Shelia Palubicki

Shelia Jo Palubicki, 52, of Combined Locks, Wisconsin, died peacefully in her home Friday, January 8, 2021, after battling the neurodegenerative disease Spinocerebellar Ataxia for nearly 20 years.

Shelia was born in Greenfield to Arvid Gary Evans and Grace Marie (Tapken) Evans on June 12, 1968. She went to school at Bridgewater and then Fontanelle. During her youth she could be found helping out on the family farm working the land, raising hogs and milking cows in the small dairy. She loved animals and would show both swine and cattle during county and state fair time.

She graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelors in education and later a masters in agriculture. Although after one year of teaching grade school and not finding it to her liking, she found very satisfying work as an animal laboratory technician and then an assistant manager in quality assurance for Fort Dodge Animal Health, also known as “The Labs.” She worked there for 14 years before being unable to work because of her ataxia.

She married Lonny Charles Palubicki January 16, 2000, in Miami, Florida. Shelia was involved in many 4-H activities during her youth and later as a volunteer leader taking small groups of young people on hiking and canoe trips to the boundary waters in Minnesota.

Shelia is preceded in death by her grandparents, George and Theresa (Wildhagen) Tapken; George Kenneth “Jimmy” and Lois (Walton) Evans and father-in-law John Palubicki.

Shelia is survived by her husband, Lonny; three siblings: Denice (Bruce) Ostrander, Warren (Dana) Evans and Andrea (Tim) Lynn; parents, Arvid Evans and Grace Evans; mother-in-law, Theresa (Wojciehowski) Palubicki; brother and sisters-in-law, Dave (Nancy) Palubicki, Cathy (Mark) Wittmann and Larry (Mo) Palubicki; as well as many loving nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

Please consider giving a donation in Shelia’s name to the National Ataxia Foundation (NAF) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in lieu of flowers or other gifts.

The family of Shelia wishes to extend their sincere thanks to Dr. Price, ThedaCare Hospice, and the many nurses that helped during the last weeks of her life. Additionally, the family wishes to thank their many neighbors and especially Dorothy, Shelia’s kindred spirit.

A special thanks also goes to Cathy and Theresa who spent many days and nights during the last weeks at Shelia’s side.

Funeral services will be held later this summer in Bridgewater. Burial of Shelia’s cremated remains will follow at the Witt Cemetery in Bridgewater.