Patricia "Patti" Wolfe

Patricia Ann "Patti" Wolfe, age 85, of Weston, passed away peacefully on August 20,2025. Patti was born on the family farm in Rosholt on January 10,1940. One of seven children of Theodore and Loretta (Czerwinski) Pehowski.

With an effervescent and happy-go-lucky personality, she made friends easily. Her love of music began young, when she begged her parents for piano lessons. She soon was taking lessons at St. Adalbert's grade school from Sister DeSales who just happened to be Liberace's aunt.

In 1958, Patti graduated from Rosholt High School and moved to Milwaukee. She found work as a stenographer in several offices. She was also a talented seamstress and sewed many of her own and family members' clothing. She even sewed a wedding dress for her sister and all of the bridesmaids!

In 1959, she married Raymond L. Groshek and raised 5 children. She was an excellent cook and enjoyed throwing large parties at the home with relatives for holidays and Air shows! She was known as a prankster and her home was a place where everyone had a great time. There was plenty of laughter and fun in that house on Quincy Avenue!

In 1972, she began taking concertina lessons with the legendary Don Gralek. Eventually she formed a band named "Concertina Patti and her Southside Polka Ensemble" playing venues and weddings throughout the city. In a few years, they produced an LP record, a 45 RPM record and an 8-track tape. In 1984, she was inducted into the World Congress Concertina Hall of Fame.

She began working at GM Delco Oak Creek in 1975. After her divorce in 1980, she married John Leo Wolfe in Milwaukee on March 22, 1991. Six years after her retirement in 1993, she moved to Stevens Point. Here she formed the "Polish Friends" band and played in various venues around central Wisconsin.

In 2017, the couple moved to Birchwood Senior Apartments in Weston where they enjoyed making new friends, going to the casino and trying out new restaurants. Her physical disabilities kept her from playing her concertina which was a huge disappointment. The couple moved to Rennes Assisted Living in February 2025. Patti always enjoyed talking and meeting with friends and family.

Patti is survived by her husband, John Wolfe of Weston; her children Ramona (Lynden "Jack") Wenger of Delray Beach, FL, June (Peter Czarnezki of South Milwaukee, Faye Groshek of Eland and Christopher (Michelle) Groshek of Milwaukee; five grandchildren, Amanda (Kersey) Resch, Amelia (Emily) Nievinski, Jarrett Nievinski, Mark (Kate) Czarnezki and Spencer Czarnezki and two great-grandchildren Milo Glenn and Charlotte Patricia Resch. She is further survived by her sisters, Elaine (John) Egle of Sussex and Cindy (Sam) Wiza of Rosholt; sisters-in-law, Lucille Pehowski of Colgate and Donna Pehowski of Sussex and many other relatives and friends.

Patti was preceded in death by her parents Ted and Loretta, her son Jeffrey Groshek; three brothers, Raymond (infant), Ken and Steve Pehowski, her sister Phyllis Burant and brother-in-law, Nick Burant.

Memoiral Service will be held on Friday August 29, 2025 at 11:00 AM at Brainard Funeral Home Everest Chapel (5712 Memorial Court, Weston WI 54476). Visitation will be from 9:00 AM until the hour of service at Brainard Funeral Home Everest Chapel. Burial will be at St. Adabert Cemetery in Rosholt WI.

Thanks to Rennes Health Services and to her husband John and Daughter Faye, who were magnificent caretakers for several years at home.