Caroline Victoria Lato, 96, of Stratford, entered into eternal life peacefully on Monday, December 16, 2024, at Lilac Springs Assisted Living in Lake Mills, Wisconsin.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, December 28, 2024, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Stratford with Father Sengole Vethanayagam officiating. The Mass will be streamed online at www.facebook.com/rehmsfuneralhomes. Visitation will be held on Saturday morning at the church from 9:30 am until the time of service. Burial will follow at St. Hedwig New Cemetery in Thorp with grandsons serving as pallbearers.
Caroline (“Carol”) was born on October 29, 1928, in Thorp, Wisconsin, to Anton and Katherine (Ciak) Sobolewski, both immigrants from Poland. She attended Pineland Grade School and graduated from Thorp High School in 1946, after which she worked at the Ben Franklin store in Thorp. Carol was united in marriage to Joseph J. Lato on June 19, 1948, at St. Hedwig Catholic Church in Thorp. Together they farmed on Joe’s parents farm located south of Thorp until 1954 when Joe left farming to work as a telegrapher for the Chicago Northwestern railroad in southern Wisconsin.
In 1956, Carol and Joe acquired the McCrory Hardware store in downtown Stratford which then became known as Stratford Hardware. They owned and operated the business through 1988 and as a couple were awarded the “Citizen of the Year” award by the Stratford Area Chamber of Commerce that year. Together they raised five children in their apartment located above the hardware store. Upon selling the business, they built and moved into their retirement home in Stratford.
As a couple, Carol and Joe were also active real estate developers in Stratford. In 1970, they purchased the Dr. Otto Klemme Dental building, remodeled it into five apartments, and rented the units until the sale of the building in 2001. In 1974, they purchased the 40-acre Carl Spindler Fur Farm, a non-operating mink farm on which was also located the former Stratford Speedway active during the 1950s and 60s and developed it into residential lots known as Southridge Estates. Lastly, in 1990, they developed the Stratford Mini-Storage Rentals which they operated for a decade.
Carol was a long-time member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. She enjoyed gardening, playing piano and accordion (both by ear), polka and square dancing, and crocheting. To meet her ever-present selling itch during retirement years, Carol enjoyed ongoing customer interactions while hosting annual garage sales. Right through to the end of her life, Carol was always up for a good card game of Hand & Foot or Pinochle with family and friends. Carol and Joe enjoyed spending special time at their family cottage on the Big Eau Pleine Flowage over a 38-year period.
Carol is survived by her children, Janice (Soud) Lato Al-Mishwit of Oconomowoc, Gary (Joan) Lato of Waukesha, Diane (Kurt) Knauff of Madison, Greg (Jennifer) Lato of San Ramon, California, and son-in-law Ron Griese of Longmont, Colorado. She is also survived by ten grandchildren – Haroun (Hessah) and Omar (Karen) Al-Mishwit; Nicolette Griese; Bethany and Daniel Lato, and Kristin (Timm) Sautter; Robert and Thomas Knauff; and Matthew and Caitlin Lato. She is further survived by four great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by Joseph, her husband of 74 years, in June 2022; daughter Kathleen Griese in 2001; her parents; her brother – Henry Soboleski; and her sisters – Lottie Jastczemski and Helen Lenert.
Memorials may be designated to St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Stratford, or St. Bernard & St. Hedwig Catholic Church in Thorp.
Condolences may be sent online to www.rembsfh.com.
The family wishes to extend a special thank you to the committed staff of Rainbow Hospice Services in Johnson Creek, WI; Lilac Springs Assisted Living in Lake Mills, WI; and Stoney River Assisted Living in Marshfield, WI for their kind and loving care.
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Author: News Desk
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