Obituary of Karl A. Malik
Karl A. Malik, age 86, of Wisconsin Rapids, passed away on Wednesday, June 15, 2016, with his loving family by his side.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, June 18, 2016, at Herman-Taylor Funeral Home in Wisconsin Rapids. Father Valentine Joseph will officiate. Burial will be held at a later date at Meehan Cemetery. Visitation will be on Saturday from 9:00 AM until the time of service at the funeral home. Online condolences may be expressed at www.taylorfuneralhome.net.
Karl was born on October 12, 1929, in Dancy, WI to James and Irene (St. Claire) Malik. He met his lifetime dancing partner Lorraine Pike at a wedding where he swept her off her feet, and on April 23, 1955, he married her in Stevens Point, WI; their dance lasted 61 years. He was employed as a Paper Finisher for the Port Edwards Paper Mill for 37 years before his retirement.
Besides his beloved wife and daughters, Karl's favorite thing in this world was music. Whether it was playing a stump-fiddle, a button box or sweeping granny off her feet for a polka on the dance floor, Karl was always moving to the rhythm in his soul. He and Lorraine were longtime members of the Central Wisconsin Button Box Players and enjoyed playing with them at various events around Wisconsin. He was a big car enthusiast, he spent many hours fixing old cars but his favorite was Studebakers. Karl and Lorraine liked hitting the highway on their motorcycles, blazing the trails with their snowmobiles and spending time with his girls camping (as long as the mice stayed away). He was a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather and will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
Karl is survived by his wife Lorraine, daughters Paula Malik and Sandra (Dale) Rosenthal, grandchildren: Stacey (Terry) Leach, Peggy (Todd) Trudell, Jessica Rusch, and Kristopher Karl (Amanda) Rosenthal; eight great-grandchildren; sisters Vera Staples and Doris (Bob) Weinkauf and sister-in-law Darleen Malik as well as many nieces, nephews and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, step-father John Hammel; siblings: Donny, Vernon, Gerald and Joan Malik; brother-in-law Ottmer "Slim" Staples and sister-in-law Geraldine Malik.
