July 18, 2023 – Washington Co., WI – Marlene B. (Michaels) Domasky, a longtime resident of Boltonville and proud educator, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday, July 14, 2023. She was born on Nov. 4, 1934, in St. Anna, Wisconsin to Harold and Martha (Beck) Michaels.
Known for her generosity and determined spirit, Marlene placed a high value on education. Her love for learning began at the age of 4 when she was sent to first grade and, despite her young age, was regarded by her teacher as the best student in her class. She was a graduate of Plymouth High School.
In later years, as a single mother raising six children, it was education that allowed Marlene to build a stable life for herself and her family. She went back to school in the late 1960s and graduated cum laude from Lakeland College in 1971 with a major in English and elementary education. At the time, she was featured in the Sheboygan Press for her amazing accomplishments – she’d finished four years of coursework in three and a half years while raising her kids on her own and working nights – and was quoted as saying, “The children cooperated but they always reminded me that I’m a mother first.” And that she was. Some of her family’s fondest memories center around Marlene’s ability to make even the simplest events into something memorable, whether it was a hike in the Kettle Moraine with a picnic lunch, grilling hot dogs in the back yard, or an occasional special trip to McDonald’s, where each child would get half of a hamburger, half an order of french fries, and half of a chocolate shake – all for $5. Marlene later went on to earn her master’s degree in K-12 education, an accomplishment of which she was rightfully proud.
It was at a camping trip for single parents that Marlene met the love of her life, David Domasky. The two were united in marriage on June 23, 1973, and combined their lives into a blended family of 10. They made their home together in Boltonville, across from Farmington Elementary School. Marlene spent 30 years teaching, most of them in the Kewaskum School District. After her retirement, she established the Marlene Domasky Scholarship through KEYS, which awarded two scholarships in the amount of $4,000 each annually to Kewaskum High School graduates who had attended Farmington Elementary. She also contributed financially to the higher education costs of each of her grandchildren.
During retirement, Marlene could often be seen in the stands cheering on the Kewaskum High School football team. She enjoyed spending winters with Dave at La Hacienda Resort in Apache Junction, Arizona, where she filled her days with reading and taking oil painting classes.
Those Marlene leaves behind to cherish her memory include her husband, David Domasky; her children, Mark (Mary) Steinhardt; Cindy (Mark) Schaefer; Bruce (Donna) Steinhardt; Jeff (Cindy) Steinhardt; Mike Steinhardt; Scott (Janine) Prost-Domasky; and Mark (Tami) Domasky. She is further survived by 13 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren, with one more on the way. In addition to her parents, Marlene was preceded in death by her brothers Elroy and Donald Michaels; stepmother Irene Michaels; daughter-in-law Kara Domasky; and daughter, Christine Gagnon, who the family knows was waiting in Heaven to meet her with a big hug.
Marlene’s family will greet relatives and friends from 12 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. on Saturday, July 29, 2023, at Peace United Church of Christ, 343 First Street, Kewaskum, followed by a funeral service at 2 p.m. with Rev. Eric Kirkegaard officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to KEYS in Marlene’s name; online donations can be made by visiting keys-scholarships.org, or checks in memory of Marlene can be mailed to KEYS, Inc. P.O. Box 124, Kewaskum, WI 53040.
