Sophia Woitowicz (nee DeVries) went to her heavenly home on November 21, 2020 at 81 years of age. She had been battling Parkinson’s disease and dementia since 2011, but succumbed to the effects of Covid-19.
Sophia was the loving wife of Michael, sister of Neil Devries (Judy, recently deceased), sister-in-law to Robert Woitowicz (Sandy); Martha Toole (Tom) and beloved aunt to eleven nieces & nephews and 23 great nieces & nephews.
Sophia was born in Aalsmeer, Netherlands on December 26, 1938. She immigrated with her family to the USA as a child and grew up in Lake Geneva, WI. She was educated at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, received her teaching degree and taught in an elementary school in Wauwatosa for many years. Sophia was multi-lingual, fluent in English, Dutch and Spanish. A consummate athlete, she was an accomplished sailor, a skier, biker and hiker as well as a marathon and 5K & 10K runner (finishing first woman in her age group in the 2000 Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon). Her favorite hike/run was the 7-mile lakefront path from Lake Geneva, WI to her home in Williams Bay often doing it as a round trip!
Sophia and husband Mike traveled extensively during their 48 years of marriage. This included numerous ski trips to the Western USA as well as France, Austria, Switzerland and Italy. Sophia and Mike also traveled, camped and cruised throughout the USA, Canada and Europe. Sophia & husband Mike lived in Brown Deer for 35 years and were known for their summer ending “Sweet Corn Roast and Volleyball” backyard party, hosting as many as 40 people for the event. While in Brown Deer, Sophia was active in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church participating in the Choir, Ladies Aid, Picnic Chairwoman and other related activities. Sophia’s desire was to move back to the Geneva lake area where she was raised. So, after Mike’s retirement they purchased a new home in Williams Bay where they lived for 10 years until the progression of her Parkinson’s disease required a move to assisted living. They chose Fairhaven in Whitewater, WI which has several levels of senior care. The last several years, Sophia resided in nursing care at Fairhaven while Mike lived in an apartment. Being in the same facility meant they could still be together for meals, activities and visits by friends and relatives.
A church service of remembrance at First Evangelical church in Lake Geneva is planned for family only at this time. A social gathering of remembrance will be scheduled later for Sophia’s many friends from her Lake Geneva days and her teaching, skiing, running and sports activities days. In lieu of flowers please make memorials in Sophia’s name to the Wisconsin Parkinson’s Association (https://www.wiparkinson.org/donate/). Funeral arrangements are being handled by Steinke Lazarczyk Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Lake Geneva is proudly serving the Woitowicz Family.