William Paul Dombrowski

Service Details

Family and friends are invited to meet in the Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home and Crematory on Thursday, December 14, 2023, for a visitation from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. 

There will be  a Rosary service at 4:00 p.m.  

The celebration of his funeral Mass will take place at 11:00 a.m. the next day on Friday the 15^th at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church (6400 Spring Street).  There will also be a visitation in the church from 10-11 a.m.  

His interment with Military Honors will follow the Mass at Holy Cross Cemetery in Caledonia. 

Memorial Suggestions

Memorials have been suggested to St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church.

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William (Bill) P. Dombrowski passed away on December 2, 2023. Bill lived a life of family, faith, and Polish traditions.

Bill was born to Eugenia Wosczyk in New York City on July 30, 1928. Following a visit to Racine, Wisconsin, when he was six months old, Bill was adopted by his great-uncle and great-aunt, Victor and Cornelia Dombrowski, who raised him as their own. He spoke highly of them and often expressed his love and gratitude. Bill attended grade school at Stephen Bull School and graduated from St. Catherine’s High School in 1947.

In 1948, Bill enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Following boot camp at Parris Island, Bill graduated from the Radio Operators’ course at Camp Del Mar. Bill served in the Korean War as a Radio Operator for the First Air and Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO). In the Korean War, Bill was temporarily assigned to the U.S. Army and made the first five major landings with the U.S. Army, responsible for relaying coordinates from the forward observers to battleships, destroyers, and close air support. His unit received a Presidential Unit Citation, Good Conduct Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, and Letter of Appreciation from the Republic of Korea. Sergeant William P. Dombrowski was honorably discharged in 1952. Bill was a proud Marine. He told stories of his years in the service in vivid detail, recalling the names of every ship and assignment. In his Marine scrapbook, Bill wrote, “It was a great 4 years!!” His life embodied the Marine Corps motto, “Semper Fidelis.”

After his service, Bill returned to Racine and met the one and only love of his life, Helen Dorf. On November 26, 1953, they were married in St. Stanislaus Catholic Church. Together, they raised seven children. Bill lived a wonderful life with Helen. They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary a few days before Bill’s passing. During those 70 years, in addition to raising a family, they went to Mass every Sunday, played bingo and dominoes with family and friends, tended the flower and vegetable gardens in their yard, bird watched, completed hundreds of puzzles, went to many Polish Fests, and traveled to nearly every state together.

Bill worked as a lithographer for 35 years, first at Western Publishing, then at W.A. Krueger Printing Co. Bill enjoyed his time working and spoke fondly of it throughout his life. He maintained friendships with the men he worked with until his passing. Bill worked hard to support his family of nine, but always made time to teach the kids how to ride a bike and throw a ball, take family vacations, visit local art shows, and attend the annual 4th of July Parade.

Bill and Helen’s Franksville property became the gathering spot and home base for their seven children and 16 grandchildren. Bill took pride in and enjoyed the countless hours of work he spent up-keeping the 7-acre yard. Bill planted every tree on the property – there are hundreds. Until his recent illness, you would find Bill outside mowing the lawn, tending the garden, snowplowing the driveway, feeding the birds, raking, and burning leaves, or trimming the trees. Even at 95 years old, Bill was in his yard, cutting down a tree with his new chainsaw.

Bill most loved the time spent with family. Hosting Christmas and Easter at home with Helen was a highlight of many years. For years, Bill put a train set under the Christmas tree and arranged elaborate Easter egg hunts for his grandkids. On these holidays, Bill especially enjoyed cooking and eating the traditional Polish dinner, including Polish sausage and sauerkraut. Bill always loved sitting on the patio, in the sun, drinking a Heineken or eating a Snickers ice cream bar with family. Over the years, a family wedding was not complete without Bill dancing the polka with Helen, his daughters, daughters-in-law, and granddaughters.

In addition to family, Bill’s life was centered on his faith. He was a longtime member of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, and most recently, St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church.

Bill always kept himself busy, physically and mentally. He had many hobbies. When he turned fifty, Bill gave up smoking a pipe and started running. He participated in numerous annual runs, including the Lighthouse Run and Al’s Run, but more significantly, he completed the Madison Marathon, and the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C. In his seventies, Bill had a 1947 Harley Davidson motorcycle restored that he rode for many years. He enjoyed both taking it out on the roads, including in the annual Harley Davidson parade, and giving his grandkids rides around the yard. Bill also loved to play the harmonica.

Bill was an artist at heart. He and Helen took art lessons together for many years. Bill enjoyed painting, drawing, carving, and making pottery. His favorite was drawing with pen and ink. He passed his love and talent for art on to his children. Bill loved gardening and took pride in sharing the vegetables he grew with family and friends. He made summer meals with everything from his garden including cucumbers, bell peppers, zucchini, and tomatoes. Bill also loved to play horseshoes, playing in leagues with friends, and installing horseshoe pits adhering to regulation dimensions in his yard. Bill was an avid reader of history. But he was also always learning new things. In his eighties, he learned the Rubiks cube and solved it almost daily. In his nineties, he took to making apple pie.

Bill is survived by his wife, Helen; his children, Paul (Evelyn) and their children Destini (Nick) Protich, Thomas, and Megan, Pete (Marie) and their children Blase (Emily), Diana (Jason), and Rachel, Bill, Gary (Kathy) and their children Vince and Kate, Jayne Siler and her child Grace, Lana (Frank) Staudinger and their children Alex, Sarah (Dillon) Steadman, Anne, Jennifer, and Will, and Julie (Rick) Fitch and their children Natalie and Artie; his great-grandchildren, Daniel, Adam, and Harry; and his goddaughter, Dr. Michael Halgrimson.

In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by his sisters, Eugenia (Clarence) Granetzke, Jeanne (Marvin) Kately, and Martha (Ernie) Sandker; his sister-in-law Jean (Jack) Brehm; his brother-in-law Joseph (Joan) Dorf; and his son-in-law, Jim Siler.

Family and friends are invited to meet in the Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home and Crematory on Thursday, December 14, 2023, for a visitation from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.  There will be  a Rosary service at 4:00 p.m.   The celebration of his funeral Mass will take place at 11:00 a.m. the next day on Friday the 15^th at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church (6400 Spring Street).  There will also be a visitation in the church from 10-11 a.m.   His interment with Military Honors will follow the Mass at Holy Cross Cemetery in Caledonia. Memorials have been suggested to St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church.

   Bill’s family would like to thank Dr. Gullberg for his many years of care, and the staff at Ascension All Saints Hospital and Aurora Medical Center Mount Pleasant. Bill is loved by many and will be deeply missed.