Annabelle Lorraine Kowalski (Hintz)

Annabelle Lorraine Hintz Kowalski was born on April 24, 1924, the eighth child of Carl Hintz and Martha (Taege) Hintz. She grew up on the family dairy farm in the village of Weston and told tales of how she delivered milk in a horse-drawn carriage as a child with her father for the family business, Weston Dairy. She attended the Red Brick School through eighth grade.

Annabelle joined the legacy of millions of “Rosie the Riveter” women when she traveled to Milwaukee during WWII to work on various assembly lines in different factories. In 1989, she retired after 15 years cleaning offices at Reed Lignin paper mill.

She loved dancing the waltz with her husband Vincent “Blackie” Kowalski, who she married on July 13, 1946. Together in Kronenwetter they raised six children. She was fiercely loyal to her husband until his death on July 25, 1990, after which she moved to her home on 13th Street in Mosinee, built by her sons.

Annabelle loved listening to Polka music, Friday fish fries, and watching the Brewers. A child of the Great Depression, she never let an apple or slice of bread go to waste. She was renowned for her famous potato salad, chicken dumpling soup, pull-apart biscuits, and apple cake and was a master with a hot iron. Neighbors in Mosinee were oft to spot Annabelle with her iconic carrot-orange hair on her daily walks— traveling by foot was her preferred mode of transportation, unless she was taking her boat-sized blue 1987 Caddy for a spin (still parked in her garage today).

Annabelle was known as “Grandma Annabelle” by her 22 grandchildren, and “Granny” by some of her 26 great-grandchildren. She loved watching many of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren performing on stage and playing sports, especially basketball and baseball.

She is survived by five of her children and their spouses: Gary (Mary) Kowalski, Blaine (Mary) Kowalski, Glenn (Vicki) Kowalski, Joy (Joe) Knoedler, Jill Kowalski, and daughter-in-law Sue Kowalski— all of Mosinee. She is preceded in death by her husband of 44 years Vincent, her son Bruce, her parents, and all nine of her siblings: Agnes Buska, Wilma Hinner, Avila Richmond, Beatrice Feith, Vernette Means, Cornelia Baars, and Arleigh, Eldor, and Gerald (Jerry) Hintz.

Annabelle lived in her home until the last week of her life. Her heart came to rest on August 16, 2022, in Weston, the village where she was born. She was 98 years old.

Family would like to thank Laverne Clark, Rena Henke, Shirley Bielen, and the staff at Pride TLC for their compassionate care.

A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 am, on Saturday, August 20, 2022, at Peace United Church of Christ, Schofield. The Rev. Gloria VanHouten will officiate. Burial will take place in Mosinee Cemetery. Visitation will be held at 10:00 am until the time of service, all at the Church. Beste Funeral Home, Mosinee, is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences can be directed to the family at www.bestefh.com.