Published by Legacy Remembers on Jul. 2, 2025.
In Loving Memory
Charlene Catharine Kolinske (1926-2025)
Charlene Catharine (Lund) Kolinske was born July 1, 1926 in
Petoskey, Michigan to Charles L. and Margaret G. (Koboski) Lund, the second of 5 children. She was raised and grew up on her parents' family farm, Sunnyside Dairy, at 2274 Atkins Road. As a child, she enjoyed going on milk runs with her father and he enjoyed having her as his helper delivering milk and cream to local customers because she was a fast worker. The family also put up hay and corn for silage to feed their cattle, raised chickens and had a garden to grow their own vegetables. Like many other farm children, Charlene's work ethic was engrained in her by performing various chores around the farm and she carried this trait with her during her adult life.
Charlene met Edmund J. Kolinske, from another farm family, when they attended Petoskey High School together, although Edmund was two years older. Charlene married Edmund on June 15, 1946 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church following his honorary discharge from The U.S. Army Air Corps after World War II where he served as an aircraft mechanic and tail gunner. Charlene gave birth to twin daughters Diane and Donna (Donna passed away at birth) in 1947, sons Edmund in 1948 and Robert in 1953. The family lived on River Road in a small home which Edmund renovated, enlarged and added a two-car attached garage over the years. Edmund did his own carpentry, electrical and plumbing work at their home and later built a 3-bedroom house, doing most of the construction himself, on a 50-acre farm they purchased about one mile down the road from their home. Charlene and Edmund were born and lived their entire lives in Petoskey, except for a brief stint in Defiance, Ohio in the early 1950s. They remained members of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church until about 2000 and then attended St. Augustine/St. Matthew parishes in Boyne Falls/Boyne City. All three of their children were born and raised in Petoskey and attended St. Francis Xavier Grade School and High School.
Charlene was a hard worker her entire life, on the farm, at home and outside the home. In fact, she helped Edmund re-shingle the roof on their home the day before son Edmund was born! Charlene did so much around the home such as cooking and baking great pies and cakes, cleaning, washing and ironing clothes and making sure the kids' clothes were neat and clean, particularly for Sunday mass, making school lunches, dishwashing, scrubbing floors, managing the family finances, etc. She also helped to raise the animals they had on their small farm. The family often had a dog and cats, chickens early on, ponies, later a quarter horse, and beef cattle, starting out with three and eventually growing to about fifty head which were raised on their 50-acre farm. Charlene would help feed and water cattle and help to put up hay for feed as well. She never avoided work, no matter how hard.
Charlene also worked full-time outside the home at the A&P supermarket for many years as a cashier for as long as we remember. She would purchase silver coins and silver certificate dollars she had in her cash register as a way to save a little money for the future. She was a dedicated worker and knew her job very well from memorizing item prices to checking customers out quickly and giving exact change (she was very good with numbers).
Charlene and Edmund loved to travel and often left home on a moment's notice. Attending polka dances throughout the Midwest was a favorite pastime for them as they enjoyed polka dancing, and were very good at it, too. From 1980-2000, Charlene and Edmund also traveled to farm shows in the Midwest to sell canes and walking sticks with son Edmund and his wife Mary. They had a lot of fun doing this and checking out all the latest in farm equipment. Edmund and Charlene had International-Harvester tractors over the years and ample equipment to mow/rake/bale and haul their own hay for feeding their beef cattle. Edmund was a certified mechanic his entire life and a specialist on automatic transmissions, diesel and gasoline engines and hydraulics. There was literally no equipment or machinery he couldn't operate or repair: automobiles, trucks, tractors and farm equipment, as well as heavy-duty highway and construction equipment.
Following the sudden death of her husband Edmund in a traffic accident in 2003, Charlene lived alone in her home on River Road for over 21 years. As Charlene was always busy and on her feet it is believed that her very active life style gave her the strength and stamina to live alone and contributed to her independence and longevity. Daughter Diane also lived in Petoskey and was always there to help Charlene in any ways she could. Son Robert lived down the road from Charlene and would stop by regularly to visit and help. Charlene celebrated her 98th birthday in 2024. For the last 6 months, Charlene was lovingly cared for in her home by her son Robert and his wife Rose. Charlene passed away at McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital in Petoskey on Sunday January 19, 2025, suffering from acute respiratory failure. As an avid supporter of Donald J. Trump, Charlene was anxiously awaiting his inauguration as our 47th President on January 20!
Charlene is survived by her three children: Diane M. VanHorn, Edmund C. (Mary) Kolinske and Robert J. (Rose) Kolinske; brother Richard E. (Deb) Lund; 10 grandchildren: Kevin (Abigail) VanHorn and Kory (Mallory) VanHorn, Edmund R. (Nicole) Kolinske, Jody (Dean) Schmidt, Richard (Melissa) Kolinske, Randall (Hilary) Kolinske, William (Kelley) Kolinske, Julie (Christopher) Esser, Jennifer (Eric) Wood and Robert Kolinske Jr.; 20 great grandchildren: Braydon VanHorn; Cali, Avery and Connor Kolinske; Kira, Enzo, Reyna and Zola Schmidt; Miles, Brady and Jordan Kolinske; Case and Cooper Kolinske; Kennedy Kolinske; Teresa and Harvey Esser; and Rachael, Maddie, Lauren and Robert Wood; daughter-in-law Mary Anne Kolinske; and numerous nieces and nephews in the Lund and Kolinske families.
Charlene was preceded in death by her husband Edmund J. Kolinske (1924-2003), daughter Donna (1947), parents Charles L. (1897-1964) and Margaret G. (1903-2003) Lund, her elder sister Shirley M. Faculak (1923-2015) and younger brothers Charles L. (1928-2020) and Robert V. Lund (1929-2019), great grandson Robert Kolinske and son-in-law Gary L. VanHorn (1947-2020).
Fittingly, a Latin Mass was offered for Charlene and Edmund in Wisconsin by son Edmund's family on February 2, 2025 at a Polish congregation in Milwaukee, St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic Parish and Oratory. Holy cards of remembrance and prayer books were presented to each family member. Mass was followed by a brunch and gathering to share memories of Charlene at The Machine Shed restaurant in Pewaukee.
Charlene's remains were cremated at Nelson's Funeral Home in Gaylord, Michigan and will lie next to her husband's in Greenwood Cemetery in
Petoskey, Michigan.
Your prayers and Mass intentions offered for Charlene and Edmund J. are very much appreciated.