Henry John "Jack" Kruschek Jr.

Henry John “Jack” Kruschek Jr. passed away peacefully on January 10, 2026, at the age of 82, surrounded by his loving family.

Jack was born on October 21, 1943, to Henry Kruschek, Sr. and Clara (Meinholz) Kruschek. He was baptized on November 1, 1943, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Pine Bluff, Wisconsin, attended St. John Catholic School in Waunakee, and graduated from Waunakee High School in 1961. He married Carmen Rae (Nielsen) on June 22, 1968, in Oregon, Wisconsin, and together they built a life and a family in “The Only Waunakee in the World.”

Known as “Bapa” to his grandchildren, Jack was a man of quiet strength, dry wit, and stubborn German determination. He referenced this quality often and with pride—his German heritage was a point of honor, and his stubbornness a badge he wore gladly. He spent his career as a purchasing agent for the State of Wisconsin, work he took pride in, though his real passions emerged in his quieter hours.

Jack enjoyed euchre, cribbage and in later years, breakfast with his ROMEO group. He was a craftsman, a tinkerer, and a treasure hunter. For years, he and Carmen attended auctions with his sister Darlene and brother-in-law Jim, hunting for forgotten gems in boxes of “junk.” He had an eye for things others overlooked, a piece of old furniture worth restoring, a curiosity worth saving, a treasure hiding in plain sight. His children and grandchildren always knew that come Christmas, there would be something special under the tree pulled from an auction box—what Jack proudly called “an auction treasure.” He loved refinishing the old furniture he found, patiently bringing worn pieces back to life with careful attention.

He could lose himself for hours watching YouTube videos about watch repair, marveling at the intricate gears and tiny mechanisms. “That old guy knows what he’s doing,” he would say admiringly about the skilled craftsmen he followed. He was endlessly curious—staying up too late watching documentaries about Siberian reindeer nomads, the inner workings of American cities, or anything else that caught his interest. He always emerged with new stories to share.

Jack had opinions. About politics. About paint brands. About the only acceptable way to frost a cinnamon roll (powdered sugar, never cream cheese—and he would argue this point). He relished annoying telephone scammers and often threatened to mail Monopoly money to politicians he disagreed with, complete with old Christmas seals to seal the envelope.

Over the years, Jack kept a mental list of things he couldn’t stand—a list that grew longer as time went on. If you asked Jack what he hated most in the world, he’d state without hesitation: “War... and wet toilet paper.” “What good is a pergola?” he’d ask, genuinely baffled. He despised scented candles and cream or sugar in coffee. But he wasn’t angry or resentful; he simply had observations about the world and wasn’t shy about sharing them. His complaints were good-natured, delivered with a hint of annoyance and the strong feelings of a man who knew what he liked—and what he didn’t. That was Jack—a man who could find humor in the mundane, strong opinions in the ordinary, and a good story in anything.

Jack was a homebody at heart who preferred the quiet of Waunakee to the chaos of big-city traffic. But love has a way of getting a man in the car. Despite his well-known distaste for navigating Milwaukee and Chicago—cities he had colorful names for—he made the drive to visit his daughter Diane and her family, first in Milwaukee and later in Indiana. Some things were worth the trip.

And he loved giving advice—whether you asked for it or not. “What you might want to think about...” he would begin. Or: “Give this some thought...” His counsel was freely offered, usually right, and always delivered with the certainty of a man who had seen a few things in his 82 years.

But above all else, Jack loved his family.

He was a devoted husband to Carmen for 57 years. He was a proud father to Diane and Dan. And he was a grandfather whose love knew no limits. He wrote each grandchild an individual letter when they joined the family, including a dollar bill to start their journey—a tradition that showed how much each one mattered to him. His grandchildren were always on his mind and always in his heart.

Jack will be buried in his “Bapa’s Buddies” sweatshirt, embroidered with the faces of all his grandchildren. There is no more fitting tribute to the man he was.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents, Henry Sr. and Clara (Meinholz) Kruschek; his sister, Darlene (Kruschek) Esser; his brother-in-law, Harold Nielsen; and his granddaughter, Evelyn.

He is survived by his loving wife, Carmen (Nielsen) Kruschek of Waunakee; his daughter, Diane (Kruschek) Faber, and her daughters Annika and Lydia of Highland, Indiana; his son, Dan Kruschek, and his wife, Annette (Price) Kruschek, of Lake Mills, Wisconsin, and their children Hattie Kruschek of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Charlie Kruschek of Boulder, Colorado, Isaac, Elijah, Norah, Clara, Lewis, and Evelyn, whose spirit remains; his brothers, Neil (Sharon) Kruschek and Steve Kruschek, both of Waunakee; his brother-in-law, Jim Esser of Cross Plains; and many other family members and friends who loved him.

Jack Kruschek loved fiercely, joked often, and forgave easily. He leaves behind a legacy of laughter, love, and family who will miss him terribly.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, Jan. 16,2026 at 11:00 a.m. at the Winn-Cress Funeral Home 5785 Hwy Q Waunakee. Friends may call at the funeral home on Friday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of services. Burial will take place in the church cemetery. A reception will follow at the Waunakee Legion Hall.

Please share your memories at www.cressfuneralservice.com

Winn-Cress Funeral Home

5785 Hwy Q

Waunakee, WI