Mary Jane Penoske

Mary Jane Penoske (nee Guse) passed away peacefully with her daughter at her side, on July 9th 2025, at the age of 91 (and 11 months).
She was born on Saturday, August 19, 1933, preceded in death by her husand, Jim, of 58 yrs., her son John, also by her sister Ruth and brother-in-law Richard Weber. Loving mother of Sue (Tom) Kelm, Jim Jr. (Lisa) and Diane (Al) Stanislawski. Loving grandma of TJ (Kristine), Jim III (Tiffany), Amy Schrubbe, Mary (Sam) Frentzel, Julie, David (Ashley) Stanislawski. Loving great grandma of Ray, Atticus, Madison, Walter, Riley, Hailey, Brysen, Charlotte and one expected in October. Mary Jane is further survived by her niece Joan Cira, and great -ieces and nephews.
Mary Jane grew up on the East side of Milwaukee until she was 7 years old. She loved the East side where she was surrounded by family. We heard many stories about the refreshment stand that her aunt and uncle ran near McKinley Beach on Lake Michigan.
She moved to the south side and went to school across the street at Longfellow Grade School. She then attended Walker Jr. High where she met her future husband, Jim. He kissed her on the playground and told everyone that he would marry her one day. When she was a senior at South Division High School, Jim was serving in the Navy and he would drive past her house while on leave to accidently meet her.
She was working at Badger Mutual Insurance Company at the time, as a file clerk. They dated and were married on May 2, 1953. They had four children, one every three years starting in 1954 with Susan, James Jr., Diane and John. In 1967 they built a house in Franklin, Wisconsin, where she lived until her death. She enjoyed her house very much along with her pool and doing her gardening.
In her later years, after volunteering at St. Mary's Parish School she started to work in the Maintenance Department cleaning rooms and cleaning all the spaces no one else wanted to clean.
Mary Jane loved playing cribbage, board games and bowling; she loved to draw and wished she could of learned more about it. She also enjoyed painting. Mary Jane and Jim painted every room at St. Mary School in Hales Corners as well as the old Rectory. Mary Jane was an avid reader and enjoyed watching every show on PBS. She also enjoyed traveling, especially vacationing with family.
A visitation will be held at St. Mary Catholic Faith Community Church, 9520 W. Forest Home Ave., Hales Corners, WI 53130 on Wednesday, July 30, 2025 from 1:30 pm to 2:45 pm. Funeral Mass 3:00 pm.
Offerings given to Mary Jane will be donated to her favorite charities that she gave to on a regular basis.