Mildred Ruth Oberski

With great sadness, our family announces that, on April 18, 2021, God called Mildred Ruth Oberski, at the age of 94, to move to her new home in Heaven.  She was born on June 25, 1926, to David (d.1930) and Blanche (Trepkowski) (d. 1993) Bezemek/Bismack. Her stepfather was Edward Makowski (d.1989).

Her family hopes you are among the lucky ones who knew her.  After God created her, He broke the mold.  Big mistake!  What He should have done was use the mold to make about a billion other people as wonderful as she was!

Mildred attended school in Minden Township and Sigel Township where she completed 8^th grade at Duda School.  She left home at 13 ½ years old to work for Dr. Holdship in Ubly.  During that same time, she completed two years at Ubly High School.  Instead of continuing her education, she moved to Detroit where she had several jobs:  making fuse boxes at Square D, making cookies in a bakery, and caring for a little girl as a nanny for a Grosse Pointe family.

When Mildred met David Oberski, she liked him because he talked a lot and made her laugh.  They married in Parisville’s St. Mary Church on a cold windy day, November 3, 1945.  They moved into the Oberski family home with Lucy, David’s mother.  Mildred lived on that centennial farm over 70 years.

David Oberski predeceased her on August 12, 2002.

David and Mildred were successful partners in their agricultural business.  In 1985 they discontinued dairy farming but continued grain farming. They taught their children that the path to success requires hard work and responsibility.  Chores were assigned in the home and around the farm, such as hoeing weeds out of beans, milking cows, feeding the farm animals, hauling hay and straw, and washing the car, tractors, and equipment.  They taught their children to be honest and generous, and to appreciate family.

Mildred’s strength stemmed from prayer which to her was as necessary as eating and breathing. She possessed a lifelong profound devotion to her Catholic faith.  She turned to the Lord Who kept her strong through difficult challenges, especially during thirteen years when she was caretaker for her husband David who suffered a stroke in 1989.  She was a parishioner of St. Mary Church (St. Isidore) in Parisville her entire life and served for many years as Eucharistic Minister. As an active member of the Rosary Sodality for over 60 years, she worked at the annual church picnics well into her 90’s and always donated food including three pies, often lemon meringue.  She also served as a sodality officer.

Her pastimes included reading newspapers, magazines, and books from the Ubly Library.  She enjoyed watching sports: bowling, Detroit Tigers, Michigan State University football and basketball.  She followed the local high school sports on the radio. Days of our Lives was her favorite soap opera.  Each of her children, their spouses, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren has received one of her hand-stitched quilts. She always sent a birthday card to each one.  Crocheting doilies, towel ties, and afghans also was a hobby.  She never sat still unless for a game of cards.  In recent years, the highlight of each week was driving to The Gathering Place on Tuesday and to the Ubly Center on Thursday for euchre with her lady friends.

Her cooking and baking talent astounded her family. She could prepare with joy a huge meal on short notice, often using frozen or home-canned vegetables and fruit, especially tomatoes, peaches, raspberries, strawberries, and apples. The aroma of homemade bread, pies, paczki, golabki, pierogi, and sauerkraut filled her home.  If a person stopped in for a visit, he often went home with a loaf of bread or a jar of jam or some other item from her well-stocked stand-up freezer.  Although the family has the recipe, no one has been able to duplicate her delicious bread.  At the age of 87, she finally gave up a large garden.  She lived independently and mowed her lawn with a riding lawn mower until the age of 92.  She was young at heart her entire life and always wore a smile.

Mildred listened to each of her children and then offered her opinion and advice.  She “told it like it was.” She was God’s gift to her family, guiding them on the right path. They will miss hearing her say, “Love you, kiddo.” Although her earthly voice is quiet now, they can hear her in their hearts.

One of her dreams for her children was that each earn a college degree. She herself did not possess a high school diploma, but she self-educated by reading and watching TV news. Mildred and David preached, “Get an education.” They sacrificed to help each attend college. Each of their children is grateful for their encouragement and support. Mildred saw their successes in school, work, and raising their families.  They are proof that she accomplished her life’s mission.

She loved her four children and their spouses, eight grandchildren, and her sixteen great-grandchildren, and they will never stop loving her. Her survivors include:

The family of Elaine (Harvey) Messing from Grand Rapids, MI, includes: Jason Messing from Phoenix, AZ, and his children Kiera and Christian; Katie (Brett) Krueger from Grand Rapids, MI, and their children Sarah, Julia, and Ian; Anne (Dan) Meeuwsen from Rockford, MI, and their children Anneliese and Eliana.

Her son, Thomas (Catherine Friedrichs) Oberski lives in San Antonio, TX.

The family of Dennis Yamamoto from Reno, NV, includes:  Jill (Andy) Buffington from Tacoma, WA, and their children Jacob and Roman; Kyle (Carrie Dekoski) from Reno, NV, and their sons Tanner and Connor.

The family of Michael (Judy Mixter) Oberski includes: Kimberly (Nick) Wagner from Bay City, MI, and their children Jack and Ava; Nicholas (Laura Harris) Oberski from Austin, TX, and their children Isaiah and Annie Ruth; and Katrina (Andrew) Kreichelt and their son Leo.

Mildred is also survived by her sister and brother-in-law Marion and Willis Wilkowski from Richmond, MI; her sister-in-law Suzanne Makowski from Ruth, MI; her godson, David Jaroch from Ubly, MI, and many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband David Oberski (d.2002), father David Bezemek/Bismack (d.1930), her stepfather Edward Makowski (d.1989), her mother Blanche Trepkowski Bezemek Makowski (d.1993), her brother Elmer James Makowski (d.2012), and her sister and brother-in-law Lillian (d.2001) and Lambert (d.1992) Jaroch, and her daughter Mary Jean Yamamoto (d.2020).

There are many other relatives from her husband’s family who will greet Mildred in Heaven. David Oberski’s parents were Leo and Lucy (Czewski)  Oberski. His siblings were: Anna (Stanley) Susalla, Victoria (John) Wrubel, Theodore (Vera) Oberski, Julius (Julia Romzek) O’Bee, Albert (Gertrude Cook) Oberski, Roman (Irene Schefka) Oberski, Isabel (Sylvester) Wodwaska, Isadore (Rita Grifka) Oberski, and Irene (Ted) Lamke.  What a party it will be when they are reunited!

Her family wishes to thank all the people in her life who helped her, especially in her final days. A special thank you to Terry (her adopted son) and Debbie Dekoski and their families. Thank you to Carrie Mausolf, Donna Peruski, Jeff Messing, Marvin and Sally Lamke, Marilyn Bismack, Jim Romzek, Dr. Tan, and all the euchre players.  Thank you to all who sent cheer in get well cards. Thank you to the medical staffs at McLaren Hospital in Port Huron and at Butterworth Hospital, Spectrum Health, in Grand Rapids.  Thank you for everyone’s thoughtfulness during this time of sorrow.

Honoring her wishes, her pallbearers will be her sons, Thomas and Michael; sons-in-law, Harvey Messing and Dennis Yamamoto; grandsons, Jason Messing, Kyle Yamamoto, and Nicholas Oberski; and grandsons-in-law, Brett Krueger, Dan Meeuwsen, Andy Buffington, Nick Wagner, and Andrew Kreichelt.

We pray that God will take Mildred to join the company of all the saints, especially her husband, daughter, and family, who will probably have polka music and a rousing tournament of euchre awaiting her. May her life with David be free and fun, beyond earthly work and woes, in a place of perfect peace. “Well done, good and faithful servant…Enter into the joy of eternal life.”                                                                      

Mass of Christian burial will be 11:00 am, Monday, April 26 at St. Mary Catholic Church, St. Isidore Parish in Parisville. Rev. Nate Harburg, pastor of Good Shepherd Parish in Ubly will officiate. Her final resting place will be next to her beloved husband, David, in the St. Mary Catholic Cemetery in Parisville.

Visitation will be at the Zinger-Smigielski Funeral Home in Ubly on Sunday from 2:00-8:00 pm and Monday from 10:00-10:45 am at St. Mary Catholic Church only. There will be a rosary Sunday afternoon at 4:00 pm by the St. Isidore Rosary Sodality and a parish vigil service at 7:00 pm. Both services will be at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, Mildred requested that memorial gifts be given to the Sleeper Library of Ubly or St. Isidore Parish, St. Mary Church in Parisville.