A Mass of Christian Burial will held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Galloway. Rev. Francis X. Dias will officiate. Burial will be in the parish cemetery at a later date. Visitation will be on Friday, from 4-6:30 p.m., with a rosary being recited at 6:30 p.m. at the church. Visitation will resume on Saturday from 9 a.m. until the time of Mass at the church.
Schmidt & Schulta Funeral Home, Wittenberg, is assisting the family with arrangements. Memories and messages of support may be shared at schmidtschulta.com.
Patricia A. (Hintz) Stroik
