Lorelee A. Binkowski
Lorelee Ann Binkowski (85) of Menomonie, WI, formerly from Plum City, WI, returned to God’s heavenly home on July 5, 2025. She passed away at Luther Hospital in Eau Claire, WI after a 2-year battle with complications from several hip surgeries, but being diagnosed with small cell lung cancer that spread to her liver just days before her death.
Lorelee was born to Jacob and Irma Wiskerchen on June 29, 1940, in Auburndale, Wisconsin. Shortly after her birth, her family packed up and moved to Nevada with tragedy striking shortly after their arrival with Jacob being killed in a mining accident. Lorelee and her mother returned to Wisconsin, with Irma eventually marrying Bernard King who had one son, John, and their family grew with 3 more children, Carol, Gary, and Connie, all growing in the Plum City area. Lorelee attended Plum City High School, graduating in 1958, and is where she met her future husband, Dale, who was her “high school crush.” Dale proposed on Christmas 1958, and they were married on June 20, 1959 (having recently celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary), and had 5 children, Bob, Lori, Amy, David, and Chad.
Over the years, Lorelee worked at American Loan & Thrifty (between her Junior and Senior year of high school in “the Cities”); Hamm’s Brewing Company in St. Paul, where she was a princess during the St. Paul Winter Carnival in 1958-1959, several employers in Durand doing bookkeeping and secretarial work, Ryan Lau (an attorney in Durand while Dale was farming / driving bus), and eventually working with Dale in growing their business, Binkowski Oil Company.
During her life, Lorelee enjoyed traveling with family and friends to various locations in the United States, as well as Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Aruba. Lorelee and Dale also enjoyed several cruises through the Hawaiian Islands, Alaska, and Mexico. She also enjoyed boating, waterskiing, and spending her free time with her family and friends. What little free time she had, you could find her doing needlework, count-cross stitch, line-dancing, golfing, gardening, and playing cards and marbles with the family.
Lorelee was preceded in death by her parents, Jacob Wiskerchen and Irma King, her stepfather, Bernard King; her sisters, Carol King and Connie Manor, her children, David Binkowski (at birth) and Lori Larson; her nephew, Mark Manor; brother-in-law, Junior; sister-in-law, Audrey; brother and sister-in-law, John and Connie Binkowski; a niece-in-law, Sandy Binkowski; and many uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends. Lorelee is survived and will be greatly missed by her husband, Dale; her children, Bob (Tonja) Binkowski; Amy Binkowski; and Chad (Lacey) Binkowski; grandchildren, Joe Binkowski; Chris (Lara) Johnson; Dalton Binkowski; Dillon Binkowski; Josh (Megan) Larson; Brady (Jacy) Larson; Bryan (Lauren) Larson; Kayla (Daniel) Wann; Rowen Binkowski; brothers, John (Thelma) King and Gary (Karen) King, great-grandchildren, Mason, Brooks, Aubree, Caleb, Daniel, Aria, Sophia, Vanessa, and Samatha; and nieces and nephews.
Memorial Mass will be 11:00 a.m. Friday, July 11, 2025, at St. John’s Catholic Church in Plum City, Wisconsin. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday at the Rhiel Funeral Home in Durand, and one hour before the Memorial Mass on Friday at the church. A Celebration of Life will take place at Molly’s on Main following the services.
Rhiel Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Menomonie, is serving the family.