Gerard J. Polka

Gerard “Jerry” Polka, age 82, passed away peacefully on January 12, 2026, surrounded by family.

Jerry was born on April 15, 1943, in Harris, Texas. Though life took him far from his birthplace, he was always a Texan at heart.

He was raised in Chicago, on Damen Avenue, alongside his two younger brothers and many cousins, by two loving parents--his father a Texan through and through and a doting mother from Chicago, who many described as a saint for raising three rambunctious boys. Chicago is where he met his first wife, Sheila, and together they built a life and raised their three children. In his late 20s, Jerry started a business from the ground up, providing a comfortable life for his family through grit, determination, and an iron-will that would come to define him. During those Chicago years, his wardrobe was famously Texan: several pairs of cowboy boots (including one spray-painted green for St. Patrick’s Day—despite being zero percent Irish), a single pair of flip-flops and one belt with a large gold “H” belt-buckle that he proudly told everyone stood for “Houston” (tho it was really Halston, the designer). Sometimes he topped it all off with a cowboy hat, (with a giant green feather on St. Patrick’s Day). His gold ring shaped in the state of Texas never left his hand and remained molded to his finger until his final days.

When his children were young, Jerry always made time for them, from special outings with each of them individually, to regular weekend outings together: weekend breakfasts, lunch at Pizza Hut (despite Chicago’s many superior pizza options, because nobody’s perfect), or evening visits to “the library,” where he proudly introduced his three children to friends. He took each of his children individually to Texas, where his father was living, so they could see the place where his heart truly lived.

After Sheila’s passing, Jerry met Monika twenty-two years ago in Chicago. Where some never find love, miraculously Jerry found two amazing women who loved him and found there was space in his heart to love again. He followed her north where together they made her home theirs at “The Barn” in Mosinee, Wisconsin—a place Jerry deeply loved. He poured his personality into the barn, adding special cowboy touches, planting countless trees, and spending hours sitting outside, simply enjoying the land and its quiet beauty. In Mosinee he found his people, built lasting friendships, and embraced the slower pace of small-town life that reminded him of his Texas roots. Friends would chant his name—Jerry Springer–style, a show he loved, when arriving at his home away from home, Ashley’s.

Jerry was a lifelong Catholic and unwavering in his beliefs—whether about how to properly make a cheese sandwich or his views on domestic and foreign affairs. He loved to debate - mostly when he “won” even if only because the other person walked away out of exasperation. He was a gifted artist with remarkable drawing ability and creativity that many probably never realized. He was immensely proud of his (questionable) singing voice and was always ready to belt out Ave Maria—anywhere, anytime. He loved guns, the Dallas Cowboys, Willie Nelson, the Brazos River, and just about anything connected to Texas.

Above all else, Jerry loved his family and his friends.

He is survived by his loving wife, Monika; his children, Kimberly (Jim), Stephanie, and Kevin (Marta); his grandchildren, Dominic and Olivia; and his brother, Joseph (Karen).

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph Charles and Mary Ann; his brother, Cornell; and his first wife and the mother of his children, Sheila.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11:00 a.m., on January 26, 2026, at St. Paul Catholic Church, 603 4th Street, Mosinee, Wisconsin. Father Aaron Becker will officiate. Burial will be at St. Paul Cemetery, Mosinee. Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m., until the time of Mass, all at the church. Beste Funeral Home, Mosinee, is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolence may be left at www.bestefh.com.

A Celebration of Life will be held in the future.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. In honor of Jerry’s love of trees, the family invites you to plant a tree in his memory.