Brookfield
Born to Eternal Life on Monday, March 17, 2025. Age 86.
Beloved husband of Karen (nee Tappa) for 66 years. Dear father of Tom (Marj), JoEllen (Pat), Kathy (Rob) Fox and Steve. Loving grandfather of Sarah, Billy (Allison), Greg (Sophia), J.R. (Valarie), Jackson (Caroline), Alisha and William; and great-grandfather to Addison, Marlie, Frances “Frankie”, Robbie, Deacon and Tyson. Dear brother of Frank. Further survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Preceded in death by his father, Francis; his mother, Frances; and his mother, Madelyn.
On April 9, 1938, just four short days after his birth, infant Gerald Joseph lost his mother, Frances, to childbirth complications. This began an interesting and rather hectic childhood in which many relatives and friends played a role in helping Jerry’s father, Francis, raise him and older brother Frank. From loving and caring neighbors, the Depka family, to Aunt Ellen, Uncle Frank and countless other relatives, you could say it truly took a village to help raise Jerry and Frank.
Jerry was proud and often talked about spending many long, hot summer days working as a deckhand on Uncle Frank’s charter fishing boats off the southern California coast. At 12-15 years old, he was always the youngest on board!
Even with his many visits to California, Milwaukee was always home. Jerry attended Rufus King High School where he excelled as a linebacker and center on the varsity football team and qualified for the state tournament as a young and talented wrestler.
At just 17, Jerry enlisted in the Marine Corp. and proudly served his country overseas in Japan, Okinawa, and the Philippines. Returning home after three years of duty, he soon reunited with his 7th grade sweetheart, Karen, and they married on February 7, 1959 at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Milwaukee.
Jerry had a love for the trades and chose masonry as his lifetime career after being offered a position from long time friend Jim Napholz, owner of Napholz Construction. Following 15 plus productive years as a lead mason foreman, he was more than ready to start his own masonry and concrete company and in 1980 Kozlowski Construction was born! For over 40 years, Jerry was proud to be his own boss. He proved to be quite the salesman, developing countless lasting relationships throughout the industry with general contractors, masonry and redi-mix suppliers, excavators, and many loyal repeat clients throughout Greater Milwaukee. Several family and friends, including four grandsons, had the opportunity to work in the family business as they learned the value of hard work and dedication from their grandpa!
In his free time, Jerry was a big Packers fan and through his two uncles inherited the chance to work in the press box at County Stadium, handing out play by play and halftime statistics to writers and reporters during Packer games. This unique position began in the mid 1950s and lasted until the Packers final game in Milwaukee following the 1994 season.
Jerry and Karen enjoyed attending their children’s many school activities and sporting events whether at St. Agnes (Butler) or Brookfield East. Jerry became a basketball and football coach at St. Agnes in the 1970s and remained in contact with a good number of the boys from those teams who also are friends of Tom today. As proud grandparents, Jerry and Karen were big fans of the many activities of their grandkids.
You name the sport, the band or dance performance and it was a good bet they’d be in the audience enthusiastically supporting their family.
God has blessed Jerry throughout his life. Even though he lost his mother on April 9, 1938, little did anyone know at the time what gift God had in mind. For on that very same day, God sent Karen Marie Tappa into the world, who would one day become Karen Marie Kozlowski.
Visitation Saturday, April 5, 2025 from 10:00am until Time of Memorial Service at 12:00Noon with a Reception to follow at Schmidt & Bartelt Funeral Home, 10121 W. North Avenue, Wauwatosa. Interment with Military Honors at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Union Grove.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight or the Tunnels to Towers Foundation.
